Topping it off!
New Hospital reaches milestone as final beam installed
By Milburn Gibbs, as appeared in the August 2, 2007 edition of The Chatham News
The new Chatham Hospital, being built by Rodgers Builders, was "topped out" on July 31, amid a large group of dignitaries.
The ceremonial last beam to finish out a structure being placed is a construction tradition. Cheers rang out as the crane lifted that beam – after dozens signed it for good measure while still on the ground.
That beam is the highest point of the building. There is an older tradition that an evergreen tree is placed atop the structure as well, a ceremonial aspect that came over from the Old World (Europe) centuries ago.
Rodgers Builders Chairman B.D. Rodgers founded the company 43 years ago. Today it is a $400 million company headquartered in Charlotte.
"We have hospital construction in NC, SC and GA presently," Rodgers, a NC State graduate, said. "We are proud to have been selected to have built this hospital facility for Chatham Hospital."
The Senior Vice-President – Business Development of Rodgers Builders is David Page, who accompanied the chairman.
"It is the good people (employees) who let us do what we do as well as we do it." Rodgers said.
Chatham Hospital CEO Carol Straight recognized numerous individuals and organizations that have contributed greatly to the new hospital, located between Alston Bridge Road and US 64 on the outskirts of Siler City.
