Mortenson Construction and joint venture partner Clark Construction Group joined the Golden State Warriors and City officials last Friday to celebrate the “topping out” of Chase Center, a new landmark sports and entertainment venue located in San Francisco Bay Area.

The Topping Out ceremony culminates 10 months of structural steel work on site, an effort which began in November 2017. SME Steel Contractors, the arena’s steel fabricator and erector, installed nearly 10,600 tons of steel to form the arena’s structural skeleton; 17,000 total tons of steel was used in the entire Chase Center mixed-use development. The project team completed steel erection by hoisting the final beam into place during a lunchtime celebration on site.

With 11 months left in the 26-month schedule, Chase Center is nearing peak construction. More than 1,200 workers--representing 96 different trade partners and vendors--are currently working on site, collectively putting in place $2.3 million of work daily. Despite the rapid pace of construction, the project has maintained a stellar safety record with a recordable incident rate that is four times lower than the national average.

The Chase Center project workforce also reflects the strong results of the industry-leading Chase Center Training program—a workforce development initiative supported by Mortenson | Clark to assist the local community by addressing the workforce challenges facing San Francisco’s construction industry. With three successful graduate classes, this program has provided 78 graduates, primarily from San Francisco’s low-income and underserved communities, with the training necessary to begin successful careers in a variety of construction-related jobs -- both at Chase Center and beyond.

Designed as an epicenter for sports and entertainment, the 18,000-seat Chase Center arena will serve as home court to NBA champions the Golden State Warriors and as a backdrop for concerts, conventions, and cultural and community events. The venue anchors an 11-acre site that also includes two 11-story office buildings, 29 unique retail locations, 3.2 acres of publicly accessible plazas and open space, and a 1,000-space subterranean parking structure.

The project broke ground in January 2017 and is scheduled to be substantially complete by August 2019 in advance of a September 2019 grand opening.