Construction on the new $51 million headquarters for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Research and Development Center reached a milestone Thursday with the setting of the final beam for the building’s frame during a “topping out ceremony” at ERDC.

“This is an old tradition that goes way back,” said ERDC Commander Col. Bryan Green. “It sets and symbolizes the future success and fortune of the building, and the future success and fortune of the people who work in it.”

He said Philadelphia-based contractor Yates Construction was two days ahead of schedule, on budget and on time. “We have no complaints; it’s been a good relationship,” he said.

ERDC Director Dr. John Holland said when completed the new building would serve as a rallying point for the facility’s entire campus “where a lot of things will get done.”

“This is the first new building this first-class facility has had in a long time,” he added. “It will be a world-class, state-of-the art facility.”

The topping out ritual has been observed by builders for centuries. The final beam is signed by the construction crew and the owners, and the final beam is itself topped with a tree that symbolizes no loss of life during the project and good luck for the building and its occupants.

Yates has 28 months to complete the building, which is located in the center of ERDC’s campus.

John Malouf, Yates project manager, said the building’s anticipated completion date is July 2017.

The Corps’ Mobile District is acting as the project’s contracting agent and construction agent to handle quality assurance inspection during the project.

When completed, the 140,419 square-foot building will include a four-story southern wing and a three-story northern wing, connected by a centrally located 6,100 square-foot atrium. It will include 4,500 square feet of classroom space, a 500-seat auditorium, a 100-seat conference room, a 50-seat video/teleconferencing room, and a 6,350-square-foot archival library. It will house ERDC’s major command staff division and executive offices under the same roof for the first time in the organization’s history.

Besides the executive offices, the building will house the offices of health services, safety, security, equal employment opportunity, contracting, internal review, the director of public works, public affairs and resource management and the office of counsel.