Challenge
Due to extended vacancy and lack of maintenance, the building's elevators became in complete disrepair. Access to the mechanical floor was impossible for equipment replacement. Ancillary buildings had been built around the existing tower extending the reach even further out.
Solution
Monarch Welding was employed to develop the plan for access. Through cooperative efforts of our Iron Workers and the on-staff professional engineers, we generated the plan for a cantilevered platform that would anchor to existing structural steel and stick out the window past the roof coping. This allowed the crane to hoist onto and off the platform, which was called the “Diving Board.” All equipment had to fit through the existing window frames without any damage to the limestone. Crane access was granted from the neighbors to allow the crane to be assembled for the extended reach.