Inside Chelsea Square | Weekly Update from Vanderbilt

July 12, 2026

Hi neighbor,

We hope you are well! This update outlines planned construction activity on Vanderbilt’s Chelsea campus from Monday, July 13, through Sunday, July 19.

At a glance: This week’s key community impacts

Road closure notice: On Monday, July 13, beginning at 7 a.m., West 21st Street between 9th Avenue and 10th Avenue will be temporarily closed while crews use a crane to lift structural beams for scaffolding at The Chapel. The closure is expected to conclude by 5 p.m. at the latest.
Construction activity is expected Monday through Friday, beginning at 7 a.m.; weekend work begins at 8 a.m.
The 21st Street campus entrance remains closed. Community members should continue to access campus via the 20th Street entrance.
Temporary access impacts may occur along the West 21st Street sidewalk throughout the week.
Facade restoration and accessibility ramp construction are expected to generate moderate construction noise. Concrete work and scaffolding installation may produce intermittent medium construction noise.
Interior renovation continues across campus, particularly in Sherred, Keller and Seabury. Community members may notice visual changes in windows and increased material movement.
The temporary walkway and fencing remain in place to support restoration of the bluestone walkway and surrounding landscaping.
Vehicles parked in marked no-parking zones are subject to towing.
The Chapel remains closed to the public.

Progress snapshots

Pintard lounge in progress

Hoffman floor repairs

Seabury basement framing

More details: Expected construction activity & impacts

In general:

Construction activity is expected Monday through Friday, beginning at 7 a.m. Weekend work will begin at 8 a.m. Community members may notice signs of activity inside Seabury and Keller during nontraditional work hours on weekdays.
Vehicles parked in marked no-parking zones remain subject to towing. Parking impacts on West 20th and West 21st streets will continue throughout the summer.
Trucks are expected throughout the week. Impacts will be similar to prior weeks, with flaggers directing traffic as needed.
Temporary staging of construction materials, equipment and storage sheds remains on the lawn areas of The Close and along West 21st Street.

Main drainage system upgrades continue with impacts on the West 21st Street sidewalk and nearby parking access.

Noise impact: Moderate noise
Spatial impact: Sidewalk access on West 21st Street may be temporarily affected by drainage system updates.

Renovation of the 21st Street campus entrance continues; the entrance remains closed.

Noise impact: Medium noise
Spatial impact: The 21st Street campus entrance is closed for the foreseeable future. Community members will continue to use the 20th Street entrance (429 W. 20th St., New York, NY 10011) to access campus. Equipment will remain stored in the area. Removal of old concrete will continue, and crews will conduct regular cleaning.

Brick restoration continues, including scaffolding installation at The Chapel. West 21st Street will be closed on Monday, July 13.

Noise impact: Moderate to medium noise with the use of a crane at The Chapel
Spatial impact: West 21st Street between 9th Avenue and 10th Avenue will be temporarily closed while crews use a crane to lift structural beams for scaffolding at The Chapel. The closure is expected to conclude by 5 p.m. at the latest. Sidewalks are not expected to be impacted for this activity.
FYI: The new scaffolding will allow crews to work at higher elevations on the tower. This was previously anticipated for earlier this month, and is part of an ongoing effort to preserve not only the appearance of our historic campus but also support its long-term structural integrity. Recovered materials are used in the restoration process across campus to mitigate unnecessary waste and honor the past.

Bluestone walkway restoration and landscaping work continue to progress, with intermittent elevated noise and changes to the fencing.

Noise impact: Moderate to medium noise
Spatial impact: Fencing on the east side of campus is being removed, while bluestone restoration nears completion. Fencing on the west side of campus remains in place to support the restoration of the bluestone walkway. Community members can expect visual changes in landscaping.
FYI: Bluestone resetting and brick curbing around The Chapel is near completion, and broader landscaping restoration is planned as part of the project’s completion. This activity follows stormwater infrastructure upgrades.

Renovation continues, with the most noticeable impacts out of Seabury, Keller and Sherred.

Noise impact: Moderate to medium noise
Spatial impact: Removed materials may be loaded for disposal with minimal additional disturbance. Aesthetically, the community may notice temporary doors and changes in windows across campus. Community members may notice visual signs of activity inside Seabury and Keller outside standard working hours.
FYI: Progress continues on the Seabury elevator and Sherred closing rooms. Flooring installation is underway in Keller, and repairs continue in Hoffman. Work on Moore’s third-floor terrace is expected to begin next week. Additionally, crews will begin installing stained glass windows in Seabury this week, an exciting milestone in the restoration of this historic space.

Campus accessibility ramp construction continues, with intermittent elevated noise from stonework.

Noise impact: Moderate to medium noise
FYI: This work supports improved accessibility across campus. Current efforts focus on installing a brick border for the ramp outside Hoffman.

Campus events

While there are no campus events planned for the week ahead, there's plenty happening behind the scenes. Our team is busy preparing for the start of the fall semester, planning upcoming events and gathering important information to share in the weeks ahead, including updates about the August move-in and other campus activities.

We're looking forward to welcoming students to campus and continuing to connect with our neighbors and community throughout the semester.

Stay connected

The next construction update will be shared on Sunday, July 19. When necessary, time-sensitive notifications are shared via AnchorAlert to those enrolled.

Have a quick question or comment?

Text "ConstructVUNYC" followed by your feedback to 55744. A member of the Vanderbilt team will be in touch soon.

Pictured: A mock text thread with the ConstructVUNYC keyword.