Topping-Off Ceremony Marks Completion of Steel Erection for SCS Complex

Byron SpiceTuesday, September 23, 2008

One of the final steel beams will be put in place on the new Schoolof Computer Science Complex during a topping-off ceremony on Monday,but not before everyone is given a chance to sign his or her name on it.

The beam is available for all students, faculty and staff to sign from9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. The beam will be located in acorner of the construction site, just behind the Purnell Center loadingdock and Cyert Hall. The best way to get to reach it is to go throughthe Warner Hall parking lot.

Oncesigned, the beam will be hoisted into place during Monday's topping-offceremony, which will be from 3 to 5 p.m. The actual hoisting of thebeam, complete with a customary "good-luck" evergreen, is expected totake place between 3:45 and 4:15 p.m.

Construction ofthe 200,000-square-foot SCS Complex, which includes the Gates Centerfor Computer Science and the Hillman Center for Future-GenerationTechnologies, began in 2007 after a lead gift of $20 million from theBill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  Last February, the HillmanFoundation gave $10 million toward construction of the Hillman Center. Both structures are expected to open by fall 2009.

For More Information

Byron Spice | 412-268-9068 | bspice@cs.cmu.edu