Trinity Celebrates “Topping Out” of New Academic Center on Founders’ Day, Wednesday, April 22

Trinity Celebrates “Topping Out” of New Academic Center on Founders’ Day, Wednesday, April 22

As you watch the new Trinity Academic Center rise up to the now visible roof line, have you ever wondered what it’s like inside? Now is your chance! On Wednesday, April 22, on Trinity’s annual celebration of Founders’ Day, the Trinity community is cordially invited to celebrate the “Topping Out” of the new Trinity Academic Center at 10:45 am.  A “topping out” party occurs in construction when the last girders of the building are in place.  The workers are getting very close to that point, so Trinity is eager to celebrate this special milestone.

Trinity students, faculty and staff will be able to go inside the building in a special area for this one time only!  All who attend must wear boots, sneakers or appropriate closed-toe flat shoes with strong soles to participate — no one will be allowed in with heels or open-toed shoes.

Topping Out Schedule, Wednesday, April 22:

10:45 am: Gather on the driveway at the gate to the construction site.  When everyone is gathered, the gate will be opened and everyone will be escorted into the first floor of the building.

11:00 am: You will be inside the building in a designated area with special seating. You can look around, add your signature to special Topping Out boards, and look at the renderings of the exterior and interior of the building. You may take photos, of course!

11:15 am:  A brief Topping Out program will take place with the architects from EYP Architecture & Engineering and Clark Construction managers talking about the design and building process.  We will take a moment to recognize and thank all of those hard workers we see every day pouring concrete, climbing up and down the girders, welding and moving heavy equipment. They are building Trinity’s future!

Noon: After the program is over we will escort you back to the driveway where we will all proceed to the festive Founders’ Day picnic on the front lawn. The renderings of the building will be on display, and the architects and Clark Constrcution managers will be available to answer questions about the project.

“This is such an important milestone for Trinity,” said President Pat McGuire. “With excitement we’ve all been watching the amazing and fascinating work of so many construction trade crews as they have worked quickly to lay the foundation, erect the girders and create the framework for our beautiful new Trinity Academic Center. We’ve watched it rise up higher and higher every day, and we are eager to celebrate this special moment with the workers who have made this building possible. Soon, the outside façade will start going up in May, and then once the façade is up and the roof is completed, the work will begin to build out the interior.Construction is on schedule (and on budget!), and the new building is on track to be open for classes beginning with the Fall 2016 semester. ”

The Trinity Academic Center is a beautiful new addition to Trinity’s campus: A four-story, 80,000-square foot, LEED certified building, featuring 12 state-of-the-art science and nursing laboratories and 23 classrooms and seminar rooms. The Groundbreaking Ceremony took place on May 31, 2014, and construction was underway in summer 2014.

The Trinity Academic Center is being constructed because as Trinity grows, the campus needs more classrooms and because Trinity students deserve first-class learning spaces and state-of-the-art labs. The Trinity Academic Center vision is becoming a reality thanks to the generosity of Trinity alumnae and community benefactors.

Watch the construction web cam, live, 24/7!