After crews from local steel fabricator-erector Raulli & Sons Inc. assembled the falsework, they began erecting the steel. Due to site logistics and the length and weight of the trusses, crews erected the trusses in halves, starting on one side of the 80-ft-wide building.

First, they set a small midspan link on the falsework and stabilized it. Then, they erected the nearly 100-ft-long member, braced at the abutment, until the next truss could be erected. After completing half the building, crews moved the crane to the other side of the gorge to complete the other half of the frame.

Marrying truss halves was not easy, says Penepent. Midspan bolt holes had to align. For adjustments, Raulli installed a jacking system with the falsework.

To date, the building, which is 75% complete and expected to be substantially done in June, has deflected 1.5 in., as anticipated. "We mimicked bridge design," but the project was much more complicated than a bridge, says Costello.