Obel Tower crane looms over Belfast

This is the tallest crane ever to loom over Belfast city centre — rising some 106 metres. The huge crane was raised last week as construction of the superstructure of the Obel Tower — destined to be Belfast’s tallest building — got under way.

Work on building the crane began last Monday and despite a slight delay due to bad weather it was fully assembled by Wednesday evening on site at Laganside.

“You can see it from everywhere,” said Aran Blackbourne, director of Karl Properties Ltd, the developers behind the plan.

“It’s the tallest building in Belfast so it’s going to have to be the tallest crane.”

The entire project is due to take 24 months and will eventually result in the 28-storey Obel Tower.

Those who invest in its 282 apartments, studios, duplexes and penthouses will be able to enjoy stunning views across Belfast.

Martin Lennon, construction manager with O’Hare and McGovern, which is undertaking the building challenge, said the massive crane was commissioned specially for the project from an English company.

The crane is exactly the same height (106 metres) as Samson, the taller of Harland & Wolff’s two shipyard cranes, which are now listed structures and a familiar part of the Belfast skyline.

“Once you start looking at it your neck goes a bit stiff,” Mr Lennon added. “The guys on the site said they had a sore neck looking up at it — you have to stand away to see it.”

It must be a nerve-wracking climb for the crane operative who has to scale a 106-metre ladder to reach the controls at the top, but the crane can also be controlled remotely from the ground.

The rise of the crane marks the completion of work on the foundations of the building, including a two-basement car park.

“We would really be getting started this week after the holidays are over,” said Mr Lennon.

“We’re starting the superstructure from the ground up and the erection of the crane was the commencement of that.

“We should see more operatives on the site from this week on to make progress on the tower.”