Tower Crane Assembly for MoMA Tower
The first piece of boom is being bolted to the cab of this tower crane that will erect the Moma Tower.
Anyone who has been following New York City real estate knows Midtown – especially the West 50’s – is becoming a land of super-tall skyscrapers that eclipse both the Empire State Building and One WTC. Elsy and I happened upon this tower crane assembly being performed at 53 W. 53rd St., which is the site of the new MoMA Tower. The 1,050-foot residential building will have 139 apartments ranging in price from $3.17 million to $50.9 million. It will be at least one third taller than the Museum Tower also owned by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa).
Manhattan is a sea of Luffing Jib Tower Tower Cranes such as this massive model by Liebherr being assembled. The boom is in three pieces and the first piece was being bolted to the crane cab when we arrived.
The mid-section was already loaded into the street and we bore witness to the unloading and assembly work of the boom tip.
Tower crane assembly requires two cranes – one to load and unload the various pieces and the second to perform the assembly. The crane rests on a hydraulic jack stand that allows it to add tower segments, in a process called “jumping.” Tower cranes are descended from the Kangaroo Cranes that were used to build the Twin Towers. Since this crane is interior to the building a derrick will be required to disassemble it.
The middle boom section was already unloaded. The boom tip will be lifted, rotated and a piece bolted to the tip before unloading is complete.
Swinging the boom tip….
Rotation….
Assembly preparation…
Assembly….
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