TEN TRAMAC 95s DEMOLISHING BUILDING
FOR NYC MUSEUM EXPANSION
from our December, 2000 Issue

All lined up and ready to go...

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 "midtown" as you can get) closed to traffic, Manhattanites watched in amazement as over twenty-two pieces of heavy equipment were hauled to the very top (28th floor) of the Dorset Hotel, adjacent to the Museum of Modern Art. It took approximately 8 hours for a dozen mini-excavators and skid loaders and ten 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. of new construction on the site of the Dorset Hotel as well as a 350,000 sq. ft. renovation of their existing space.

Breeze Construction—the Team for the Job

Up, up, and away...

When it comes to tackling a major demolition job in NYC, Breeze Demolition of Brooklyn, NY is the organization to call. As Toby Romano, President of Breeze, tells us, 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 Demolition builds protection into the job.

Breeze began the job in July and hopes 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), they lower the equipment to the floor below by means of block and tackle.

When it comes time to brek up the building's foundations, they'll bring in their heavy hitters – V55 hammers, Tramac's MP70 grapple, and the PFH 1200 Shear on a Cat 245.

A Long, Loyal Relationship with Tramac

Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound!

While Romano is quick to let us know that our equipment is top-of-the-line, he credits his 100% 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," explained Toby.

Breeze's experienced team on the MoMA project includes Superintendent Danny Collins, assisted by Toby Romano, Jr., Erika Romano, Engineer, and Dyal Ramcharan, Chief Estimator.