Texas A&M University-Texarkana hosted a Topping Out ceremony with Hoar Construction and their partners on Tuesday, February 13, on the A&M-Texarkana campus, 7101 University Avenue, Texarkana, Texas.
It is tradition for many construction companies to celebrate a building project that is nearing completion with a ceremony known as “topping out” and usually refers to when the last beam is placed upon the top of a structure during construction.
Dr. Emily Cutrer, president of the university, commented on reaching this milestone, “Through the investment of the 84th Texas Legislature in A&M-Texarkana, our campus is growing and our ability to serve our students is enhanced. In addition to housing student services and state-of-the-art educational spaces for business and nursing programs, our Building for Academic and Student Services will stand as the gateway to our campus.”
The building is a 58,000-square-foot academic and student services center that will house the recently-expanded nursing program funded by a $1.6 million appropriation from the Texas Legislature, business programs, academic classrooms, laboratories and support services for students. It will accommodate enrollment growth, particularly in science and health-affiliated disciplines that require specialized laboratory space. The project was made possible through the approval of $32 million in funding by the 84th Texas Legislature in 2015.
Terral Routh, Senior Marketing Coordinator of the design firm Corgan, said “We’re thrilled to be part of Texas A&M-Texarkana’s growth. This building represents the passion and commitment of everyone at the University to create educational opportunities for the ARK-LA-TEX region and beyond.”
Project superintendent for Hoar Construction, Joe Bouthillette, said “Construction is on schedule, and the attention to safety and quality on the project has made this topping out a great milestone for our trade partners, design partners, and the university. The construction team is excited to enter the next phase on the exterior and start the high-end interiors.”
“Now that the structure is in place, and the exterior walls are currently being installed, the students and faculty can start to see and imagine the new facility they will be occupying, “ said Justin Brodnax, Senior Project Manager for Hoar Construction.
The stage party for the celebration included Bob Bruggeman, Mayor, Texarkana, Texas; The Honorable Gary VanDeaver, District 1, Texas State Representative; Emily Cutrer, President, Texas A&M University-Texarkana; The Honorable Bryan Hughes, District 1, Texas State Senate; David Zatopek, Vice President, Corgan; Jeff Light, Director of Operations, Hoar Construction in Austin, TX; Jeff Herring, Project Manager for Facilities Planning & Construction, The Texas A&M University System; and James Scogin, Vice President for Finance & Administration, Texas A&M University-Texarkana.
For more information about the topping out ceremony or the building, contact Stacy Glover, Director of Marketing at 903-223-3077 or sglover@tamut.edu.