The City of Lafayette will be hosting a Topping Out Ceremony to place the last steel beam in the new Public Safety Building on Friday, November 5, 2021 at 10 am, at the TCHA History Center outdoor plaza, corner of Columbia and 6th Street, downtown Lafayette, across from the construction site.
Mayor Tony Roswarski would like to invite the citizens of Lafayette to sign the last beam on Monday, November 1, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. “As we prepare to set the final steel beam in place for the new Public Safety Building, we’d like to celebrate this milestone with the community,” states Mayor Roswarski. “By placing this ceremonial last beam atop this state-of-the-art facility, we want to recognize the investment the City of Lafayette is making to have continued access to safety services that will provide leading technology and innovative programs for our community now and well into the future.”
The last beam will be painted white to highlight the signatures from the public. The white steel beam will be on display along 6th Street adjacent to the construction site across from City Hall on November 1 from 6-8 pm for citizens to sign. Sixth Street is closed but pedestrian traffic will be allowed access to sign the beam.
The Topping Out Ceremony, in the building construction field, is a tradition held when the last beam is placed atop a structure during its construction. It has since come to mean generally finishing the structure of the building. Customarily on the top of the last beam will be an American Flag, the City Flag, and an evergreen tree, symbolizing positive things – good luck for future occupants, continued growth, a safe job, and celebrates an important achievement of the construction project. The topping out practice dates back to ancient Scandinavian days.
The new Public Safety Building will encompass 70,000 square feet, with a large community room and green space at an estimated cost of $55 million. Connected to the Public Safety Building will be a 468-space parking garage to support both the City staff and the downtown community.
