At the Corner of Keeaumoku & Makaloa Streets Honolulu, Hawaii
Condos and Apartments Will Be close to Beaches
Located at the corner of Keeaumoku and Makaloa Streets, Azure Ala Moana is a new 41-story residential tower centered in the Ala Moana and Kapiolani Boulevard area of town. Featured are 330 condominium residences along with 78 affordable rental apartments and 20,000 ft² (1,850 m²) of commercial space, all within walking distance of Ala Mona Shopping Center and numerous restaurants, markets and night life. Azure Ala Moana is one of many parcels in the area being redeveloped, bringing affordable living and convenience within a few miles of downtown and the beaches of Waikiki.
Forming Elevator Core
Albert C. Kobayashi, Inc. (ACK) partnered with EFCO to provide the concrete forming solution for the main elevator and stair core located on the mauka side of the project. Utilizing EFCO’s POWER TOWER® PT-100 hydraulic core lifting system, EFCO hung PLATE GIRDER® panels from overhead beams to enable deck to deck placement. This operation typically would require the internal lobby slabs to be placed later, but with POWER TOWER PT-100’s spacious design, the lobby slabs were able to be placed with the poured wet deck.
Top Deck Allows for Additional Storage
With the POWER TOWER PT-100’s high capacity, ACK was also able to utilize the top deck as a work and storage platform. Column forms typically dropped to the ground were now being stored closer to the active work deck, creating a safer workspace and saving crane time.
Stripping Corner Speeds Cycling Time
The large 24′ (7.2 m) wide x 40′ x (12.2 m) long double core was raised utilizing only four lifters located inside the main elevator core. The smaller, side stair core’s work decks and wall forming panels were hung from beams cantilevered almost 20′ (6.1 m) off the end of the lifters, creating an open area for work. Each core was stripped using EFCO’s NEW Hydraulic Stripping Corner, making for faster cycling with less labor.
EFCO has heightened safety and efficiency with the POWER TOWER® PT-100 system. In comparison with the PT-50, the PT-100 is smoother in climbing and jumping. Another new feature that is highly valued by our field operations, are that the cylinders are jacking and pushing at the same time, so now there’s no challenges with the levers in controlling and balancing the cylinders to go up at the same time, making for a smooth and safe operation.
Another advantage is the remote operation, computerized machine and hydraulic stripping of forms. Our employees no longer have to carry the heavy shoes, which reduces the risk of strains, sprains and back injuries.
In addition, EFCO provides invaluable field service with highly experienced field technicians who we have collaborated with on safety pre-planning and safety tool box talks. We were also provided with helpful safety material and the field technician was able to answer any questions we had and suggested ways that we could incorporate safety into production.
Jolene Furumoto, Project Safety Administrator
