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Douglas County officials, builders sign beam at topping-out ceremony for new justice complex
Summary
Officials and construction leaders signed a ceremonial final beam at a topping-out ceremony for a new Douglas County judicial and law-enforcement building, with speakers saying the facility will improve access, security and long-term service for the community.
At a topping-out ceremony in Douglas County, construction leaders and local officials signed a final structural beam for a new judicial and law-enforcement building that project partners said will serve the community for decades.
The event drew JE Dunn representatives, county elected officials and judicial leaders to mark a construction milestone. Tim Akinge, vice president at JE Dunn, said the project team recorded "over 30,000 person hours" to reach the milestone and described the signing as a commitment to the building. "We signed the beam, all as a commitment to the building, that we are celebrating this milestone," Akinge said.
The ceremony followed a long-standing building tradition known as a "topping out," which Akinge described as having roots in ancient Scandinavian practice and European timber-frame rituals. County commissioners and county law-enforcement and judicial leaders were invited to sign the beam alongside project staff and workers.
Chief Judge James McCabry of the Seventh Judicial District Court of Kansas, who spoke for the courts at the event, said the courts are "a critical part of how government functions" and praised the construction team for minimizing disruption. "At the outset, in my meetings with JE Dunn in particular, my emphasis was on the need for the courts to be able to continue to operate free from as much distraction as possible. And I'm pleased to say that goal has been met," McCabry said. He added that the project will improve "access, security, [and] the usability of the facility for judges, staff, and litigants" and expressed hope the building will serve the community "50 years from now."
Project organizers asked elected county commissioners — Patrick Kelly, Shannon Reed, Karen Willie, Erica Anderson and Jean Dorsey — to join the beam signing; Douglas County District Attorney Dakota Loomis and Douglas County Sheriff Jay Ambrister also were asked to sign. The event concluded with an invitation for workers and attendees to join a catered lunch in South Park.
The ceremony was ceremonial rather than a formal government action: no motions, votes or policy decisions were recorded at the event. Officials and builders framed the day as recognition of construction progress and worker safety rather than a decision point about project scope, funding or schedule.
Background details mentioned during the ceremony included a January groundbreaking for the project and the construction team's effort to limit disruption to court operations during work. Organizers repeatedly described the signing as symbolic recognition of the workforce and a milestone in a longer construction schedule.
