The University of Illinois' men's basketball team captivated the nation with a dramatic postseason run and appearance in the Final Four tournament.

With this issue, Midwest Construction presents its own tournament of sorts, the Final 40 Top Projects of 2005.

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The selection is based on the top completions and starts by cost in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. The top-20 completions are presented first followed by the top-20 starts.

Coverage includes an image and brief description of each Top Project started or completed between summer 2004 and summer 2005.

They include major power plant work, such as the completion of the Gibson Generating Station in Owensville, Ind., and the start of the Weston Power Plant in Northern Wisconsin, and impressive offices, residential towers and health care facilities.

The increasing importance of civil construction in the Midwest is evident. In addition to power plants, major highway and mass transit projects are under construction or recently completed.

Besides start or completion date, the Top Projects are rated by how much they cost to build, and cost figures are based on the best available information.

Yet size is only part of the industry's accomplishments. As the following pages make clear, these projects taken together tell a story of skill, dedication and hard work. The design, engineering and construction feats accomplished are extraordinary.

There might have been other major projects that could have made Top Projects, but because of a lack of verifiable information, we could not include them.

We at Midwest Construction congratulate the team members who worked together to erect these projects. And we applaud the entire industry on an impressive body of work in 2005.

- Craig Barner
Editor

Top of 2005 list