In 1930, a team of engineers and architects successfully relocated the Indiana Bell building, an 11,000-ton (22 million-pound) structure, over a 34-day period. Remarkably, 600 employees continued to work inside the building during this time. The purpose of this impressive feat was to create additional space for expansion, and notably, there was no interruption to the supply of water, electricity, or gas.
How were they able to accomplish this engineering feat? The entire building was lifted using hydraulic rollers, which were cushioned on top of 75-ton timbers. The structure was moved manually from one roller to the next, progressing at a speed of 15 inches per hour. Remarkably, the employees inside didn't even feel the building move.
In 1963, the building was demolished to make way for a much larger one, in order to accommodate the growing number of employees.
