By: TrueNorth Steel
Another first for the NCSPA is the awarding of the Project of the Year Award for Special Application to TrueNorth Steel for their Block 9 project.
The Block 9 project is in the heart of downtown Fargo, ND. Beginning in the Fall of 2018, this empty slate started its transformation into a mid-rise, mixed-use tower that will add to a vibrant city core and change the skyline of downtown Fargo making it the tallest building. The mixed use building includes headquarters for hundreds of team members of R.D. Offutt Company, ground floor retail, a boutique hotel, restaurant, and residential condominiums.
The project required a massive crane capabl
e of lifting up to 900 tons and reaching up to 350 feet to complete. There are only a handful of these cranes in the country so protecting it was key to the progress of the project. Corrugated Steel Pipe was brought in to be used in a vertical application to protect the base of the crane while allowing the contractors the opportunity to backfill and complete foundational aspects of the project right up to its base.
This project created many challenges to ensure TrueNorth could meet the requirements set forth by the contractor. The pipe measured over 14’ in diameter and was 18’ in length, so TNS had to ensure the manufacturing facility could produce a pipe that large while maintaining its structural integrity. The second challenge was getting the pipe from the manufacturing plant in North Fargo over to the Downtown Block 9 area. This had to be done during a limited time frame where there would be little or no traffic in the busy city center and required two pilot cars and a police escort.
The CSP was chosen because of TrueNorth Steel’s ability to create this form in a large diameter application. This simple application has quick installation process and the strength of the steel provides a safe environment for the contractors in all types of working conditions. This project was a complete success from start to finish and TrueNorth Steel is honored to be part of the Fargo Skyline for years to come! The Block 9 project is set to be complete by the Fall of 2020.
