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Raising the Roof at Arthur Ashe Stadium

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Jan2015   contributed by: Buckner Companies



Arthur Ashe StadiumMade Possible with Expertise from the Buckner Heavy Lift Cranes

Come 2016 the United States Tennis Association will literally be able to throw caution to the winds, rains or whatever other weather events threaten the area due to the new retractable roof being installed at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The new roof will remove the scheduling problems of the past when rain threatened tennis events at the venue. The 2016 U.S. Open will be played within a perfectly controlled environment which will be a major plus for players and fans alike. The unique challenges of erecting a roof at the stadium kept the United States Tennis Association from deploying it – until now.

The Challenge of Installing a Retractable Roof
While retractable roofs have been successfully installed and used for a number of years in Major League Baseball and the NFL, the sheer enormity and complexity of the task is something that should be only left to the true experts in the heavy lifting field. In the case of the Arthur Ashe Stadium, Derr & Isbell Construction, out of Euless, TX was the obvious choice to lead this project. Their past experience building retractable roofs on Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis Colts), and others made them the contractors of choice. Working hand in hand with Derr & Isbell Construction is Buckner Heavy Lift Cranes, who was specifically contracted by Derr & Isbell Construction for its heavy lifting prowess and experience.

Job Calls for the Best Heavy Lifting Cranes
The immense scale of this job demands the very highest quality cranes specifically matched to the demands of this particular roof construction project. Buckner Heavy Lift Cranes has risen to the challenge by deploying Liebherr LR11000 (1100t) and Liebherr LR1600/2 (660t) cranes, both configured with a heavy lift and luffer packages. The Liebherr crawler cranes were selected because of their large lifting capacity with minimal space required for operation. The crawler cranes also have an impressive limited ground bearing pressure for their size. This is especially important for this project since the stadium sits on a swampy area and can’t handle extremely heavy weight; which is why the roof is being built in a special way. Steel columns and trusses are being installed around the stadium and these will anchor the superstructure that will hold up the new roof.

Buckner Heavy Lift Cranes is Uniquely Qualified for this Project
Buckner Heavy Lift Cranes, with its decades of experience deploying the most advanced heavy lift cranes, precisely managed the selection of the cranes for this project. The New LR11000 was shipped directly from the factory in Germany, to the job site. The LR1600/2 and LR11000 are the only ones of their kind working in the City of New York. In addition to these top-of-the-line cranes, Buckner Heavy Lift Cranes has provided its skilled, safety-conscious technicians for this job. These highly experienced individuals assist in directing the machines in tight spaces and support the challenging lifts that connect steel trusses to the columns set strategically around the outside of the stadium.

Arthur Ashe Stadium BuildMaking the Impossible Possible
Challenging construction projects like the Arthur Ashe Stadium retractable roof demand no less than expert management and execution. This expertise is routinely provided by Buckner Heavy Lift Cranes at job sites around the nation. From heavy lift crane rentals to engineered lift planning, experienced skilled field technicians and operators, Buckner HeavyLift brings new meaning to the phrase ‘going the distance.’ Buckner HeavyLift offers capabilities that have made the impossible possible for over 65 years in the heavy commercial and industrial markets.

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