Commercial HVAC Lift Project in Syracuse, NY
Rigging Under Pressure:
Delivering 20 AHUs for the Syracuse STEAM School
Commercial HVAC Lift Project in Syracuse, NY: Delivering 20 AHUs for the Syracuse STEAM School
When Trimble Services LLC was selected to support the HVAC renovation at the historic Syracuse STEAM School, the project presented a unique challenge. Working alongside mechanical contractor Crosby Brownlie, our team was tasked with receiving, storing, and rigging 20 sectional Air Handling Units (AHUs) into a multi-story historic building in Syracuse, NY.
As a commercial crane and rigging project, success depended on careful planning, precision equipment placement, and seamless coordination between multiple trades. With limited staging space, tight access points, and unit locations spanning several floors, this HVAC lift project required a customized approach from start to finish.
The Challenge: Installing HVAC Equipment in a Historic Syracuse Building
The Syracuse STEAM School’s historic architecture created several challenges for the installation team:
Limited staging and maneuvering space for equipment and materials.
Twenty AHUs distributed throughout the attic, first, second, and fourth floors.
Tight access points requiring units to be delivered and rigged in sections rather than as complete assemblies.
To keep the project on schedule, Trimble Services received and stored the equipment at our facility before coordinating deliveries and installation sequencing with the mechanical contractor.
The Strategy: Crane, Rigging, and Specialized Equipment
Every floor required a different approach.
Attic Installation (10 Units)
Installing ten large air handling units in the attic required precise crane operations and rigging techniques. Our team utilized cranes to lift the sectional components above the building and carefully lower them through restricted roof openings. Once inside, the units were skated across the attic floor and positioned into their final locations.
First, Second, and Fourth Floor Installations
For the lower-floor installations, roof access was not an option. Instead, our team developed a specialized rigging plan using a telehandler to place unit sections through tight window openings on multiple floors.
Where vertical assembly was required inside mechanical rooms, gantries were used to safely lift, position, and assemble the AHU sections. This approach allowed the equipment to be installed efficiently while minimizing disruption to the building and surrounding work areas.
Seamless Coordination and On-Time Delivery
A commercial HVAC lift project of this scale requires far more than cranes and rigging equipment. Because of the limited staging space available at the Syracuse STEAM School, Trimble Services could not simply deliver all 20 air handling units at once. Instead, the project required multiple mobilizations, with deliveries and rigging operations carefully scheduled to align with the overall construction timeline.
Success depended on close coordination between every trade involved. Throughout the project, Trimble Services worked alongside:
Crosby Brownlie (Mechanical Contractor)
The Electrical Contractor
The General Contractor
By maintaining open communication and executing a detailed crane and rigging plan, our team ensured that work progressed safely and efficiently. Careful scheduling prevented trade conflicts, minimized disruptions, and allowed the project to remain on track despite the challenges of working within a historic building in Syracuse, NY.
The Result
Despite tight spaces, historic building constraints, and complex logistics, Trimble Services successfully completed this commercial HVAC lift project in Syracuse, NY safely, efficiently, and on schedule.
Projects like this highlight the value of experienced crane services, rigging expertise, and proactive project coordination. Whether supporting HVAC installations, machinery moves, or industrial construction projects, Trimble Services delivers dependable lifting and rigging solutions throughout Syracuse, Rochester, Oswego, Watertown, and the surrounding Upstate New York region.
