If you are a crane nerd, like myself, you should tune into this update as this isn’t your ordinary SkyHouse post! Over the years, I have gone over the different types of tower cranes we see around Downtown Denver, and explained why we haven’t seen certain types of cranes around.

With that being said, there is an exciting sight over at the SkyHouse Denver project. Recently, a luffing jib crane was installed to help workers build the parking structure.

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What is a luffing jib crane, and why is it unique in Downtown Denver? Luffing jib cranes are designed to be used in tight, urban spaces where a top slewing crane (the yellow SkyHouse crane, for example) would not fit. In addition, they have the capability to lift vertically, and have a very small radius compared to a top slewing crane. Given we still have a lot of open space around our new projects, these cranes are rarely used around Downtown Denver. The last luffing jib crane was sighted in 2011 which helped build DaVita World Headquarters.

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Now back to the progress of SkyHouse Denver starting with some higher views of the project. The structure has officially topped out at 26 stories with the glass facade almost complete. The foundation for the parking structure is now underway.

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Here are some additional views of SkyHouse beginning with the intersection of 18th and Broadway.

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Continuing to 17th and Broadway…

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And finally, across the street from the Brown Palace.

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This is the final form of the main SkyHouse structure, since it is now topped out. It’s very impressive what kind of an impact a 26-story building has in a sea of parking lots!