By RUDI HEMPE
CELS News Editor & Reporter
More than 200 persons, including faculty members, students and a bevy of distinguished visitors turned out Nov. 14 for the traditional “topping out” ceremony that officially marked the end of major steel construction of the $60 million Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences.
Several speakers took the podium before the main event—the raising of the last steel beam by ironworkers. The I-beam, painted white and festooned with signatures of anyone who wanted to be a part of the ceremony, an American flag and a potted evergreen was hoisted to the fourth floor of the teaching wing of the CBLS and bolted to the rest of the steel frame by two ironworkers.
Members of the URI Marching Band gave a drum roll as a hydraulic crane did the hoisting honors.
Among the speakers were President Robert L. Carothers who hailed the building as a “symbol of investment” not only for the university and the state but also for the country and Gov. Donald L. Carcieri, who stressed the “need to continue to invest in the university” and urged the URI community to continue the job of “tapping into outside resources.”
“This university is critical to our state and our state’s future,” the governor said.
Jeffrey R. Seemann, dean of the College of the Environment and Life Sciences, took a slightly lighter tact. “How cool is this!” he exclaimed turning around and pointing up to the building that soared above the crowd assembled on the rear plaza of the adjacent Chafee Hall.
Seemann congratulated the CELS faculty for “its dream” of having such a facility someday and said the CBLS is an investment in the state’s economy. He also announced that the effort to raise $10 million to furnish the building is halfway there.
Paul J. Choquette Jr., chairman of the Gilbane Building Company that is overseeing the construction noted that 63 |
percent of the companies working on the project are from Rhode Island and that the project is on budget and on time.
Other speakers were Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts, Robert A. Weygand, URI vice president for administration and master of ceremonies for the event and Carolyn Schmiedel, a senior majoring in microbiology who noted that students and researchers will thoroughly enjoy the new building.
The north or research wing is almost entirely enclosed and the plan is to have the building secured against wintry weather in a few weeks. Gilbane’s completion target is December, 2008. Occupancy will probably take place in early 2009.
Larry Bernard, Amgen’s Senior Manager of Corporation Communications waits his turn while his colleague, Kimball Hall, VP and General Manager of Amgen’s RI operations puts her signature on the beam. Amgen has donated $1M to the building campaign.
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