Another milestone was passed Tuesday for Abilene Heritage Square.
An audience gathered to watch the symbolic topping-out ceremony as the final beam was bolted into place by workers in their renovation of the former Lincoln Middle School (and before that, former Abilene High School).
Guests took turns signing the beam with permanent markers, then stepped back as steel I-beam was hoisted into the air where it signified the conclusion of the project’s structural phase. Afterward, many took a tour of the building to see the progress so far.
Laura Moore, executive director of the Grace Museum as well as Heritage Square, said that a group of volunteers had worked for more than a decade to get to this point.
The renovated and expanded building will be the new home for the Abilene Public Library’s Central Branch, as well as an education center for science, an event center and many other purposes.
“Since the inception of the town, there’s been a school here so that people passing on the train would know we valued education,” she said, adding that the building’s new purpose will reach beyond that.
“It’s really meant to be a living room for the community where people are welcome, where there’s multiple opportunities to learn,” Moore said.
Abilene Heritage Square is expected to open in May.
(This story was updated to add a video.)
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Abilene Heritage Square marks progress by topping out with building’s final steel I-beam
Reporting by Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News / Abilene Reporter-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
