E11even High-Rise Project | Miami, Florida 

Building the Right Partnership

Fly and Form Concrete Structures, Inc. has worked with EFCO on multiple projects. This established relationship gave Vice President Jerry Heckler and Project Manager Mike Yarber the confidence to push boundaries on the E11even project. Before deciding, the team visited EFCO’s facilities to see the equipment firsthand. Even in the controlled environment at the Concrete Construction and Forming Institute, they were impressed by both of the POWER TOWER® systems and the dedicated support team EFCO assembled for the project.

“EFCO is the Cadillac of the formwork industry,” says Project Manager Mike Yarber. The choice came from proven crane savings and EFCO’s track record on previous projects. For E11even, this partnership would introduce Miami’s first POWER TOWER® PT-100 system, along with POWER TOWER® PT-50 systems, ADJUST-A-DECK®, PLATE GIRDER® Panels, SUPER STUD® Stilts with Form Storage, and custom PLATE GIRDER® columns designed for this structure.

The Power Tower: Transforming Core Wall Construction

The 64-story core wall posed the project’s greatest challenge and opportunity. With walls that indented on two sides, the construction team faced a complex structural puzzle. However, by leveraging EFCO’s hydraulic stripping corner system and several custom-engineered pieces, the team developed an innovative solution that eliminated the need for costly blockouts.

The breakthrough came with the POWER TOWER® PT-100 system, which proved to be a game-changing solution for meeting ambitious scheduling demands. This self-climbing hydraulic system revolutionized the construction process, enabling the team to cycle a 33’ x 45’ (10.06 m x 13.72 m) core (3,391 SF (315 m²)) in just 6 hours using eight hydraulic corners and only six workers—completing each floor cycle in four days with single-day concrete pours.

The hydraulic lifting system reduced crane dependency, allowing the project to operate with a single crane instead of the originally planned two cranes, cutting equipment costs in half while maintaining exceptional productivity.

“Reducing from two cranes to one crane cut our overall costs by two-thirds,” explains Yarber. In Miami’s notoriously congested construction environment, this crane reduction delivered substantial cost savings while providing crucial logistical advantages that kept the project moving smoothly.

Smart Solutions for Exterior Walls

The exterior shear walls presented unique challenges, particularly regarding site logistics and storage constraints. The POWER TOWER® PT-50 system was selected for this project and subsequently purchased for E11even Beyond due to its adaptability to site constraints—specifically, the limited storage space available on the downtown Miami jobsite.

EFCO’s innovative approach involved integrating form storage directly onto the backside of the POWER TOWER® PT-50 systems. This custom modification allowed Fly & Form to efficiently cycle the interior forms to the backside of the POWER TOWER® PT-50 for temporary storage while slab pours were in progress. Rather than requiring valuable ground-level storage space or costly crane time to transport forms, this integrated storage solution kept forms in place between pours, eliminating the time and expense of sending equipment to the ground level.

This design Innovation kept the jobsite organized and maintained a smooth workflow throughout the construction process. Superintendent Julio Orchilles and his crew found the operation straightforward without compromising structural requirements. The seamless integration of storage and forming capabilities demonstrated how thoughtful engineering can solve multiple challenges simultaneously, turning space constraints into operational advantages.

Solving Challenges Through Innovation

Construction projects always present unexpected challenges, and E11even was no exception. When issues arose, EFCO’s team responded with creative solutions. Custom hydraulic corners and PLATE GIRDER® panels proved valuable, saving construction time and money.

The support team—Field Service Representative Frank Bonventre, Lead Formwork Checker Jim Gray, and Regional Engineer Nicholas Mojica—maintained daily communication with Fly and Form. This proactive approach solved problems before they could impact the schedule. “EFCO’s field service, project management, and engineers were always available and willing to help us work through issues and keep the project moving forward,” notes the project manager.