Politics & Government

Cole Field Construction Shakes Houses, Neighbors Say

Two Sarah's Trace residents – already suing the School Department over damage they say was caused by construction of the new Cole Middle School – call police to report new vibrations.


Work to improve drainage on the , which had flooding problems after the new school opened, prompted two neighbors to call police recently over what they said were house-shaking vibrations.

Christopher Lamendola, of 50 Sarah’s Trace, and Thomas Hogan, of 40 Sarah’s Trace, asked police to document their complaints Wednesday, Aug. 8. Both men are part of .; .

In police reports from Aug. 8, Lamendola and Hogan said their houses, both of which abut the middle school – were vibrating due to use of heavy construction equipment on the fields. Lamendola said that under an agreement with the School Department he was supposed to be notified about any work on the site and said he hadn’t been.

According to Sean Sullivan, from construction manager Strategic Building Solutions, no large vibratory rollers were being used for the drainage work. Vibratory rollers had been used during construction of the school itself. Instead, Sullivan said, Manafort (the company hired to do the work) was using a small plate compactor.

In addition, he said, Manafort was using rubber tire excavators instead of metal track excavators to reduce possible vibrations. Two dump trucks have also been on the site, he said.

School Committee lawyer Matt Oliverio said last week the homeowners' lawsuit is "still in discovery" and that there have been a lot of depositions taken. He said it would be another year or so before a trial might take place.


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