Cathryn Sinclaire, project associate at Felder & Associates of Savannah, Georgia, signs the final beam before it's raised at the new St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Brunswick, Georgia. Sinclaire's signature joins those of others in the architecture firm, builder, teachers, principal, and students of the school. Images: Felder & Associates.
St. Francis Xavier Catholic School held a "Topping Out Ceremony" on the construction site of its new school, a special ceremony that commemorates the last beam being placed atop a structure during its construction.
The building will incorporate a unique blend of modern construction benefits and traditional architecture.
Builders broke ground on the new 30,000-square-foot campus of St. Francis Xavier, the oldest private school in Brunswick, Georgia, in November 2021. Staff, students, local dignitaries, and representatives of Savannah, Georgia-based architecture firm Felder & Associates, along with Savannah-based West Construction Co., gathered again as the last piece of steel was recently raised into place. Guests signed the beam ahead of the ceremony, and young students who can't yet write left their marks with a thumbprint.
"It is important to preserve these types of traditions," says Brian Felder, managing principal of Felder & Associates. "Topping out ceremonies serve as an important benchmark for those involved in the construction of this school and the children who will study, learn, and grow here."
The final beam is raised during a Topping Out Ceremony at the new building, which will encompass preschool through eighth grade and include classrooms outfitted with the latest technology, a computer lab, science lab, honors classrooms, a library, and a music room.
The new building will encompass preschool through eighth grade, featuring classrooms with the latest technology, as well as a cafetorium, computer lab, science lab, honors classrooms, library, and music room. The building will incorporate a unique blend of modern construction benefits and traditional architecture. The campus will also include a new playground and play surfaces that will be self-contained with modern safety and security measures.
"The future is bright for our children, with a new, modern facility to enhance their educational opportunities so close to being completed," says Dr. Terry Mermann, principal of St. Francis Xavier Catholic School. "Knowing that our mark will remain on the infrastructure of the steel building lends even more significance to this undertaking and reenergizes us for the next stage of this building project."
Matt West, president of West Construction, says, "This ceremony dates back to 700 A.D. and is believed to bring good luck to the builders and the owners. As blessed as we have been with the construction to this point, we’re looking forward to a safe and successful project going forward. It’s only fitting that a ceremony with this much history is held at a parish as historic as St. Francis Xavier.“
