The massive crane at the site of the new St. Vincent Regional Hospital in Billings has begun installing concrete walls, stairwells and steel framing— boosting both local healthcare and construction industries.
For months, crews have focused on underground foundation work at the construction site. The installation of the Manitowoc 16,000 crane marks a new phase in the project, allowing for the heavy lifting required to build the transformational medical facility.
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"It is just a lot of energy, excitement. People want to know every day where it's at. Are we on time? . . . .. Some departments are making bets on what's actually going on in the project. It's just been fun to see it come together and the progress on it,” said Dustin Strandell, chief operating officer at Intermountain Health St. Vincent Regional Hospital.
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The crane, weighing more than a million pounds with a 400-foot boom, required 27 truckloads to transport to the site.
"And really the purpose of it is to do all the heavy lifting on the job for us and do the majority of the lifting on the job for us," Tom Prill, director of project development at Billings-based TrueNorth Steel, said.
The project will use 4,000 tons of steel from True North Steel, requiring approximately 200 truckloads and tens of thousands of individual pieces. The concrete components include roughly 184 pieces, each requiring its own truck for delivery. The heaviest single piece will weigh around 57,000 pounds.
"Yeah, 4,000 tons of steel going to this project. It equates roughly 200 truckloads, tens of thousands of pieces. And for the concrete cores, there's roughly 184 pieces of concrete, each requiring their own truck. And the heaviest piece will be around that 57,000-pound range," Prill said.
The new hospital is designed to serve the community for the next 50 to 100 years. For the construction workers involved, the project holds special significance.
"So this project is, you know, particularly humbling for our employee base. They'll be able to drive up 27th Street with their families and, you know, be able to look at a building of this magnitude and be able to share with their families, you know, that they're part of this," Prill said.
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