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All fixed now. (Instagram)
A new boom has successfully been hoisted onto the crane at One57, nearly seven months after the previous crane snapped during Hurricane Sandy and dangled ominously over West 57th Street for several days.
The maneuver's completion—which involved swinging the boom over three buildings before hauling it up the side of the uber-luxury tower—was announced by Extell at just after 3 p.m. this afternoon. Residents of the two co-ops under the boom will now be allowed to return home after being forced to evacuate from their homes last night. It also means that construction will be able to move forward on the condo tower.
The decision to use the swinging maneuver, requiring a second set of evacuations for the residents of Alwyn Court and the Briarcliff (the first was, of course, occasioned by the dangling crane) and possibly endangering the landmarked buildings, was a controversial one. Generally, cranes rise alongside the under-construction buildings and do not involve any swinging of equipment over other buildings.
The co-op board of Alwyn Court, which only learned of the emergency evacuation a short time before it went into effect, even sued for an injunction to stop it. However, on the day before the boom hoisting, Extell and Alwyn reached an agreement, the details of which have not been disclosed. Michael Gross, the author of 740 Park a resident of Alwyn Court, told The Observer last night that it was his understanding the agreement would involve more insurance coverage and greater compensation for displaced residents, which they would not have to submit receipts to receive.
In a statement, Extell thanked a number of agencies, slipping in, at the bottom, a shout out to One57's neighbors.
"The replacement of the boom at One57 has successfully concluded to allow for the safe completion of the building. We would like to wholeheartedly thank the all the city agencies involved in this complex operation, including Department of Buildings, Office of Emergency Management, and the Police and Fire Departments as well as Con Edison and our construction firm, Lend Lease. This team helped ensure that this implementation went as safely and swiftly as possible. We would also like to thank our neighbors for their understanding during this time. Again, our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience."
