Bigge Provides Support During Queen Mary Renovations
Bigge Crane and Rigging Co. currently has five cranes aiding in the renovations to the historic Queen Mary ocean liner in Long Beach, California. According to Taylor Woods, a principal at Urban Commons (the current lease holder) they are looking to create “the cruise ship experience without having to sail around” (Khouri, Andrew: LA Times).
The Queen Mary has been a star attraction on the coast of Long Beach since 1967 and has offered a historical and luxurious experience with 314 hotel rooms, various concerts, a multitude of festivals and tours for those who visit Southern California. The city-approved renovations are expected to bring the historic ship up-to-date with the latest technology, while preserving the original architecture and décor from its maiden voyage from Southampton, England in 1936 (queenmary.com).
The Bigge team is currently helping during the beginning stages of demolition, debris removal, and cosmetic repairs. This particular restoration project has a UNIC URW-376 spyder crane, a Link-Belt HTC8690 hydraulic truck crane, a Grove TMS9000E hydraulic truck crane and a Terex Demag AC140‑1 all-terrain crane on site. According to Bigge sales rep Jeff Faughnan, the restoration of the Queen Mary is a process of many steps and requires careful planning and dispatching in stages. Faughnan says, “Bigge has removed debris, placed new materials, and supported the scaffold contractor for the construction site”. Currently, demolition and debris removal are the priorities and Bigge is using the UNIC spyder crane for its compact size and electric motor (zero emissions) that allow it to be indoors for the removal of old concrete and wood. In the following weeks, Bigge is scheduled to lift a new HVAC unit for the ship which will provide a top-of-the-line temperature regulating system for the Queen Mary, and also use the Terex AC140‑1 to lift two workers in a man basket up to 184 ft. for a brand new paint job. The renovations are expected to be completed toward the end of 2017.
Bigge is proud to be contributing once more to the preservation of a California historical site and looks forward to the completed project.