Skillful Helicopter Maneuvers Demonstrated While Replacing HVAC Unit Atop The Carlyle

Submitted by Doug Verdier, Photos by Nancy and Doug Verdier

Downtown residents near The Carlyle at the intersection of First Street S and Third Avenue S on Sunday morning, May 22, had an opportunity to observe a very well-planned, coordinated and executed construction operation. Between 8 a.m. and 12 noon, the intersection was blocked off, as was West River Parkway below the West end of the Third Avenue Bridge. The operation consisted of removing an HVAC unit from the rooftop of The Carlyle and bringing it down to a truck on the Third Avenue Bridge, then lifting a replacement HVAC unit from the same truck and delivering it to the top of The Carlyle for installation.

At 9 a.m. a helicopter arrived on-site and landed on the Third Avenue Bridge near the intersection. After some preparation for what followed, the helicopter took off and went to the top of The Carlyle where it hovered while being attached to the HVAC unit that was being removed from the top of the building. That unit was then brought down and placed on a truck that had been positioned on the bridge. A replacement HVAC unit that was on the truck was then attached to the helicopter to be flown up to the top of The Carlyle and delivered there for installation. The helicopter then returned to the truck location and was again attached to the old HVAC and lifted it again to reposition it on the truck bed for transportation off-site.

The whole operation appeared to go very smoothly and was completed on schedule. Kudos to Horwitz, the organization that coordinated the helicopter, the Minneapolis Police Department and Park Police personnel who closed streets and provided traffic control throughout the operation, and Minnesota Department of Transportation. A special shout-out to the pilot who very skillfully managed the lifts and to all the support personnel who helped make this operation safe and successful.

The photos that follow show the sequence of the operation.

After some initial preparation on the ground, the helicopter prepares to take off.

Approaching the rooftop of The Carlyle.

With the old HVAC securely attached beneath the helicopter, the pilot maneuvers away from the building to begin bringing it down.

This image clearly shows the cable and other rigging used to safely transport the HVAC to the ground.

Once the old HVAC (the box-like object on the left in this image) is placed on the awaiting truck, the cables were attached to the new HVAC which was then lifted to the roof of The Carlyle.

Another lift underway.

The new HVAC on its way to the top of The Carlyle.