Dr. Phillips Center celebrates progress with 'topping out' ceremony

The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts has reached a milestone in renovations and today, they're celebrating with a topping out ceremony.

Orlando City Commissioners, leaders with the Dr. Phillips Center, and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer will be on hand for the ceremony Thursday, commemorating the 'topping out' of the second phase of construction of the arts center, which includes The Green Room and the Steinmetz Hall.

 



 

 

"The topping out is a very traditional thing in construction," the center tells Fox 35. "It is when you reach the highest point in constructing a building. So that's what we have reached today. We're very excited about the milestone."

Over 200 men and women who have been working on the construction day and night will be treated to a barbecue lunch. Community leaders will be on hand to celebrate the milestone.

Before it's put in place on top of the building, members of the community are invited to come and sign the beam.

"Then a little before 1 o'clock, the crane will come over. We'll attach the cables to the crane. The crane will lift this up and then actually it will be swung over into place and bolted into place as we watch."

Steinmetz Hall, which has been under construction for three years, is being designed to be one of the most acoustically perfect halls in the world. When the hall opens, it will have 1,700 seats. 

To help drown out any outside traffic noises and vibrations, the center said they have essentially built a 'theater within a theater' and have installed more than 400 isolation pads, or shock absorbers.

"It will be wonderful when everything opens in 2020. This will be a jewel for Orlando and really for the world."