Raising of the Emporium Dome, San Francisco, group picture & document

On May 19, 2004 a 521,000 pound piece of San Francisco history was raised to new heights. The 100 foot diameter and 62 feet high steel framed plaster and decorative metal trimmed dome of the famed Emporium Capwell department store in downtown San Francisco was cut loose from its support columns and raised to a new height 60 feet above the existing structure. The original Emporium Capwell building was built in 1904 and destroyed during the earthquake in 1906. The store was rebuilt in 1908 and was the pride of San Francisco shopping until 1996, when the Capwell chain of stores closed. The building, vacant for many years, is being demolished to make room for a 1 million sq. foot addition to the San Francisco Center retail complex. The new addition will house the Bloomingdale’s department store along with many smaller retailers.
Ironworkers from Local #377, San Francisco, and Local #378, Oakland, working for Sheedy Drayage Co. of San Francisco erected a 40 foot square by 120 foot high temporary jacking tower and lifting frame assembly under the dome to handle this “one of a kind” project. Tower construction is W14x193 columns with 12 inch standard pipe headers and 10 inch standard pipe bracing. The main members for the lifting frame were W36x230 beams. Ironworker safety and ease of erection were key components of the tower design. Columns were fabricated with ladder rungs designed as anchor points for fall protection the entire 120 feet. All headers and bracing were designed with lifting lugs and all connections were a single 2 inch diameter pin. Ironworkers working from a man basket suspended from a 70 ton rough terrain crane installed catenary lines at each working elevation before headers were erected.
The limited height under the dome required that the lift be accomplished in two phases. In the first phase, under the direction of Sheedy’s Engineering Division, Ironworkers assembled the lifting frame and erected the tower to a height of 90 feet. Four 110 ton Strand Jacks anchored to jacking beams were then installed above the columns. Guide brackets fitted with Teflon pads, were attached to the underside of the lifting frame and positioned to follow the outside flange of the columns during the lift process. This first lift raised the dome 30 feet to a temporary elevation where the guide brackets, bolted to the columns, supported the lifting frame and dome while the jacking equipment was disassembled and stored on the lifting frame. With the first phase completed, the second phase started by raising the tower 30 feet to its full height of 120 feet and the jack equipment reinstalled above the columns to begin the final lift. The guide brackets were unbolted from the columns and the dome was raised another 30 feet to its highest elevation. The guide brackets were again bolted to the columns and the jacking equipment removed. During the entire 60 foot lift process the elevation was closely monitored to keep the dome as level as possible to prevent damage to the brittle plaster on the interior. Before the dome was lifted, Ironworkers working for C.E. Toland of Benicia, California, reinforced the structural steel framing around the base of the dome.
After the dome was raised, demolition of the existing building was completed. When the new eight story structure is completed, Sheedy crews will be back on the job reinstalling the jacking equipment to lower the dome approximately 2 feet and attach it to the new structure. The lifting frame and the tower will then be removed from inside the new structure. The raising of this impressive dome is a tribute to the ingenuity of Sheedy and the skills of the Ironworkers of Locals #377, #378 and Operators Local #3.
Sheedy Drayage Co. employees working on the project were Richard and Michael Battaini, Co-Presidents; Archie Schachle, Vice President-Special Projects; Cris Gregori, Project Engineer; Local #377 Ironworkers Guy Tunnel, Superintendent; Noe Garza, Foreman; Rick Najera, Bernie Morris, Jerry Kubala, Marc Unger, George Ochoa and Jessie Pallas, Apprentice. Local #378 Ironworkers Carlos Guerrero and Don Vick. Local #3 Operators Larry Agnew, Mark Mom, and Dave Lemon.

Raising of the Emporium Dome San Francisco, California May 19, 2004

	Left to right: Chris Gregori - engineer; visitor; Jessie Pallas - 377 apprentice; Noe Garza - 377; Guy Tunnel - 377 Larry Agnew - local 3 operator; Mark Unger - 377; Jerry Hubala - 377; Bernie Morris - 377. Kneeling: Carlos Guerrer - 378 Not pictured: Richard & Michael Battaini, Co - Presidents, Archie Schackle - V.P. - Special Projects. Ironworkers: Rick Najera; George Ochoa; Don Vic. Oprartors: Mark Mom & Dave Lemon.

