A new science building at the University of Kansas is getting closer to completion.

The Lawrence Journal-World  reports that the final beam has been hoisted into place for the new $117 million Integrated Science Building. Several hundred people gathered Thursday in the partially completed building to celebrate the construction milestone.

The 28,000-square-foot building is the keystone of the university’s $350 million Central District redevelopment project.

Funding comes through something called a public-private partnership in which a private, outside entity gives money for construction and then leases the building to a university until it’s paid off.

The university says the goal is to complete the massive project with little state funding. But lawmakers have raised concerns that if something goes wrong with the project, taxpayers will be responsible.