The building in Detroit being built from the top down

Last month, part of the I-94 freeway in Detroit was closed so that work could start on the Second Avenue Bridge. The 1,100-ton bridge was built at Wayne State University’s Palmer Parking Lot and then moved on rolling platforms across the freeway. On the edge of the Central Business District and Greektown, a brand-new monument is being built.

The 16-story Exchange tower, which is still being built, is so amazing, says labour steward Chris Mcbride, that he can’t stop talking about it.

The Exchange skyscraper is the first of its kind in North America. It will be 207 feet tall when it is finished. The building is a place to test the LIFTbuild technology. A machine that can turn a construction site into a factory

We don’t use safety ropes to hang people from beams that are 100 feet high. We are working hard to get rid of all possible risks. Joe Benvenuto from LIFTbuild says that the most important thing is to get rid of the risks and inefficiencies on the site.

Benvenuto says that the $64 million tower is held up by two spine-shaped concrete supports. They also hold the elevators and stairs and are used as a pulley to move floors that weigh a million pounds.

He said that if we go up to the levels, we’ll see a large, open floor plan that’s great for the residents and also made to make the workers’ jobs easier. “It’s a cantilever design with no columns in the way of the glass on the outside,” he said.

Each floor is made with more than 150,000 pounds of steel and 110 cubic yards of concrete. It is put together and lifted at an average speed of 25 feet per minute. Benvenuto said that if you look up, you can see all of the finished duct work, plumbing, fire protection, and fireproofing.

After starting to lift the 13th floor at 4 a.m., the team was ready to start the 4-hour process of latching to the floor above at 11 a.m. Once done, a perfect place to work is guaranteed.

“We can instantly cool or heat the room,” Benvenuto said. “This means that on a hot summer day, our employees can choose to be cool or warm.” Lastly, he said, “Our goal is to be 10–20 percent cheaper and 30 percent ahead of schedule.”

Benvenuto says that his method works because it took four years of research and development and 14 U.S. patents to make it. This is especially true since only 50 construction workers are needed on this site.

Last month, a part of I-94 in Detroit was closed so that work could start on the Second Avenue Bridge. The 1,100-ton bridge was built in the Palmer Parking Lot at Wayne State University. It was then moved on rolling platforms across the freeway. A union steward named Chris Mcbride says that the 16-story Exchange skyscraper, which is still being built, is so beautiful that he can’t stop talking about it.

The Exchange is the first building in North America of its kind. When everything is done, it will be 207 feet tall. The LIFTbuild technology will be put to the test on the building. A machine that turns a building site into a factory.