January 8, 2004

Officials, donors ‘top out’ Lurie Medical Research Center

Northwestern held a “topping out” ceremony for The Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center Dec. 18.

Trustee Ann Lurie places a bouquet of white roses on the last beam, which was signed by members of the Northwestern community and then raised atop the 12-story Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center.

photo by Jim Ziv

University officials and major donors took part in the event, in which a steel beam was hoisted to the top of the 12-story building under construction at the southeast corner of Superior Street and Fairbanks Court.

The ceremony was held as the installation of structural steel reached the top of the building.
The beam was signed by Northwestern officials, faculty and staff and by donors and other dignitaries. A tree and a bouquet of roses were placed atop the beam, which was lifted into place by a crane.

Remarks were delivered by President Henry S. Bienen; Feinberg School of Medicine Dean and Vice President for Medical Affairs Lewis Landsberg; Trustee Ann Lurie, who made a $40 million leadership gift for the center; and Gary Mecklenburg, president and chief executive officer of Northwestern Memorial Healthcare Corporation.

The new facility is named in honor of Mrs. Lurie’s late husband.

Work on the project started in July 2001 with demolition of the Jennings and Passavant hospital pavilions. Construction of the new facility began in March 2002. Completion is expected next December, with occupancy in February 2005.

The building will contain 418,216 gross square feet, providing facilities for 700 people. Nine floors will be devoted to research laboratories and offices. The center will contain auditoriums seating 250 and 120 people and seminar rooms for 50 and 70 people.

The structure will be connected by a bridge to the Olson-McGaw Pavilion to the west.

The total cost of the completed project will be $200 million.

The “topping out” ceremony is a custom that was observed in the Middle Ages when structures were made of wood and trees were inhabited by “forest gods” that needed propitiation.