Howard Community College Puts Final Steel Beam on Medical Building

Howard Community College celebrated an important milestone in the construction of its new health sciences building Wednesday with a traditional "topping off" ceremony at the construction site.

The white-painted ceremonial beam, traditionally the final piece of steel to go into a building, bore the signatures of HCC students, faculty and staff members, trustees and friends. It also had an evergreen tree and a Maryland state flag sitting atop, serving as symbols of lasting craftsmanship and good luck, according to a statement from the college.

The 112,692-square-foot, $51 million building will house programs focusing on cardiovascular technology, emergency medical services, exercise science, athletic training, public health, health care management, health education, human services, nursing, nutrition, and radiological technology.

The new facility will also allow the college to create new dental hygiene, medical laboratory technician, diagnostic medical sonography, and physical therapist assistant programs.

The building is expected to open for the spring 2013 semester.