The construction of a 180-unit apartment complex in Quincy, MA, left little room for a crane on the jobsite, much less two cranes. But the six-story structure required the lifting of several wall panels and other construction materials, and needed the capabilities of two cranes. The solution: two Igo T 130 self-erecting cranes that could fit into the site’s tight quarters with enough reach and capacity to complete the job.
Providence, Rhode Island-based North American Crane & Rigging handled the $34 million project’s lifting work. The company turned to Shawmut Equipment, which is based in Manchester, CT, for a lifting solution that would include cranes with compact footprints but still had the needed reach and capacity.
“Since the construction company had very little space to work with, North American Crane & Rigging had a request for cranes that could be installed and perform well in very tight working quarters,” said Kevin O’Connell, vice president and sales representative at Shawmut. “The two Igo T 130s offered extremely compact footprints, the ability to manage the lifts via remote control, and more than enough reach and capacity for the job.”
North American Crane & Rigging erected one of the Potain cranes adjacent to the jobsite, while the second was placed on an elevated concrete deck. A 275-ton-capacity Grove GMK5275 all-terrain crane, also owned by the company, helped unload and setup the Igo T 130s at the site.
In their transport configuration, the Igo T 130s traveled as a single trailer with an overall length of 56 feet. The convoy has a ground clearance of just 1 foot for better access to working jobsites.
“The cranes are even versatile when it comes to their own transportation,” O’Connell added. “They require less manpower and fewer trucks when compared with other cranes in their class. They’re definitely time and money savers.”
At the jobsite, the cranes lifted panelized wood-framed walls and other materials weighing up to 2.2 tons at heights up to 66 feet to complete the apartment complex’s construction. With an 8.8-ton-capacity, the cranes had more than enough capability to handle the lifts.
The wireless remote controls enabled the company to quickly complete lifts, with an ideal line of sight for load placement. The efficiency displayed by both Igo T 130s exemplified why self-erecting cranes have become extremely popular in North America for low-rise residential, hotel and other commercial construction.
Quality and agility on the job site
To David White, business development manager at North American Crane & Rigging, every square foot saved matters in a high-value real estate area such as Greater Boston during construction.
“Saving space and causing as little disruption as we can to a heavily urbanized area such as metro Boston meant significant cost savings for the general contractor, our customer and the City of Boston,” he said. “We were able to quickly assemble and disassemble the cranes on the jobsite with very little impact to local businesses and the community. The general contractor expressed that it was very pleased with the cranes’ performance and that it will use the cranes again in future developments in the region.”
The completed six-story structure will feature a 180-space parking garage, fitness center, theater and pool, among other features.
