Federal Way officials celebrate PAEC beam-signing

Published 10:30 am Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Several city of Federal Way officials gathered together on Aug. 4 for the Performing Arts and Event Center’s beam signing.

The “topping out” or “topping off” ceremony celebrated construction of the highest point of the building, and as is tradition, a tree and a flag were placed on the beam that would complete that point.

The tree comes from Scandinavian tradition dating back to 700 A.D., according to Theresa Yvonne, the Performing Arts and Event Center executive director, when builders would place a fir tree atop the wooden beam to “appease the tree spirits.” The International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers, founded in 1896, started the tradition of using a flag instead.