Celebrating a Major Project Milestone

In the Community, News, Press Releases, Project Update

Topping Off the Comstock Residence Hall

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This past month, our joint venture between The Hayner Hoyt Corporation and KBE Building Corporation celebrated a Top-Off at the Comstock Residence Hall, one of two new residence halls under construction on the Syracuse University campus. Crews on site were treated to a catered lunch of pizza and wings to mark the milestone. Construction continues on, with progress still on track for completion for students to move in for the 2027 Fall Semester.

What Is A Top-Off?

A Top-Off is a construction tradition that celebrates finishing the erection of a building’s structure, marked by installing the final piece of material at the highest point. Beyond the milestone itself, it honors the effort of everyone who got the structure up, from the general contractor to every subcontractor on site. Top-Offs are celebrated as a major schedule milestone achievement, and it was our pleasure to reward the crews with a dedicated lunch to thank them for all of their efforts.

A Busy Spring and Summer

Erection of the structure began on April 14th, 2026. The final level of steel and decking was completed on September 18th in advance of the roof slab pour on September 22nd.  In all, the team built (9) levels reaching more than 100 feet in just 22 weeks, placing 5,680 cubic yards of concrete and installing 839 tons of steel along the way.

It was a busy spring and summer with long days to erect the building as quickly and safely as possible. We were thankful to have a great team of subcontractors who worked their tails off to maintain a grueling schedule to keep the project on track to achieve the mid-September topping off.

Michael Kolakowski, Jr Project Manager, KBE Building Corporation

Part of a Bigger Vision for Campus

The Comstock Residence Hall is a key piece of Syracuse University’s housing strategy. The strategy, first announced in February 2024, called for demolishing Marion Hall, Kimmel Hall, and Dining Center, and the Comstock Avenue Garage to make way for new construction. These will be the first residence halls built since Ernie Davis Hall opened 15 years ago. Demolition of Kimmel and Marion was finished in the 2025 spring semester, and garage demolition began that fall, clearing the way for two new residence halls and a new dining center.

What’s Next?

With the structure now up, the focus shifts to the work still ahead on the building, and there is plenty of it before the project is complete in 2027. The second residence hall on Waverly Avenue will have its own Top-Off celebration when it reaches that point, and we’ll share that milestone too.