NWCU "Topping Out" Beam Signing
This past Friday, Greg and Austin joined Andersen Construction, the NWCU Board Members and Executive Leadership Team at the construction site of the NWCU Support Center to celebrate the "topping out" of the steel structure.
Attendees had the opportunity to sign the last beam before it was hoisted up in the air and secured into place. The signed beam will remain exposed to view at the top of the east stairwell upon completion of the project. It will serve as a reminder of the construction process and the individuals involved in orchestrating the endeavor.
The topping out of the structure signifies an important milestone for the construction. Digging down into the earth and then coming back out again with the main structure for these projects inherently can carry more risk and unknowns than subsequent phases. The NWCU Support Center has glided through these early phases without incident and is set up for success moving into the construction of the building envelope.
The completion of the steel frame also signifies something of importance for downtown and the riverfront. The presence of the four-story Support Center is now quite tangible in the neighborhood. The building is visible down 8th Avenue from the park blocks. It peaks over and between development from the edge of Franklin and can even be seen from the Defazio pedestrian bridge. The project is a major step forward in connecting downtown to the river. It's easy to see the potential for the area as you stand at the curve of 8th Avenue (at the southeast end of the site) with the four-story frame reaching up in front of you.
