Image of construction site for City Hall with tower crane base

City Hall Update, July 2024


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July 30, 2024 June 24, 2024 July 17, 2024

July 30, 2024

Installation of the tower crane starts tomorrow, July 31. 
Crews are busy getting ready for the tower crane assembly. The image we see here is the base of the crane. The rest will arrive starting tomorrow. During the installation, we are closing Hargett Street to all traffic. The street will be closed beginning July 31, 2024, and will reopen to traffic on August 4.  

What is a tower crane?
A tower crane is a piece of lifting equipment that can pivot around tower-like structures, hence the name. The crane has a jib and a counter jib supported by the tower mast, which gives strength to the cabling, trolley, and hook that lifts the load. 

City Hall construction site with the base of the tower crane

How is a tower crane assembled?
It all starts with the tower crane’s foundation, which is important because it ensures the crane stays in place. The foundation includes deep foundation piles and a concrete block.

Once the foundation is completed the first part of the tower is built. To do that, crews take tower sections called masts and bring them together to create the base. This part is completed with a crane; the first mast is what you see in the picture to the right. After the initial part of the crane is done, they will install the climbing unit. The climbing unit will allow the crane to build up later in the process.

The slewing assembly is the next phase. This section is the horizontal section of the crane and can be assembled separately and then lifted onto the base with a crane.

Lastly, the crane can be made taller by using the climbing unit and a hydraulic jack.

And, that is how a tower crane is built. 

June 24, 2024

Planned Power Outage and Tower Crane coming to Raleigh Municipal Building 
On the morning of Saturday, July 27, 2024, Duke Energy will turn off power for approximately four hours to the Raleigh Municipal Building (RMB) and the adjacent parking deck. Generators will not be utilized during this time, and the building and parking deck will be without power, except for RMB life safety systems. The life safety and back-up E911 generators will not be impacted.  

The power outage is needed as part of the construction activity for the new City Hall. During the outage, crews will disconnect RMB’s backup generator for removal the following week. The back-up E911 generator will be relocated on the site at a later date.

The construction contractor is removing the outdated building generators to make way for the tower crane installation, scheduled for July 31-August 4. Hargett Street will be closed to all traffic during the tower crane installation. 

July 17, 2024

Image shows the civic tower construction site with crane with drilling rig.

Construction crews have been busy working on the deep foundation for the new tower.

What is a deep foundation?

First, let's talk about a foundation. A foundation creates a stable, solid base for a building. A deep foundation is used when the load-bearing soil or rock is deep below the surface. It transfers weight from a building's upper layers to stronger soil or rock layers below. In short, it distributes the weight over a larger area and prevents excessive settlement or movement that could compromise the structure's stability and integrity.

Pile foundations are the most popular deep foundations and what our crews are currently installing. They are made of columns of concrete reinforced with steel rebar.  

Contact

 

Have  Questions?

civic.campus@raleighnc.gov

Department:
Engineering Services
Service Categories:
City Facilities
Related Services:
City Hall Project Updates

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