(McCarthy Building Companies: St. Louis, MO) -- Colorado State University has reached a major milestone in the construction of the Advanced Technology Lasers for Applications and Science (ATLAS) Facility, celebrating the placement of the final structural steel beam—called “topping out”—on the CSU Foothills campus in Fort Collins, Colorado.

This marks completion of the structural steel system for the two-story, 77,626 sq ft facility, which will house three of the most powerful laser systems in the world and position CSU at the fore of next-generation laser science.

Developed by Tetrad Real Estate, designed by SWBR, and constructed by McCarthy Building Companies, the ATLAS facility will accelerate research in fusion energy, advanced materials characterization, and fundamental science.

The milestone is an opportunity to recognize the national importance of the forthcoming ATLAS building and the ecosystem that will develop in Northern Colorado because of the facility, says Cassandra Moseley, vice president of research at CSU.

“As the United States works to lead in areas like fusion energy and directed-energy technologies, facilities like this are essential,” Moseley says. “ATLAS will serve as a critical testbed, bringing together academia, industry, and government to accelerate innovation, strengthen energy security, and ensure our competitiveness on a global stage. I’m grateful for our industry and federal partners who have been and will be critical in making this vision for scientific progress a reality.”

The $160 million CSU ATLAS facility is anchored by a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership between the university and Marvel Fusion, with additional collaboration from federal partners including the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Defense. Designed as a testbed to advance critical emerging technologies, the facility will feature a unique cluster of high-intensity, high-repetition-rate lasers capable of firing simultaneously at a single target.

The milestone caps a complex structural phase involving 590 tons of steel installed through five sequences. It follows an extensive foundation and concrete effort that included 7,355 cubic yards of concrete delivered to the site by 736 concrete trucks.

With the structural frame complete, construction will move into enclosure, mechanical, and electrical systems installation, and the specialized interior buildout required for cleanroom and laboratory environments. The ATLAS facility remains on track for substantial completion in December 2026.

“McCarthy’s Colorado team is proud to partner with CSU, Marvel Fusion, Tetrad, and SWBR, whose contributions have been instrumental in bringing this groundbreaking facility to life,” says Tyler Richardson, senior vice president and business unit leader for Colorado at McCarthy Building Companies. “It represents a major step forward for the university and the broader scientific community.”