We celebrated along with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and Snowbird community leaders for the “Topping Out” of the Jacob Cornsilk Community Center in Robbinsville, NC. This ceremony marks the placement of the last steel beam in the structure of the building. Leaders of the EBCI Tribal Council and Snowbird community joined with James R. Vannoy & Sons Construction to sign this beam before it made its way to the roof. From the indelible signatures in the roofing to the land on which it is built, the new community center is steeped in the rich history of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
This land was the site of a schoolhouse where previous generations of the EBCI had attended school before it was removed to make space for a community center which the Jacob Cornsilk Center replaces. The new 46,370 SF center will host this and future generations of EBCI youth in sports and other extracurricular activities. It will also house a clinic, library, and other community spaces and services.
It was an exciting day for all who have been working on this project, including RMF Engineering, 4D Engineering, Palacio Collaborative, Britt, Peters and Associates, and Aniwaya Designs.
Watch this short video (on Facebook) from Vannoy Construction to hear more about the progress and what this new center will mean to the community.