Crane Coming Down at 717 W. 9th
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
The crane at 717 W. 9th is stepped down as sections are lowered to flatbed trucks waiting below.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The Downtown skyline is losing one of its cranes today. Just weeks after the building's topping off ceremony, the crane at 717 W. 9th is being lowered one piece at a time. The occasion signifies the end of heavy lifting on a site that's been under construction for almost exactly two years.
717 W. 9th, located at 9th and Flower, is being developed by MerueloMaddux Properties. The building is a 35-story tower that will feature 214 one- and two-bedroom apartments. It's scheduled to be completed in late 2009.
Tower cranes are quite interesting to see erected or lowered. The crane actually assembles and disassembles itself by lifting or lowering sections of the mast. While this process is going on, the top of the crane is disconnected from the mast and supported by a climbing frame. That climbing frame then raises or lowers the top section to the new mast height.
Jasmin on November 19, 2008, at 11:49PM – #1
Be aware that during the day -- and even past 5 pm -- this necessitates the narrowing of Flower St to 2 and sometimes only 1 lane. This causes a lot of backup on Flower during the afternoon rush hour: from my window in the Gas Co Lofts I can see lights waiting as far up as past Wilshire. It looks like it will take them the rest of the week, at least, to complete this (it's been a very slow process so far), so you should plan on alternate routes if this is your usual way to the freeway.
The cones closing the lanes have been left out overnight so far as well, so access to the garage at 833 Flower (parking for IHOP etc) is difficult after dark as well.