25 November 2015, 16:31
Mammoet moves in on the New York skyline
In New York City, Mammoet is working on the construction of the New York Wheel project. This consists of a giant observation wheel which will change the iconic skyline of the “city that never sleeps”. The wheel is destined to become one of the city’s great landmark attractions, alongside the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building. Upon its expected completion in 2017, it will be the world’s largest observation wheel measuring 190.5 meters tall.
As early as the beginning of 2014 Mammoet got involved in the preparations for engineering and construction. In May 2015, work started on the foundations and preparation of the building site for the construction of the wheel and terminal building. Located on the northeastern side of Staten Island (St. George), it will be visible across New York. The wheel will feature 36 iconic pods, each of which can carry up to 40 people. Each ride is due to last approximately 38 minutes and will provide a maximum of 1,440 people at a time with unparalleled views of New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline. The wheel is expected to attract as many as 30,000 visitors per day and an estimated 4 million visitors per year.
Richard Marin, President and CEO of New York Wheel LLC states: “We are pleased to have such a competent heavy-lifting and wheel erection partner such as Mammoet working with us on this important project. Their experience and expertise are invaluable to the project overall.”
Mammoet have formed a joint venture with Starneth BV to create Mammoet-Starneth LLC. This company is responsible for the design and construction of the New York Wheel. Starneth is a Dutch engineering company specialized in the design and construction of Giant Observation Wheels and Structures. Mammoet will engineer the multiple erection procedures, procure all the necessary parts from all over the world and construct the entire wheel. In total Mammoet will be erecting 10,000 tons of steel. Construction is expected to start in April 2016.
“It is with a sense of great pride that Mammoet is taking on the New York Wheel project. It is always a privilege to work on projects like this which leave their mark on a city’s skyline”, says Jelmar de Vries, Managing Director Mammoet USA.
Mammoet is the world’s largest service provider specializing in engineered heavy lifting and transport. The New York Wheel will be yet another example of Mammoet’s work on iconic city structures across the globe. Among the many previous successes are the erection of the London Eye (England, 1999), the placement of Unilever’s new headquarters on top of its existing factory in Rotterdam (The Netherlands, 2003), and construction of the Dubai metro system between 2006 and 2008.