Area residents have until Friday to sign one of the uppermost steel beams of the new ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano before they are hoisted into place.
Plates that will be affixed to the uppermost steel beams, along with markers, are available in the main lobbies at Shawano Medical Center and ThedaCare Physicians-Shawano through Friday. The beams, with the signed plates attached, will be raised into position Wednesday morning.
This topping off ceremony is traced back to ancient Scandinavians, who placed a tree atop a new building to appease tree-dwelling spirits displaced in its construction.
Although the new hospital is constructed with steel beams, the modern custom marks a milestone for major construction projects.
“Putting those top beams in place is always a big moment, and we like to stop and celebrate the achievement with our crew and our customers,” said Matt Peterson, project manager at The Boldt Co. of Appleton, the project’s general contractor and construction management firm. “Our goal is to fully enclose the building before the cold weather so the medical center’s interior finish and most mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems can be installed during the winter.”
Dorothy Erdmann, CEO of Shawano Medical Center, sees the milestone as an opportunity to invite the public into the process in a tangible way.
“This is your chance to attach your name, quite literally, to Shawano’s new hospital. After so much discussion and planning, it feels good to pause and appreciate all the hard work that’s been completed thus far. We are both grateful and re-energized for the exciting year ahead.”
ThedaCare Medical Center-Shawano will replace the 81-year-old Shawano Medical Center and is slated to open in fall 2015. It is under construction adjacent to ThedaCare Physicians-Shawano at County Road B and state Highway 22.
The center will also house ThedaCare At Home-Shawano and ThedaCare At Work-Shawano.