111 Cottage Grove Tower Retrofit — Complex Access & Masonry Repairs

Three elevations, three access challenges, zero damage to the client's landscaping — custom-engineered Fraco mast climbing solutions for a Cedar Rapids cell tower upgrade. Masonry restoration by TNT Tuckpointing.

Every elevation required a different engineered access solution — internal shoring, crane picks, and telehandler-set mast climbers — all designed to protect the active parking garage and finished landscaping below.

Client

111 Cottage Grove Condominium Association

Design Professional

General Contractor

Viking Maintenance

Market

Commercial

Industrial

Services

Building Maintenance

Masonry & Concrete Restoration

Location

Cedar Rapids, Iowa

The Problem

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This cell tower upgrade in Cedar Rapids tested every standard access approach in the playbook. The sloped roofing ruled out swing stages. Steep landscaping around the building made boom lift positioning a real challenge. Traditional scaffolding would have added significant time to the schedule while introducing its own set of safety concerns. On top of all that, the crew was performing high-elevation masonry work directly over an active parking garage — with strict requirements to protect the client's finished landscaping below.

Each of the building's three elevations presented a different access challenge — and required a different solution.

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Our Approach

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We had to get creative with engineering before a single brick was touched. Since we couldn't just set up shop on the lawn, we designed a custom-engineered access system tailored to the building's awkward geometry.

On one elevation, TNT used a smaller telehandler to set Fraco ACT-8 mast climbing platforms, keeping the footprint light enough to protect the surrounding landscaping. On the second elevation — directly over the active parking garage — the team installed shoring inside the garage first, building a temporary system to transfer the scaffold's weight safely down to grade, then brought in a crane to set the Fraco units on the garage roof. The third elevation required the crane again, this time placing equipment into a tight, confined space.

The common thread across all three was the Fraco ACT-8 platform. By choosing specialized mast climbing platforms over heavy machinery, we were able to reach the high elevations needed for the tower work without leaving a single tire track in the client's prized lawn — all while maintaining the speed of movement and load capacity the job demanded.

Once access was secured, our crew performed targeted masonry repairs to facilitate the tower's structural upgrades, ensuring that all new brick and mortar matched the existing historical profile.

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Planning & Partnerships

None of that happens on the fly. TNT's team of skilled installers and access experts evaluated the site well before mobilization, working through every option until the right solution was in place for each elevation. The team also leaned on a strong vendor partnership with Fraco, whose engineers provided solutions tailored to the project's specific circumstances — including custom wall ties that allowed anchor placement in the limited areas where space was actually available.

When there's time to plan — really plan — the crew isn't reacting to problems on site. They've already solved them.

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Project Results

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The project was a masterclass in coordination and site management. Despite tight constraints, parking garage load requirements, and the onset of winter weather, we delivered a safe, high-level access solution that enabled the tower upgrades to proceed on schedule. Our crew’s adaptability meant the client got the structural improvements they needed without the collateral damage to their property that usually comes with a project of this scale.

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