All members of the Worcester State University community are invited to celebrate a milestone in the construction of the Wellness Center—the “topping off.” The topping off ceremony will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 11 a.m., and marks the completion of the highest level of a building.
WSU students, faculty, staff and alumni are invited to become a part of the building’s history by signing a ceremonial white beam that will be located in the lobby of the Shaughnessy Administration Building starting at 11 a.m. After everyone who wants to sign has done so, workers will then carry the beam out to the construction site and hoist it into place. A reception on the first floor lounge of the Administration Building will follow.
Traditionally, a small tree and a U.S. flag are placed on the beam before it is lifted up and bolted into place by workers. Also called “topping out,” the tradition can be traced to the ancient Scandinavian religious rite of placing a tree atop a new building to appease the tree-dwelling spirits displaced in its construction.
The $52 million, 101,000-square-foot Wellness Center [1] will transform the WSU campus, integrating athletic and wellness facilities and resources for varsity athletics as well as the entire student body and campus community. The building will feature athletic space, three exercise rooms, a multipurpose gym and a competition gym, batting cages, instructional space, community space and a lounge, among other amenities. Scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2016, the building’s next major milestone will be when it becomes weather tight.
No RSVP is required. Parking is limited to the construction site. Additional off-street parking and shuttle [2] to campus is available at the WSU Goddard Street lot. For more information, contact Executive Director of University Advancement Karen Sharpe at ksharpe@ worcester.edu [3].