March 21, 2024
A topping off ceremony was held for our Rush River Commons project in Washington, VA on Tuesday, March 19th.
This project involves the construction of a food pantry, two-story office building, and five residential buildings with 18 housing units. Significant ground improvements were performed including a new retaining wall. All buildings were set up for geothermal heating and cooling as well as solar at the office building for greater efficiency.
‘Topping Off’ or ‘Topping Out’ ceremonies are a construction tradition that have been around for centuries. The ceremony involves placing an evergreen tree on the peak of a building. Exactly where and how this tradition began are under dispute with claims that it first happened in ancient Egypt with the completion of a pyramid. In Scandinavia it is a widespread practice, said to appease the spirits who were disturbed by tree removal occurring during construction. Whatever the ceremony’s origins, March 19th marks a milestone as Phase I of Rush River Commons moves towards completion.