One year after the groundbreaking of the 360 State Street development, architects, developers and local leaders met at the construction site Friday to celebrate the completion of the building’s main structure — a completion that came both under budget and ahead of schedule, according to developer Bruce Becker ARC ’85 SOM ’85.

Becker, Mayor John DeStefano Jr. and Tim White, the vice president of Suffolk Construction Company, addressed a crowd of New Haven residents, construction workers and dignitaries who braved Friday’s frigid weather. As construction workers raised the last beam of the development’s steel structure to the top of the building, ironworker Tom Mahfood played the national anthem on his saxophone. The beam was painted blue and white, and was signed by Becker, DeStefano, White and others who had worked on the project.

“This is the season when you want to be joyful, and we feel that way with the progress of this project,” Becker said. “It has exceeded all my expectations so far.”

White was similarly enthusiastic: “The construction of this building has been the most positive experience we have ever had,” he said.

360 State Street will be the largest private residential building in Connecticut and is projected to receive a LEED Platinum certification.

Although the building was recently projected to be 32 stories, developers said it will now be 31 stories, but with square footage equal to that of the 32-story building plan. Scroll below to view more photos of the building’s progress.

Mayor John DeStefano, Jr. addresses the crowd gathered at noon today to celebrate the completion of the structure of 360 State Street. The building is set to open to tenants in summer of 2010.

Sara Bronin LAW ’06, who has been working as the lead attorney for Becker + Becker on the project, signs the beam raised at the end of the ceremony.

As the beam was raised, Tm Mahfood, a worker helping erect the building, played the national anthem. He has been playing sax for about 30 years, and he said that he tries to play at ceremonies for all the buildings he erects.

Although the main building structure for the 360 State Street project has been completed, much is left to be done, even on lower levels.

The seventh floor of the 360 State Street building is farther along. Walls have been erected to separate rooms on the floor.

Photos by Photography Editor Eva Galvan.