Description

A milestone has arrived for one of the most anticipated downtown Concord projects in recent years. The 250,000-square-foot Cabarrus County Courthouse expansion/renovation project is celebrating the placement of the final steel beam.
 
Cabarrus County Government invites Courthouse workers, elected officials, local businesses and organizations and the community to join in the two-day “topping off” celebration, July 6 and 7 on the front steps of the Government Center at 65 Church Street S.
 
The “topping off” ceremony is a long-standing tradition in the construction industry. It commemorates the completion of a building’s structure – specifically the placement of the final steel beam.
 
The ceremony also signifies the first official public introduction to the new building.
 
It’s a major milestone in the project, which launched in 2018 when County officials, Messer Construction and Silling Architects began holding the first planning sessions, according to Jason Harris, Messer Construction project executive.   
 
“This celebration is a big deal for us,” Harris said. “We’ve been onsite for 15 months to get to this stage of the project. This is the culmination of a lot of efforts from the County, the design team, and our partners on site to get to where we are today and we’re ready to tackle the next steps.”
 
Officials expect the entire project to take between 24 and 28 months, with a tentative opening in 2023.
 
Beam signing
Community members are invited to place their signature on the final beam while enjoying games, music, a photo booth and a cold treat.
The beam signing will take place on Tuesday, July 6 from 2 to 4 p.m. on the front steps of the Cabarrus County Government Center (65 Church Street S, Concord).
Topping off ceremony
Team members and community leaders will gather for a short ceremony and watch as crews raise the final steel beam over Church Street and place it in the structure.
The topping off ceremony, which also takes place at the Government Center, is scheduled for Wednesday, July 7 at 10 a.m.
The ceremony will be available to watch beginning Thursday, July 8 at 8 a.m. through Sunday July 18 on Cabarrus County Television-Spectrum Channel 22. You can also watch on demand on the County’s YouTube channel by visiting youtube.com/cabarruscounty.
 
For additional details and information regarding the progression of the Cabarrus County Courthouse project leading up to the event, search Cabarrus County Topping Off Celebration in the search area on Facebook.

*This event is hosted by a member of The Chamber*