Positive Lifting provides crane, rigging and hoisting services for facade contractors in New York City and New Jersey. We lift and set glass curtain walls, precast panels, aluminum panels, steel facades and custom architectural facades. Our NCCCO-certified operators, DOB-compliant permits and 24/7 availability keep facade installations safe and on schedule.
From a single storefront glass unit to a full building envelope on a high-rise, we plan every pick, handle the permits and run the lift with our own fleet of mobile cranes and knuckle boom trucks. Lifting capacity reaches 250 tons and heights up to 400 feet, across all five boroughs and New Jersey.
Facade Lifting Services We Provide
Crane Support for Facade Contractors
We work as the lifting partner for curtain wall, cladding and envelope contractors. We assist your crew with the installation and erection of every facade element, setting panels at the exact floor and time with an operator and rigging team who understand facade tolerances.
Facade Restoration Lifting
Restoration and Local Law 11 (FISP) projects often need materials, scaffolding components and replacement panels lifted in tight streets. Our knuckle boom trucks and compact mobile cranes fit where larger equipment cannot, with street closures and DOT permits handled in-house.
Glass Facade Installation
Glass units are heavy, fragile and wind-sensitive. We use vacuum lifters, spreader bars and tag lines, and plan each lift around wind limits to set curtain wall and storefront glass without damage.
Panel Installation
We hoist and set aluminum composite panels (ACM), metal cladding, terracotta and stone panels, and precast concrete panels. Every pick is matched to panel weight, size and connection points.
Building Envelope Installation
For full envelope packages, we coordinate crane schedules with your installation sequence floor by floor, so panels, glazing and structural steel arrive in the order your crew needs them.
Facade Types We Lift
| Facade type | Typical lifting challenge | How we handle it |
|---|---|---|
| Glass curtain wall | Fragile, large surface, wind-sensitive | Vacuum lifters, tag lines, wind-limit planning |
| Precast concrete | Very heavy panels, precise setting | High-capacity mobile cranes, engineered lift plans |
| Aluminum / ACM panels | Light but easily scratched or bent | Soft slings, spreader bars, careful handling |
| Steel facade / structural cladding | Long members, heavy connections | Tandem lifts and critical-pick planning when needed |
| Custom / creative facades | Unusual shapes and centers of gravity | Custom rigging design and engineering drawings |
Why Facade Contractors Choose Positive Lifting?
- Certified operators: All crane operators are NCCCO certified.
- Approved across NYC agencies: Approved vendor for NYC DOB, DOT, SCA, MTA, DDC, LIRR and PATH projects, plus WBE and DBE certified.
- Permits handled in-house: Street closures, DOT permits and lift plans prepared by our team, so your crew focuses on installation.
- Capacity for any facade: Cranes up to 250 tons and reach up to 400 feet, plus knuckle booms for tight urban sites.
- 24/7 availability: Night and weekend lifts for busy Manhattan streets and off-hour delivery windows.
- One-stop logistics: Panel delivery, flatbed trucking, outdoor storage and lifting from a single vendor.
- Service area: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, Staten Island and New Jersey.
How a Facade Lift Works?
- Site and scope review: You send drawings, panel weights and the installation sequence.
- Lift plan and engineering: We select the crane or knuckle boom and prepare lift plans and engineering drawings.
- Permits and street access: We file DOB and DOT permits and arrange street closures and flaggers.
- Delivery and staging: Panels arrive by our flatbeds or yours, staged in installation order.
- Lift and set: Our operator and riggers place each panel at the floor where your crew connects it.
- Repeat by elevation: We follow your schedule floor by floor until the envelope is closed.
Planning a facade installation in NYC or NJ?
Send us your panel schedule and drawings, and we will build a lift plan that keeps your installation on track. Call or text 347-844-7160, or get a quote online. Available 24/7.