DE PERE, WI (WTAQ) – A topping off ceremony was held to place the final beam atop the Mulva Cultural Center in De Pere on Thursday.
A 120-foot crane lifted the beam to the roof – carrying the signatures of people who have worked on the project. Mulva Cultural Center CEO, Mike Van Asten, is impressed by how things are going.
“When we think of 4,300 individual beams of steel, to have all of that assembled in a matter of a few short months is pretty amazing,” Van Asten told WTAQ News. “The project itself is certainly going to transform downtown De Pere, all of De Pere and Green Bay, and have a major impact in northeast Wisconsin…We are on time and we are on budget. We continue to plan for an opening in the summer of 2023.”
Raising a final beam with a tree and a flag mounted on it has become a tradition in the construction world. But how…and why? Mortensen Construction Senior Project Manager Danny O’Brien explains:
In construction, the topping off is a tradition held by the builders when the last beam is placed in the main structure. It’s also a celebration of the nearly 150 craft workers who have put in about 30,000 hours of worth of work, to date.
You’ll notice the ceremonial beam has an evergreen tree and an American flag on opposite ends. The origin of this tradition dates back centuries, and historians tie it to the Norwegian culture.
The tree is a symbol, signifying construction of the steel structure has safely reached completion, but it’s also lifted out of respect to the trees which are displaced by a new building as an offering to the tree gods. The other tradition tied to the tree is that it represents good luck and prosperity for the future occupants of the building.
The addition of the flag on the topping out steel beam is a uniquely American tradition, which can be traced back over 100 years to the proud and patriotic American iron workers.
The next step of the project involves the installation of 48-foot tall glass panels.
“The glass panels themselves are 48 feet tall, they’re going to be shipped from Germany next week. So in the month of April, we’ll start seeing the glass panels going up on site,” Van Asten said.
Watch the crane lift the beam into place:
It is expected to become an iconic, world-class cultural facility showcasing the finest traveling exhibits in the world, along with unique features including a state-of-the-art theater, educational classrooms, an expansive gift shop, a unique specialty restaurant, event space and more.
“Right now, the caliber that’s going to be featured in a building like this would take us really to Milwaukee, but more likely, Chicago or Minneapolis,” Van Asten said. “We’re going to have that type of entertainment and education available to every single person living in northeast Wisconsin and beyond.”
Comments