The cranes needed to hoist dampers that, when installed, would improve the buildings' seismic ratings. The dampers were manufactured in Germany, tested in Italy, and returned to Germany before being shipped to the U.S. for installation.
The HSIR buildings are part of UCSF's Parnassus Heights complex, which is ringed by Medical Center Way, a vital road that must remain open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The cranes could not be situated on the road, leaving few options for their placement, none of which were easy.
However, the buildings were still occupied during the picks, and deliveries came and went from the loading docks along Medical Center Way, all of which required careful scheduling and planning for alternative delivery routes and emergency egress from the building.
"We had so many flaggers," Yasser says, including some on a pedestrian bridge connecting buildings. Foot traffic had to stop when loads were flying above the bridge, effectively turning it into a temporary exclusion zone, along with other exclusion zones established throughout the site.
The team also had to coordinate with Parnassus Heights construction projects, including the Webcor joint venture at the Helen Diller Medical Center and some work managed by other general contractors.
The crane setup area was chosen for the first pick's crane location for the east building, a very tight space with open trenches leading to it. The trench plates covering them weren't sufficient to handle the crane's weight, leading the team to perform a structural analysis and request replacing some of the trench plates. The crane setup began at 1 a.m. to limit disruption as the crane made its way to the site, and around 15 trucks carried crane parts that had to be backed up along Medical Center Way.
The crane location for the second pick, for the west building, did require blocking a portion of Medical Center Way for the entire weekend, since the road was the only place for the crane. The team found a way to leave the loading docks operational (except when crane loads were flying overhead), so trucks could still make deliveries.
"It was very complex, but it all happened perfectly," Yasser says. "The owner was really happy. There were no complaints. This success was made possible by the incredible collaboration of our project team, including our Webcor, Maffei’s design team, UCSF’s logistics and real estate team, and the support from the HDH field team."
“I’m incredibly proud of how the team united to overcome obstacles, challenges, and scheduling issues to reach this milestone," says Sr. Project Manager Ryan Miller. "A lot of team members have dedicated years to this project, and their meticulous planning has driven exceptional execution.
"This is what I love about this industry—witnessing a team persevere and succeed together.," Ryan says. "Special thanks to our co-leader, Michael Spillane, whose understated yet methodical leadership has been instrumental in resolving key issues and achieving this success. We wouldn’t be here without him!”
