(Left) Chicago Sun-Times photo of the last bucket of concrete (at right) being blessed by Archbishop Bernard Sheil before it is sent up to complete the core of east tower. Also visible at left are Charles Swibel, William McFetridge, and Mayor Daley. At lower right, past the workers holding the bucket, some of the crowd can be seen.

Marina City is one year old.

It had been exactly one year since Archbishop Bernard J. Sheil had blessed the machines and soil at the groundbreaking ceremony. On November 22, 1961, he returned to bless the last bucket of concrete that would complete the core of the east tower.

The “topping out” ceremony is an ancient tradition in building construction, started in Scandinavia, migrating to England, and then to the United States. It often includes placing a tree at the very top.

At 588 feet, even just the 65-story core of Marina City’s east tower was recognized as the tallest concrete structure in the world. It contained 8,000 tons of concrete. The west tower core was not far behind, having reached 27 stories. Like the groundbreaking ceremony, the topping out ceremony started at 11 a.m. Among the 500 or so people attending were Mayor Richard J. Daley, William L. McFetridge, now retired as president of the Building Service Employees International Union, David Sullivan (right), the new BSEIU president, Bertrand Goldberg and his wife, Nancy Goldberg.

Construction did not stop for the ceremony. Even amplified by loudspeaker, the speeches at times were barely audible over the noise. Said Nancy Goldberg (left), “We don’t stop for anything.” After remarks by city and county officials, labor leaders, bankers, and representatives of the construction company, the bucket was sent up to the 65th floor.

McFetridge then said he would send a 20-foot pine tree and asked for a volunteer to go with it. When no one stepped forward, the labor leader mused that he might have to send up his wife. Instead, the tree went alone and the ceremony, which had lasted about a half hour, was over.

Work would soon be visible on the multi-level structure below the towers, the office building, and the theater. Brochures would soon be mailed to 2,650 people who had inquired about renting one of Marina City’s 896 apartments. The management company expected the first tenants would move in before May 1, 1962, and that by Christmas 1962, all of Marina City’s apartments in both towers would be rented.