OUC’s Mindy Brenay, Chief Financial Officer, and Vince Preston, Director of Logistics, joined “topping out” ceremony host Ajax Construction on Jan. 26 to thank the general contractor’s workers and subcontractors for the progress they’ve made on the St. Cloud Operations & Maintenance Center.

As is tradition in the construction industry, the “topping out,” or completion, of a building’s structural frame is cause for celebration, as well as a show of appreciation for workers on the project. More than 100 workers on the St. Cloud site were treated to a catered lunch.

Some construction workers wore T-shirts commemorating the occasion.

Phase 1 of the project includes a 55,000-square-foot warehouse and a 22,000-square-foot fleet maintenance facility, which are expected to be completed later this year. Employees could start moving into the new, state-of-the-art facilities in early 2024, said Preston, who is overseeing the project’s progress for OUC.

Designed by OUC and Jacobs, the St. Cloud Operations & Maintenance Center will be the first net-zero energy campus in Florida to be built for a utility.

The warehouse on the St. Cloud campus has 55,000 square feet of space. The front of building will house two floors for offices and a gym.