@SupportiveEntity I’m happy to report that the issue was a failing CPU cooling pump!
I believe the demand of rebuilding the DDC in combination with a failing cooler was causing the CPU to hit critical temperatures and crash the project at different stages of the load with no clear error. Once I installed the new pump [and a new motherboard since I broke it in the process 
] the project opened perfectly.
Thank you so much for your help… this one had me pulling my hair out for a few days.