Topping Out Raleigh’s New City Hall

The City Hall construction team has some BIG news!

The tower crane will place the building's top beam on Friday, Nov. 7! This is called topping out.

Want to watch this exciting project milestone? Head to Nash Square on Friday, Nov. 7, at 10:45 a.m. to watch the topmost beam of our new City Hall be lifted and placed atop the building.

What is topping-out?

Topping-out is a big deal for the construction team, as it signifies the end of the vertical stage of the construction. To celebrate this milestone, a tree is placed on the topmost iron beam, often with flags and streamers tied to it. The celebration is traced to the ancient Scandinavian tradition of placing a tree atop a new building to appease the tree-dwelling spirits. After the beam is placed, there is a celebration for the construction workers who are usually treated to a meal.

The topping-out celebration remains a common practice worldwide. In the United States, the last beam of a high-rise building is often painted white and signed by the workers.

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