We put iron rods in there (I forget whether it was the architect or the engineer who required them).
They were a good idea, certainly, for the raising. We rigged them up to be adjustable ove a shortish distance, which proved to be a big help during assembly.
I think this can be done in an aesthetically pleasing way, and I am not embarassed to use them. Those rods are not a sign of failure, but rather a recognition that the hammer beam that they reinforce is being used outside of its natural habitat; the heavily buttressed masonry wall.
