Crane, Rigging, Millwright, Heavy Hauling

When it comes to complex mechanical rigging, no two jobs are ever the same. But some projects truly test a team’s coordination, skill, and adaptability. Our recent project at the Syracuse STEAM School was exactly that kind of challenge.

Working alongside mechanical contractor Crosby Brownlie, Trimble Services LLC was brought on to receive, store, and rig 20 massive sectional Air Handling Units (AHUs) into the historic building. Between severe space limitations, the delicate age of the structure, and highly challenging unit locations, this project required precision engineering and flawless execution from start to finish.

Here is a look inside how our team got the job done.

The Challenge: Tight Spaces and a Historic Structure

The Syracuse STEAM School is a beautiful, historic building, but its architecture wasn’t exactly designed with modern HVAC installation in mind. We faced three major hurdles:

1. Tight Footprints: Highly restricted space for staging and maneuvering heavy equipment.

2. Scattered Locations: The 20 AHUs had to be distributed across the attic, 1st, 2nd, and 4th floors.

3. Sectional Assembly: Because of the tight entry points, the units had to be received, stored at our facility, and brought to the site in sections to be rigged individually.

The Strategy: A Multi-Level Rigging Plan

To tackle the different floors and tight entry points, our team utilized a diverse fleet of specialized equipment and techniques:

The Attic Installation (10 Units)

Getting 10 massive air handling units into a building’s attic is no small feat. We utilized our cranes to hoist the sectional pieces high above the building, carefully lowering them through tight roof hatches. Once inside the attic, our rigging crew “skated” the heavy sections across the floor and precisely into their final positions.

The 1st, 2nd, and 4th Floor Installations

Without the luxury of roof access for the lower floors, we had to think laterally—literally.

• We utilized a telehandler to carefully rig the unit sections through tight window openings on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th floors.
• For the units that required vertical stacking within mechanical rooms, our team deployed gantries to lift and assemble the sections safely and efficiently.