LeChase Construction has placed the last steel beam onto the top of the $75 million project by Ellicott Development at 500 Pearl St., in downtown Buffalo.
An event called a "topping off" in the construction industry was held to mark the milestone. As part of the event, construction workers attached a tree and a flag to the beam, which was signed by attendees and then hoisted into place.
The tree and flag are based on a Scandinavian tradition of timber-frame building: A tree is placed on the topmost beam, often with flags or streamers.
The 12-story mixed-use development project, visible from as far away as Delaware Avenue, is Ellicott Development's newest creation. When completed, it will include a 112-room hotel, 14 apartments, 52,000 square feet of office space on the seventh and eighth floor, 380 parking spaces on the first six levels with a screen façade designed to complement the structure, and 11,000 square feet of ground floor retail and restaurant space.
"This is an exciting project for downtown Buffalo," said Jeffrey Panza, director, Buffalo Region, for LeChase. "LeChase is pleased to team with Ellicott Development on this transformative development in the heart of downtown Buffalo."
