Maxim Crane lifts Frank Lloyd Wright-designed spire in Arizona

April 21, 2004 -Maxim Crane Works, Phoenix , Ariz. , set a Frank Lloyd Wright designed spire atop a retail and office center in Scottsdale in January, attracting attention from passersby, including Lift and Access 's own Guy Ramsey.

"This is located at one of the busiest intersections in Arizona - Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. and Scottsdale Road . Everyone was stopping or slowing to get a peek. Traffic was really snarled. The lift was beautiful to watch, and it went off without a hitch," said Ramsey.

The spire, which is 117 feet tall and weighs 77,000 pounds, was built by Schuff Steel according to a sketch drawn by Wright in the late 1950s. The spire was originally intended for the Arizona Capitol building, but that project never came to fruition.

The spire was hauled to the Promenade Corporate Center and Shopping Center by Precision Heavy Haul, Tolleson , Ariz. , on two trailers specially-fabricated to accommodate the spire. Maxim Crane Works lifted the spire with a 300-ton Liebherr LTM-1225 all-terrain crane, while using a 140-ton Grove 5120B as a tail crane.

"From the pre-planning to the actual lift, the coordination between Schuff Steel and Maxim was perfect," said Don Bollard, Arizona Regional Manager for Maxim Crane Works. According to Bollard, the only challenging part of the lift involved the rigging. "The length of the rigging under the spreader bar was critical-down to inches," he said.

The teal spire includes translucent panels that will be lit at night. In its position atop a four-story office building, the spire is expected to be a focal point for the complex, which will include a Frank Lloyd Wright visitor center and library.