It takes a lot to make New Yorkers stand up and take notice. They’ve seen it all. But on a hot Saturday in July, with 54th Street (as much “mid-town” as you can get) closed to traffic, Manhattanites watched in amazement as more than 22 pieces of heavy equipment were hauled to the top (28th floor) of the Dorset Hotel, adjacent to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). It took approximately eight hours for a dozen mini-excavators and skid loaders and 10 Tramac 95 hammers to be hoisted to their sky-high job site.

New York’s MoMA opened its doors in 1929, the first museum to devote its programs and collection entirely to the modern movement. Its present expansion calls for 230,000 sq. ft. (20,700 sq m) of new construction on the site of the Dorset Hotel, as well as a 350,000-sq.-ft. (31,500 sq m) renovation of their existing space.

Breeze Construction — the Team for the Job

When it comes to tackling a major demolition job in New York City, Breeze Demolition of Brooklyn, NY, is the organization to call. As Toby Romano, president of Breeze, said he’s been in the business for 32 years — the past 20 with his own company — plenty of time to learn to cope with the rigors of big city demolition. Rules and regulations, lack of space for equipment maneuverability, and heavy traffic are just the beginning. On this job, there is yet an another sensitive issue to consider — the irreplaceable value of the museum’s collection. It wouldn’t do to have the vibration from a large chunk of falling debris shake up a Picasso painting or jostle a Calder mobile from its moorings.

Breeze began the job in July and expected to complete it by the end of January. Elevator shafts have been converted to chutes for removal of debris. Fifteen to 20 truckloads of debris are removed each day.

As each level of demolition is completed (removing concrete slabs and brick and masonry walls), crews lower the equipment to the floor below by means of block and tackle.

When it come time to break up the building’s foundation, they’ll bring in Tramac’s V55 hammers, MP70 grapple, and the PFH 1200 shear on a Cat 245.

A Long, Loyal Relationship With Tramac

While Romano is quick to point out that Tramac’s equipment is top-of-the-line, he credits his 100-percent loyalty to Tramac as much to the fine service he gets from Ray and Gerry Alessi of R. Alessi Equipment Co., New Rochelle, NY. “Downtime can’t be tolerated on a high-profile job of this magnitude, and Alessi responds immediately to any problems at any time, including Christmas Eve,” said Romano.

(This article appears courtesy of Tramac’s “Breaking News.”)

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