What is a Topping Ceremony?

In building construction, topping out (sometimes referred to as topping off) is a builders' rite traditionally held when the last beam (or its equivalent) is placed atop a structure during its construction. 
A Scandinavian tradition of hoisting a pine tree to the top of framed out buildings had a more functional purpose: when the pine needles fell off, the builders knew the wood frame below had cured/dried out so they could enclose the building.
Jefferson Healthcare reached a significant milestone in the Campus Modernization and Expansion Project with the topping out ceremony. The final steel beams for the structure’s roof, signed by patients and staff, were placed at the highest point of the new building. This tradition marks a key moment in the project, and we’re excited to be one step closer to providing new and expanded services to the people in the communities we serve.

A few other milestones:

• The LINAC slab was poured last week, and construction of the vault is underway. The vault is the facility that will house the LINAC inside its several-feet-thick concrete walls.
• The LINAC will be installed in mid-April, and construction will be substantially finished by mid-summer 2025.
• The hospital is planning when to welcome (and celebrate) its first radiation oncology patient.