whats the process for procuring skyscraper steel?
Mr. Thompson: The process begins with the structural engineer for Tower 4, Leslie E. Robertson Associates (LERA), preparing a set of drawings that show the sizes of standard steel shapes required to hold up the building. Our general contractor, Tishman, takes these drawings and prepares a scope of work which was used to solicit bids from steel contractors. The entire project will have 26,000 tons of structural steel. We have five shops across the east coast fabricating the structural steel for Tower 4. The steel used is among the largest pieces rolled in the country — up to 65 feet long and 110 tons. The steel contractor fabricates all of the steel on a floor-by-floor basis, typical in groupings of two floors, known as tiers. This is done because a typical steel column will extend across two floors. Once enough steel is fabricated, the steel is shipped to the site by truck, with each truck having a designated crane that will assemble its load of pieces. Tower 4 has two tower cranes in
