Vertical I Beam Question

[bgriffin509]

Newbie here. I purchased an existing 40 x 60 Butler building with 3 rollup doors along with a rental house. It is not ideal as it is about 10 blocks from my existing house, but the price was right. Actually maybe hiding away from the house with its giant list of honey to do projects might be a good thing.

Between a set of the doors is a vertical 14" x 6" I beam bolted to the floor with 12 1" bolts set into the concrete. It is on the wall but not attached. I took a picture but my camera phone in the dark was less than useful (does not have power yet installed). I was curious if anyone had an idea of what this might have been installed for.

Thanks for any ideas, I enjoy seeing what others have done with their garages and have many many ideas for this place in the future.

Brad

 

[shotgunfatcat]

Possibly some type of overhead crane, but seems kinda big for that. Is there any other place in the shop with holes in the ground for a matching beam?

 

[logical]

If it really isn't attached to the wall, my guess would also be it was 1/2 of a crane beam support structure...strange use of a I-beam though. I turned the lights on a little:

 

[WNYflyer]

If your building does not have any rod x-bracing in the wall to stabilize the building it the direction 90 degree to your frames then the column/beam maybe providing the stability.

That would only work if that beam/column is tied at the top to the adjacent frame column or to the edge/rake purlin. Never seen that done that way before but if properly design I can't see why not. Other than that perhap a portion of a previous hoist/crane support system as already mentioned.

 

[Red05GT]

+1 on possibly being a portal beam brace in lieu of x cable bracing. We erected a
50 x 150 Wedgcor steel building years ago, and it had portal beams because the front
was all open for glass storefronts. But if it is not attached to the adjacent column it was
probably someone planning for a future crane as others have said.

 

[bgriffin509]

It isn't connected to the tension rods and is self supported. There are no matching holes for a second upright. It is an engineered Butler building and doesn't show up on the plans for the building either.

I will find some use for it, perhaps for some heavy duty wrench storage!