Cal State East Bay to Host Virtual Topping Out Ceremony

Cal State East Bay will host a virtual topping out ceremony for the university’s new CORE building on Friday, March 5. Beginning this week, campus community members will have a chance to sign the 18-foot beam that will be ceremoniously hoisted during an early March virtual event. 

In construction, a topping-out ceremony is a tradition held when the last or highest beam of a forthcoming structure is placed. Many times, individuals who have been key to the building’s inception sign their names on the beam before it is lifted up. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cal State East Bay has opted to hold a virtual ceremony that will include video messages from key donors, administrators and students, as well as a video of the final beam being placed. 

When complete, the CORE, which sits at the center of the Hayward campus, will serve as a space for learning, engagement and collaboration. The LEED Gold facility will be 100,000 square feet of zero-net-energy ready space, designed with flexible seating and study rooms.

The 21st-century academic library will teach students how to navigate the information age economy and become self-directed learners. The Student Center for Academic Achievement, located on the top floor, will focus on providing the skills needed for student inquiry, development and research. And, the Hub for Entrepreneurship — prominently placed on the ground floor — will provide a nexus for students and faculty to explore innovations that will propel the creative economy into the next generation and beyond.

For more information about the building, visit the CORE website and for live construction updates, check out the two live cameras, located on the Meiklejohn Hall roof and the library roof.