New Building Project Celebrated With Topping-Out Ceremony
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2001
Joe Wills
530-898-4143
New Building Project Celebrated With Topping-Out Ceremony
Progress on the new Yolo Hall classroom building at California State University, Chico will be celebrated with a ceremony Wednesday, Dec. 19, at 11:30 a.m.
After remarks by university and construction company officials, a live tree will be hoisted to the top of the structural framework of the building. The tree will later be planted as part of the permanent landscaping surrounding Yolo Hall, which is located just west of Shurmer Gymnasium.
The ceremony will take place in Shurmer Gym and near the construction site, weather permitting. Afterward, the university will host a barbecue lunch for staff and faculty who will be relocating to the building.
Known as the Physical Education II building, or PE II, during its design phase, Yolo Hall will be home to classroom and laboratory facilities as well as faculty and staff offices for the departments of physical education, exercise science, and recreation and parks management. The two-story building will be 70,626 square feet.
John F. Otto Inc. of Sacramento received the $12 million contract to build Yolo Hall. The project began in July and is scheduled for completion December 2002. The building was designed by Lionakis-Beaumont Design Group of Sacramento.
Among those planning to speak at the ceremony are CSU, Chico President Manuel Esteban, John F. Otto Inc. President Carl Otto, CSU, Chico Vice President for Business and Finance Dennis Graham and Professor Dick Trimmer, chair of physical education and exercise science.
John F. Otto Inc. is a general building contractor in its 54th year of business. With an annual volume of construction projects in excess of $68 million, it is considered one of the premier building firms in Northern California. Lionakis-Beaumont Design Group was founded by George Sellon, California’s first State Architect. LBDG is the largest architectural firm in Sacramento, serving a wide variety of clients in Northern and Central California.
Greg Francis, CSU, Chico director of facilities planning, said topping-out ceremonies are a tradition for building projects such as Yolo Hall. A steel beam painted and signed by dignitaries is often installed at such an event, he said. Francis said the use of the tree was especially meaningful since it will be planted at the site at a later date.
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