Chicago Building Congress Names Top Projects

CBC names winners in four categories. County Materials part of six winners in Wisconsin Concrete Masonry Association awards. PCA announces bridge competition.

CBC Honors Chicago’s Top Projects of 2009

The architects, engineers, builders, developers, and suppliers of materials and service providers of the Chicago Building Congress have honored excellence in Chicagoland construction by giving Merit Awards to the area’s top projects completed during the past two years in four categories.

Forty-one original nominees were reviewed by a diverse panel of 18 expert judges in March. The competition then narrowed to 16 finalists, with four projects competing in each of four categories: New Construction Chicago, New Construction Suburbs, Rehab Construction, and Construction Under $10 Million. The CBC panel narrowed the field to one winner in each category.

The winners, by category:

New Construction Chicago—Trump International Hotel. The Project team included: Owner: The Trump Organization; Architectural Firms: PMG Architects, and Skidmore, Owings & Merill; Engineering Firm: WMA Consulting Engineers; General Contractor: Bovis Lend Lease.

Representatives from companies that were part of the Trump International Hotel project, which won top honors in the New Construction Chicago category of the Chicago Building Council’s annual merit awards competition. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Building Congress)

The Trump International Hotel & Tower is the largest building in Chicago since the Sears Tower was built in 1974, and one of the tallest reinforced concrete buildings in the world. Due to the vast size of the project, a unique phased-occupancy plan enabled the bottom 30 floors of the facility to be occupied by the public while construction continued on the remaining 60 floors, including 30 floors of concrete structure. This phased-occupancy approach was the first of its kind in the United States.

Runners-up in the New Construction Chicago include DePaul University Monsignor Andrew J. McGowan Science Building; Engine Companies 18, 70, 102 and 121; and One Museum Park East.

New Construction Suburbs—Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation Synagogue. The Project team included: Owner: Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation; Architect: Ross Barney Architects; Engineers: EYP Mission Critical Facilities, Infrastructure Engineering, and C.E. Anderson & Associates; General Contractor: Bulley & Andrews; Consultants: Oslund Associates, Talaske Associates, and Helen Kessler Associates.

Representatives from companies involved in construction of the LEED Platinum certifi ed Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation Synagogue in Evanston, Ill., which won in the New Construction Suburbs category. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Building Congress)

The new, 31,600-sq-ft facility replaces a 21,400-sq-ft synagogue on the same site. It is the first LEED platinum-certified synagogue. The form of the building, a precious wooden box, features cladding of reclaimed cypress from dismantled mushroom houses. A three-story Jerusalem-stone-clad wall provides a counterpoint and anchor for the box. Runners-up for New Construction Suburbs included the Arlington Heights Village Hall, Hotel Arista, and Rush Copley Healthcare Center.

Rehab Construction—Palmer House Hilton Hotel. The Project team included: Client/Owner: Thor Palmer House Hotel & Shops; Operator: Palmer House Hilton; Architect: Loebl Schlossman & Hackl, and David Fleener Architects; Interior Designer: ForrestPerkins; Engineering Firms: Environmental Systems Design, and Bowman Barrett & Associates; General Contractor: Pepper Construction Company; Consultants: EDG, Clevenger Frable LaValle, CharterSills & Associates and Carbone Smolan Agency.

Representatives from the team that won the Chicago Building Council’s award in the Rehab Construction category for work on the Palmer House Hilton Hotel renovation. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Building Congress)

The Palmer House Hilton Hotel renovation has preserved this historic building, enhancing the commercial redevelopment of the surrounding area while maintaining the historical integrity that has earned the hotel status with the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois and Historic Hotels in America. The complexity of the project was renovating a fully-functioning hotel without interrupting hotel operations. Runners-up include the Pepsico Sustainability Center, the Blackstone Hotel, and the University of Chicago D’Angelo Law Library Renovation.

Construction Under $10 Million—Holy Family Lutheran School. The Project team included: Client/Owner: Holy Family Ministries; Architect: FGM Architects; Engineers: C.E. Anderson, Terra Engineering, and Amsco Engineering; General Contractor: W.B. Olson; and Consultants: EHMS, and Terracon.

Representatives from companies involved in construction of Holy Family Lutheran School, North Lawndale, Ill., which won in the Construction Under $10 Million category. (Photo courtesy of Chicago Building Congress)

Founded in 1985, Holy Family Lutheran School opened the doors of private education to families which may have otherwise been closed out for financial reasons. In 2008, Holy Family Ministries opened new doors in one of Chicago’s oldest communities, North Lawndale. With tight budget restraints and relying only on private funding, this 45,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art school was designed in a simple, efficient form. As with all new construction in Chicago, a green roof was constructed. Other LEED initiatives were also incorporated, such as recycling of materials, and sensor controls on lighting and plumbing fixtures. Awards of Recognition in this category were received by the Bartlett Satellite Fire Station No. 3, the Brokaw Early Learning Center and the Montgomery Village Hall.

Concrete Bridge Excellence Competition Entries Due Sept. 4

September 4th is the deadline for entering the Portland Cement Association’s biennial competition that recognizes excellence in design and construction of concrete bridges.

All types of concrete bridges completed between April 2008 and Sept.2009 are eligible: cast-in-place or precast; newly constructed, reconstructed or widened.

Winners will be announced at the 2010 Concrete Bridge Conference, Feb. 24-26, in Phoenix. For information, visit www.cement.org/bridges or contact Sue Lane at PCA: 202.408.9494; e-mail: slane@cement.org.