The Equipment
Due to limited availability, Lend Lease mounted a smaller crane, a Favelle Favco model 220, than the previous one, which was a Favelle Favco model 440. Because of the replacement crane's smaller lifting capacity, such items as the building's 200,000-lb window-washing rig will need to be assembled using more crane picks.

"There are 21 picks for the window-washing rig—that used to be 15," says Finamore. "I had to break down some of those picks because of their weight." The heaviest piece is 17,600 lb, he adds. Other lifts that the crane will perform include the steel that forms the roof's two-story arches and a unitized curtain wall.

Before crews could start using the crane, though, they had to jack it up and insert the two mast sections that were removed. Then, the crane required a series of load tests to ensure that it could safely operate. That work was completed on May 16.

Although workers have continued to finish out the inside of the building since the storm, the roof details have remained in limbo. The tower crane will be used for approximately five months before it comes down.

"It's almost like we lost six months of time," Finamore says. "As soon as it is operational, it might as well be November 2012."

The Takeaway
Careful planning made for a smooth replacement, Finamore adds, noting that the job could have easily taken several more months to complete. Consistent staging of people, equipment and materials kept personnel working on the site in the months following the storm.

"There were a lot of balls in the air," Finamore says. "The only way this was a six-month problem and not a nine-month replacement problem is that you must tenaciously attack every one of the issues and put them in motion while monitoring what's behind you."

This article was updated on May 21, 2013.