	IRONWORKERS CHANGE SAN FRANCISCO SKYLINE BERNIE MORRIS IRONWORKERS LOCAL #377, 877003
	On May 19, 2004 a 521,000 pound piece of San Francisco history was raised to new heights. The 100 foot diameter and 62 feet high steel framed plaster and decorative metal trimmed dome of the famed Emporium Capwell department store in downtown San Francisco was cut loose from its support columns and raised to a new height 60 feet above the existing structure. The original Emporium Capwell building was built in 1904 and destroyed during the earthquake in 1906. The store was rebuilt in 1908 and was the pride of San Francisco shopping until 1996, when the Capwell chain of stores closed. The building, vacant for many years, is being demolished to make room for a 1 million sq. foot addition to the San Francisco Center retail complex. The new addition will house the Bloomingdale’s department store along with many smaller retailers. Ironworkers from Local #377, San Francisco, and Local #378, Oakland, working for Sheedy Drayage Co. of San Francisco erected a 40 foot square by 120 foot high temporary jacking tower and lifting frame assembly under the dome to handle this “one of a kind” project. Tower construction is W14x193 columns with 12 inch standard pipe headers and 10 inch standard pipe bracing. The main members for the lifting frame were W36x230 beams. Ironworker safety and ease of erection were key components of the tower design. Columns were fabricated with ladder rungs designed as anchor points for fall protection the entire 120 feet. All headers and bracing were designed with lifting lugs and all connections were a single 2 inch diameter pin. Ironworkers working from a man basket suspended from a 70 ton rough terrain crane installed catenary lines at each working elevation before headers were erected. The limited height under the dome required that the lift be accomplished in two phases. In the first phase, under the direction of Sheedy’s Engineering Division, Ironworkers assembled the lifting frame and erected the tower to a height of 90 feet. Four 110 ton Strand Jacks anchored to jacking beams were then installed above the columns. Guide brackets fitted with Teflon pads, were attached to the underside of the lifting frame and positioned to follow the outside flange of the columns during the lift process. This first lift raised the dome 30 feet to a temporary elevation where the guide brackets, bolted to the columns, supported the lifting frame and dome while the jacking equipment was disassembled and stored on the lifting frame. With the first phase completed, the second phase started by raising the tower 30 feet to its full height of 120 feet and the jack equipment reinstalled above the columns to begin the final lift. The guide brackets were unbolted from the columns and the dome was raised another 30 feet to its highest elevation. The guide brackets were again bolted to the columns and the jacking equipment removed. During the entire 60 foot lift process the elevation was closely monitored to keep the dome as level as possible to prevent damage to the brittle plaster on the interior. Before the dome was lifted, Ironworkers working for C.E. Toland of Benicia, California, reinforced the structural steel framing around the base of the dome. After the dome was raised, demolition of the existing building was completed. When the new eight story structure is completed, Sheedy crews will be back on the job reinstalling the jacking equipment to lower the dome approximately 2 feet and attach it to the new structure. The lifting frame and the tower will then be removed from inside the new structure. The raising of this impressive dome is a tribute to the ingenuity of Sheedy and the skills of the Ironworkers of Locals #377, #378 and Operators Local #3. Sheedy Drayage Co. employees working on the project were Richard and Michael Battaini, Co-Presidents; Archie Schachle, Vice President-Special Projects; Cris Gregori, Project Engineer; Local #377 Ironworkers Guy Tunnel, Superintendent; Noe Garza, Foreman; Rick Najera, Bernie Morris, Jerry Kubala, Marc Unger, George Ochoa and Jessie Pallas, Apprentice. Local #378 Ironworkers Carlos Guerrero and Don Vick. Local #3 Operators Larry Agnew, Mark Mom, and Dave Lemon.

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