Empire State Building

To make the system safe for workers, inhabitants, tourists and the structure, Plan B Engineering designed a temporary footing with a braced frame to set the elevator framing—a moment-resisting frame to stand off the face of the building while anchored to the existing building column—above the sidewalk. In addition, the hoist ties had vibration-damping elements built in to the tie arm to reduce vibrations transmitted to the building structure.

Landmark II

Located in West LA, this 2.8 acre site originally consisted of a 4-story below grade parking garage with the 17-story Landmark I tower on the north side of the lot. With the new 34-story Landmark II tower proposed just to the south, a 4-story deep window needed to be cut through the existing parking garage in order to build the new foundations and superstructure.

Maine State House

A $1.3 million exterior rehabilitation of the historic State House in Augusta necessitated access to the full exterior of the dome and gilded topping statue.

Plan B designed a custom scaffolding solution that accommodated the dome’s geometry and specific design constraints, which limited how it could be supported off of the historic steel frame. Since the project scope included the replacement of the copper roof, the scaffold had to continually redistribute its loads away from active work zones to facilitate the restoration as it progressed. Plan B worked closely with the client to build out the final system using available equipment in order to complete the restoration within a limited window of time.

First Canadian Place

The tallest occupied building in Canada gets a face lift. Due to weathering, all the limestone façade panels on the building were replaced with a new glass curtain wall. The platform system rode up and down on the window washing tracks, anchored to the building spandrel beams and allowed demolition on one level and installation on another. The platform was served by two hoist complexes from a podium level and one hoist complex from the street.

Judd Foundation / 101 Spring Street

This former commercial building, designed in 1870, was home and studio to sculptor Donald Judd. Unlike most cast iron facades, it does not imitate stone but includes mechanistic industrial details. The Judd Foundation renovated, rehabilitated and restored the building as a museum to maintain the artist’s legacy and provide modern access to the public.