MILWAUKEE -- The new BMO Harris Tower in downtown Milwaukee took a big step in its construction.
"Over the weekend, we installed the tower crane," Rob Oldenburg, Vice President of Development for Irgens said. "For us, that represents us going into the next phase; the vertical phase of development."
The 280-foot crane will begin work almost immediately. Oldenburg expects it to start moving supplies tomorrow. In four to five weeks, it will start the vertical building process.
They've taken safety precautions, by anchoring it with 700,000 lbs. of concrete all driven into the ground with sixteen 85 foot piles. The crane will continue to grow as well as the construction continues. It can be as tall as 360 feet.
"It's what they call a self-rising crane," Oldenburg said. "They're able to lift up the crane and slide in the extension components, like a leaf in a table but vertically."
It still looks like a construction site but Oldenburg says this is a big moment for the building. Not only will they be doing something to benefit the local economy, but they're making a big footprint in the city.
"We're also here to change the skyline," Oldenburg said. "BMO Tower is going to do that but the first step is the tower crane. It's very symbolic. It's adjacent to City Hall. That's the precursors to the exciting part that the public is really energized with is seeing that vertical construction phase start."
The 25-story building is still on pace for a December 2019 completion.
