LEWIS BUILDERS.
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LEWIS BUILDS CORP. – TRUMP INTERNATIONAL HOTEL & TOWER
Lewis Builds enlisted approximately 50
trades to work on Trump Toronto, and
even went overseas to hire several
standout specialty subcontractors.
through seven above grade. “We will not
be cladding those levels until late in the job
so we can use those parking levels for stag-
ing material,” Garland says. “The cur-
tainwall will start on floor eight rather
than down at ground level. Then, we’ll
come back and fill that in later.”
Another construction logistics concept
is the use of temporary iron grate in the
ground floor slab. “We’re organizing it so
the concrete mixer trucks will drive right
through the martini bar into the building
lobby and discharge their concrete into a
concrete pump that sits in the basement,”
Garland says.
“We’re able to fit four mixer trucks
into the lobby so the concrete deliveries
can continue uninterrupted.”
Because of the project’s urban loca-
tion, most of the concrete work will be
74 ■ WWW.CONSTRUCTION-TODAY.COM ■ FEBRUARY 2009
performed at night, he adds.
“After the concrete structure is topped
out, we have to demolish the temporary
flat floor plate and construct the ramps
that go up and down into the basement
and level two parking area,” Garland con-
tinues. “This means we’re only construct-
ing a third of the ramp widths initially so
we can drive fork trucks up and down.
The permanent ramp won’t be completed
until after the concrete work is finished.”
For worker and public safety, Lewis
Builds installed an overhead protection sys-
tem designed for 150-pound-per-square-
foot live loads and a 5,000-pound punching
sheer around the perimeter of the building.
Hand-Picked Trades
Selecting the right subcontractors is criti-
cal when working on high-profile projects,
NICE FORM
Trump Toronto is a reinforced con-
crete structure. Lewis Builds is using
a PERI automatic climbing system that
operates on hydraulic jacks to run up
the elevator cores.
“For the perimeter of the building,
we’re using a PERI rail climbing sys-
tem,” Mark Garland explains.
“This consists of three levels of ply-
wood sheathing that act as a good
wind screen for construction work-
ers and prevent the concrete and
other work materials from blowing
off the building.”
In addition, 50 West Street will fea-
ture a sophisticated design with a warm
color palette, as well as the use of high-
end woods and European-designed fur-
nishings.
Garland says. Lewis Builds is utilizing
approximately 50 trades, a few of which
were recruited specifically for Trump
Toronto. “Suncoast Post-Tension and King
Rebar from Houston and Denver, respec-
tively, will furnish and install all of the post
tension and rebar,” he notes.
The company even went overseas in
search of the best trades. Garland says that
when Lewis Builds was soliciting bids for a
curtainwall contractor, “all of the local com-
panies were busy.
“So, we ended up going to China and
considered three different firms there. We
hired Far East Aluminum, headquartered
in Hong Kong, who is the same curtainwall
contractor for the Burj Dubai – the tallest
building in the world.”
Far East Aluminum is expected to
begin work on the curtainwall installa-
tion in May.
Garland says the key to Lewis Builds’
success on Trump Toronto is open com-
munication with all trades.
“We have a standard practice of hold-
ing preinstallation conferences for every
new element of work that commences,”
he explains. “Typically, we’ll have one of
our project coordinators lead a weekly pre-
installation conference that includes the
subcontractor on the new element of work
along with the relevant design engineer
that’s been involved in that part of the
building’s design. We find that this sys-
tem helps us avoid rework and gets it
built right the first time.” ■