Grove GRT655 Rough-Terrain Crane Helps Build Philadelphia Riverwalk Project

---

A Grove GRT655 rough terrain crane helped to begin construction on 28- and 32-story residential buildings in the Riverwalk Project in Philadelphia. (Photo courtesy of Manitowoc.)

Concrete construction company B. Pietrini and Sons of King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, has purchased a Grove GRT655 rough-terrain crane to assist on the construction of the Riverwalk Project in Philadelphia. Its compact size and maneuverability made it the right choice for the narrowness of the job site, according to CEO Fran Pietrini, but there was more to love, as well.

“The crane operators love the tilt cab,” says Pietrini. “It’s a lot more comfortable and the 20-degree tilt enables them to see exactly where they are placing loads, especially when the boom is at a high angle, which helps improve our job site visibility.”

The Philadelphia Job

Pietrini put the Grove GRT655 to work on the construction of the first four floors of a 28-story and a 32-story residential building. The crane is helping with the form work, setting the reinforcing steel, and raising the cement bucket to the heights needed.

For the upper levels of the two buildings, the firm will turn to a luffing jib tower crane already in its fleet. The Potain MR 608 tower crane, like the Grove, is from a Manitowoc brand.

The project started around October and is slated to be finished next year.

---

A 20-degree tilting cab is one of the GRT655’s most popular features among its operators. (Photo courtesy of Manitowoc.)

The Grove GRT655

Grove’s GRT655 crane has four telescoping sections in its new boom, which has three modes including synchronized, sequence synchronized, and pinned-boom telescoping. It can extend out to 114.3 feet (34.8 meters), and can reach a maximum tip height of 170 feet (51.8 meters) using an optional, manual offsetable, telescopic swingaway extension.

At a gross vehicle weight of 75,640 pounds (34.3 metric tons), the GRT655 can lift up to 55 tons (50 metric tons), Grove says. It has a self-installing hydraulic counterweight, four steering modes (two- and four-wheel), and the manufacturer’s CCS (Crane Control System). Grove also endows it with a strong HVAC system, a wider door, and smart sensing outrigger position monitoring.

“This newer model outperforms other models in the class,” says Darin D’Ascanio, a sales representative with Manitowoc dealer Stephenson Equipment, which sold Pietrini the GRT655. “The features of this crane are exceptional.”

The crane also comes in a GRT655L long reach version with a five-section, 141-foot (43-meter) boom.

Go Crane Shopping

CraneTrader.com features a selection of new and used Grove rough-terrain cranes for sale, including the GRT655, as well as Potain tower cranes such as the MR608.

Source: Manitowoc