Stanton, IA, is a community steeped in coffee history. For years, Stanton had been well known for its water tower shaped like a coffee pot. It was only fitting that in 2000, when the town needed more water, the theme remained the same. Phoenix was selected as the contractor for the new 150,000-gallon multi-column tank, and the engineering department got to work on capturing this theme with a tank that resembles a coffee cup sitting on a saucer.

The tank’s structural girder took the shape of a saucer, and the container took the shape of a cup. A handle was even added to complete the design. Custom flowers were painted onto the cup in keeping with the Swedish-style coffee pot design. This unique structure was awarded the prestigious “Tank of the Year” by the Steel Tank Institute / Steel Plate Fabricators Association.

This 300,000-gallon multi-column tank sits directly in downtown Brooklyn, IN, adjacent to commercial buildings and a busy street. With careful preparation and planning, Phoenix engineered a critical lift plan which employed two hydraulic cranes, each rigged to the bottom of two of the five legs, and a third crane in the area above the fifth leg, rigged from the top of the tank. This unconventional lift was custom designed based on site restrictions and an odd number of legs so the top-rigged crane would greatly assist stability as the other two cranes were rigged far below the center of gravity.

Rigging and hoisting the structure was only half of the project, as this structure was raised an amazing 50 additional feet. Phoenix crews worked safely and efficiently to complete this large raise and secure the tank, relieving the cranes the same day and working thereafter to complete the project so the owner could use the newfound pressure in the system.

Luling, TX, is known for a few things, notably its unique water towers. To honor their annual “Watermelon Thump,” Phoenix constructed a 500,000-gallon multi-column tank in the likeness of a watermelon. The tank features a green paint scheme overall with the container highlighting the distinctive horizontal stripes and mottling of a watermelon. Phoenix also constructed a 500,000-gallon multi-column tank featuring a man paddling a canoe, a reference to their local paddling trail along the San Marcos River. These two tanks stand proudly over a town with a truly unique taste for water towers.