Downtown Concord was buzzing with excitement yesterday with the topping out of the new Legislative Parking Garage. A crowd gathered around to listen to state dignitaries highlight the importance of this significant project, one that will support the State’s legislators who serve New Hampshire every day.
Fully outfitted with an evergreen tree and American flag, the final precast panel was flown into place and secured, signaling the achievement of a major milestone. Over the past seven weeks, 362 pre-cast panels were erected to form the structure of the 104,000-square-foot, 400-space garage.
The new garage, which doubles the capacity of the former parking structure and occupies nearly an entire city block, was designed to blend with the surrounding ornate buildings. Details such as window-like openings, precast concrete stamped with a limestone pattern and glass fiber reinforced concrete columns create an enhanced façade similar to the adjacent State House and Legislative Office Building.
The practice of “topping out” is always a celebratory moment in the life of a construction project. Its significance, which traces back to an ancient Scandinavian religious rite, includes placing a tree atop a new building to appease the tree-dwelling spirits displaced during construction.
Stay tuned for updates as this exciting project nears completion.
