Prior to construction, the grassy area is the development area with the Collegiate Church of Christ the Teacher in the background.
Initial earthwork activities.
Foundation excavation.
Backfill within the building.
On-going earthwork activities.
Merrimack College Corner Development
Geotechnical, environmental, and hydrogeological support for two new residential buildings.
GeoEngineers supported the expansion of on-campus housing at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts, as part of a public-private partnership with our long-term client Greystar Development. The project involved the construction of two new residential halls and required integrated geotechnical, hydrogeological, and environmental engineering services. GeoEngineers provided comprehensive support from early site evaluation through construction, helping the project team navigate subsurface conditions, environmental considerations, and cost constraints while advancing one of the college’s most significant campus investments in nearly a decade.
Approach
- Performed Phase I Environmental Site Assessment and soil characterization to identify potential environmental concerns and inform redevelopment planning.
- Developed a soil management strategy that emphasized on-site reuse of excess materials to minimize off-site disposal and reduce project costs.
- Conducted subsurface exploration using test pits and borings to characterize soil and groundwater conditions and support foundation and earthwork design.
- Prepared geotechnical recommendations to allow reuse of existing fill materials where feasible, aligning geotechnical and environmental strategies.
- Provided geotechnical, hydrogeological, and environmental support throughout construction.
- Delivered full-time on-site monitoring during earthwork to confirm design assumptions, support construction sequencing, and manage environmental compliance.
Results
GeoEngineers’ integrated environmental and geotechnical approach helped reduce material disposal, optimize earthwork operations, and control construction costs. The coordinated soil reuse strategy minimized environmental impacts while supporting efficient construction. Continuous construction-phase support reduced risk and maintained schedule certainty. The project advances Merrimack College’s long-term campus development goals and strengthens GeoEngineers’ growing portfolio of higher education projects across the East Coast.
