The six retractable walls are PowerLift hydraulic doors, installed by our team at Macy Industries—New England’s exclusive PowerLift dealer. Our one-stop-shop approach allowed us to design, fabricate, and install the doors on the client’s deadline, ensuring the pavilion was ready to open (and open its PowerLift doors) in time for the busy Memorial Day weekend.
Over a year later, these retractable doors continue to be a standout feature of the pavilion. There’s nothing else like it in the area—and the project showcases exactly why businesses turn to Macy for complex door installations.
What Makes PowerLift Doors Different
PowerLift doors are engineered differently from traditional overhead or sliding doors. Hinged at the top, they open outward and upward, creating an awning effect while preserving interior space. The hydraulic operation means fewer moving parts and greater reliability over time. Built-in safety features include valves on each hydraulic cylinder that automatically lock the doors in place if any hydraulic lines fail, ensuring safe operation even in the event of a malfunction.
For the Samuel Adams Pavilion, this technology offered the perfect solution—doors that could handle the weight of full glass panels, withstand New England weather, and create the natural indoor-outdoor transition the client envisioned.
Finding the Right Partner
Tuscan Village chose Macy Industries because we offered something other PowerLift dealers couldn’t—the ability to handle the entire project from design through installation.
As we worked through the design process, several key considerations shaped the project:
- Wind resistance requirements of 124 MPH
- Full glass coverage on all six retractable wall doors, requiring careful calculation of structural support
- Integration with the existing metal building frame (more complex than typical wood frames)
- Hydraulic pumps which had to be hidden in the upper interior to maintain the upscale aesthetic
- An emergency pass door integrated into one of the glass panels
Having PowerLift’s specialized software streamlined the design process significantly. We could generate shop drawings and engineering documents quickly, make design modifications on the fly, and create detailed material lists for efficient procurement. Each door also required professional engineering stamps to confirm structural integrity—another detail our team handled on the client’s behalf.
Building for Durability
With approved designs in hand, our certified welders began fabricating six custom PowerLift doors in our shop. Each door features a tubular steel frame and door leaf that we fully welded together—a key difference from competitors who use bolted connections that can loosen over time. This welded construction ensures these doors will maintain their structural integrity for years to come.
Working from the material lists, we cut and welded the steel tubing precisely, creating frames that were strong enough to support the full glass panels while maintaining the clean aesthetic the client wanted. We integrated the hydraulic pistons (sourced directly from PowerLift) and built in the mounting points for the emergency pass door. Keeping everything in-house meant we could maintain quality control throughout the fabrication process.
Problem-Solving On Site
Our custom sheet metal team transported the doors to the site in two tractor-trailer deliveries to begin installation. Using a telehandler, we carefully lifted each massive door into position within the steel building’s rough openings—a precise operation given the size and weight of these glass-paneled units.
During the installation, we discovered that the building’s structural frame required additional reinforcement to support the retractable walls. Our team immediately adapted, welding additional steel to the vertical supports to create the necessary framework. This type of on-site problem-solving is exactly why working with a partner that has fabrication and installation capabilities is so important. Because we had this experience, we could make real-time modifications without involving another contractor or delaying the project.
Once the structure was ready, we welded each door directly into place, creating permanent connections that ensure long-term stability. The entire installation took approximately two weeks, and despite the unexpected structural modifications, we completed the project on time for the scheduled opening weekend.
Why Macy Was the Right Choice
A year later, the Samuel Adams Pavilion’s PowerLift doors continue to open and close daily (weather permitting) to transform the space just as the client envisioned. And despite a few challenges, the project was a success because our custom sheet metal fabrication shop has the design, fabrication, and installation capabilities to handle every part of the process. From solving the hidden hydraulic pump challenge during design to modifying the building structure during installation, we kept the project moving forward.
At Macy Industries, we don’t just deliver doors; we solve problems and keep projects moving. The pavilion has become a great example of what these doors can do when they’re designed and installed correctly.
Whether you’re planning a single residential door or a complex commercial installation, we’ve got the experience and capabilities to make it happen. Contact us today to discuss whether PowerLift doors are the right choice for your next project.