Architecture and Technology: Phases of Construction

Phases of Construction

Construction of the MAIN TOWER is a brilliant technical and logistical achievement. After all, the work of over 80 building companies had to be coordinated, and a total of more than 1,000 people worked on the building.

The project developers OFB - Bauvermittlungs- und Gewerbebau GmbH, Frankfurt am Main, and Hines Immobilien GmbH, Houston, Texas, had their hands full in coordinating the individual phases of construction and organizing these with the building companies. Top priority was: to adhere to the move-in date for the first tenants in November 1999. 200 meters later and the joint goal was achieved.










  1995    1996 April May 22 August 21 October 18  1997 February April July   November  1998 March July 5  1999 Jannuary March 10 June November December
  Helaba and the savings banks in Hesse and Thuringia decide to develop an office skyscraper on a site belonging to the bank on the design of the architect Schweger und Partner. Working title "Tower II".   Stone by stone the existing building's facade, subject to a preservation order, is dismantled. Later the 1500 stone blocks will form part of the cladding of the MAIN TOWER's socle, or base section.
 Construction work begins. Demolition starts, with excavators creating space for the MAIN TOWER. First spade-cut for the special foundation work. Helaba CEO Walter Schäfer lays the foundation stone.
   The tower gets its proper name: MAIN TOWER Feverish activity on the building site. The foundations are now 50 m deep.
 The concrete foundation slab is poured. 400 concrete-mixers in a non-stop night action bring 3,200 cubic metres of concrete for the slab, which in part is up to 3.80 m thick. The hardening process will take up to one year.
 Entirely new methods in high-rise construction in Germany. Construction work below top cover: The MAIN TOWER grows in parallel both upwards and downwards. Above ground, the 4th storey is being worked on, whilst below ground, the 2nd basement floor is being installed under the 1st.   The MAIN TOWER is still only 50 m high. But even now, tenants must be found. Petra Roth, the Lady Mayoress of Frankfurt, and Ignaz Bubis, among others, attend the opening event of the Marketing Center. Only 90 metres to go! The MAIN TOWER is already 110 metres high. The first facade elements have already been mounted.   Made it! The final height of 200 metres is reached.
 Roofing ceremony. To the great topping-out party, come about 1000 construction workers and prominent persons: e.g. Hesse's then Minister-President Hans Eichel, Thuringia's Undersecretary of State Dr. Andreas Birkmann, Frankfurt's Lady Mayoress Petra Roth. The transmission mast of Hessische Rundfunk (HR = Hessian Broadcasting Corporation) is erected. The interior finishing work is completed. Only a few details need attention. The tenants can move in.