It was a windy day on Sept. 11 at 11 a.m. when the final beam was placed for the new West Jordan Community and Arts Center. 

Several city council members, including Bob Bedore, Kelvin Green, Chad Lamb, Kent Shelton and council chair Zac Jacob, attended the topping out ceremony with city staff, representatives from SIRQ Construction, Method Studio and the Cultural
Arts Society.

“It’s a tradition in construction that the final beam is hoisted into place in some sort of ceremony,” councilmember Kelvin Green said during a city council meeting later that same day, noting that a flag was also unfurled under the beam. 

Green also said the sight of the flag was extra special on Sept. 11, 23 years after the tragic events that occurred on 9/11. 

Marie Magers, West Jordan City’s public information officer, said the placement of the beam is the “end of structural construction” for the building before the team moves onto the interior. 

Joe Bryant, purchasing manager for West Jordan and the project manager for the new arts center called the event a big milestone for the center. 

“The event was a great opportunity to reflect on our progress and look ahead to the next stages of the project,” Bryant said. “The last steel beam that was signed by many West Jordan employees, was placed at the Northeast corner of the structure.”

Two weeks before the beam was installed, it was available for all city staff to sign, said Magers. 

“As we move forward, our focus will shift toward the next phases of construction, including interior work, project inspections and the parking lot,” Bryant said. “Our staff’s continued dedication and expertise will be essential as we move forward and work towards our final goals.”

City council member and chair Zac Jacob addressed the audience at the event.

“Having this as a city facility in our community and in our civic center is going to be a great asset for generations to come,” he said. “A community theater is not just a community theater and it’s not just a place to come and watch and participate in and enjoy a production—it’s a place to bring a community together.”

The groundbreaking for the center happened earlier this year in April following much anticipation from the city’s art council and the wider community, as reported previously by the City Journals.

No expected completion date was
given. λ