What Made This Project Complex

The columbarium niches were fabricated off-site in blocks of 16 with extended lead times, requiring Team Henry to construct 20 masonry openings to exacting, guaranteed dimensions well before the units arrived on site. Fabrication had to begin months in advance of the openings being ready, meaning there was no opportunity for field adjustment. The structure had to be built right the first time.

Beyond the precision challenge, the project required careful coordination of multiple trades (masonry, stone, metals, landscape) within a compact footprint in an ecologically sensitive, wooded area. The site sits adjacent to an active memorial where ashes have been interred since 2010, demanding an elevated standard of care throughout construction. University campus logistics, including restricted access, noise limitations, and pedestrian management, added further scheduling constraints.

Every material and detail was selected to meet a permanence standard befitting an institution founded in 1693, with the Alumni Association pledging to maintain the memorial in perpetuity.


Scope of Work

• 320-niche columbarium (pre-fabricated niche blocks, precision masonry openings)

• Brick wall of remembrance

• Natural stone hardscapes and improved walkways

• Ornamental metal elements

• Entryway construction

• Seating installations

• Landscape improvements within a wooded, ecologically sensitive site