Fraser Centre holds “Topping out” ceremony

By: fioreMarketing | January 28, 2016 | Original Article

Originally published by WTAJ TV-10.

By Aaron Thomas | athomas@wtajtv.com
Published 01/28/2016 07:16PM   Updated 01/28 2016 07:16PM

http://www.wearecentralpa.com/news/fraser-centre-holds-topping-out-ceremony/350159215

State College, Centre County, Pa. – One of downtown State College’s construction projects reached a major milestone by “topping out.”

Construction workers, elected officials, and members from the community gathered for a topping out ceremony for the Fraser Centre. The ceremony, a construction-based tradition, recognizes the last beam being put in place of the structure.

Fraser Centre is halfway completed, with construction workers putting in nearly 300,000 hours of work.

Richard Fiore, vice-president of the contracting group Leonard S. Fiore, said he’s thrilled to witness this moment.

Crews place the last steel beam on the top of the Fraser Centre.

“I’ve been involved in this project almost my whole career, so for it to actually get out of the ground and to top out is a real sense of pride to me,” he said.

Fiore said the topping out is a testament to how it managed to overcome a number of setbacks, including the 2008 financial crisis and the 2012 Penn State scandal.

150 feet and 13 stories later, the mixed-use development is fully leased out, with retailers such as Target and H&M, and a Hyatt hotel taking some spaces.

Fiore said construction is five weeks ahead of schedule as a result of the mild weather.

Fraser Centre is expected to be fully complete by next December.


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