I had a blast photographing the delivery and erection of this Potain Crane on Chapel St. in ‘ole New Haven last week. The crane sits on a concrete pad in front of Street Hall, a second to another in front of the Swartout building. These cranes support the renovation of both buildings as part to the Yale University Art Gallery renovation and expansion that started with the Kahn building.

The crane erection was an amazing process that started at 7am with setting up the support crane (the yellow one with wheels), and finished at 4pm. Note that the crane I photographed sits low on a concrete pad and up the street the first crane is high on a box structure – so they are at different heights. This makes sense when you see at day end they test crossed the cranes. All folded up the Potain Crane stands up and unfolds all via remote control. I’ll resist a boys and toys comment, as the crane/process is actually rather elegant.

Check out the image gallery and you can see the process unfold. Click on the screen grab image.

Construction Crane Erection Gallery

Thanks to the kind folks at Dimeo for letting me on site. And of course Leslie the Yale Art Gallery for having out for the day.

Chris

Thanks to the staff at the Odonnell Company for lending me their view (esp. Jess Smith). You can see the final image and some of the before post parts here.

Round top window’s the port hole on this one.