ENR MidAtlantic Best Projects judges have again been treated to outstanding regional project submissions. After reviewing more than 70 total entries, two panels of industry judges—plus separate safety and sustainability judges—honored 34 projects. Located in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia, projects were evaluated on a team’s ability to overcome challenges, contribution to the construction industry, innovation and best practices, community impact, safety and construction and design quality. Projects also had to have been completed between May 1, 2022, and May 31, 2023. Judges could not vote in categories that included projects in which they or their firms were involved.

This year’s judges for the main categories were Stuart Meurer, president and chief executive at Windover Construction; Brian Neckermann, senior project manager at the Walsh Group; Robert Penny, national director of continuous improvement at Skanska; Irena Savakova, vice president and global design principal at Leo A Daly; and David Wissmann, vice president, construction management and inspection services at Development Facilitators Inc.

This year’s sustainability judge—Josh Rollins, a marketing director and sustainability expert at Suffolk Construction—scored projects based on overall sustainability strategy, choice of materials and energy savings. Major green designations such as LEED and WELL are preferable but not critical to win in the sustainability category. The Erie Insurance Thomas B. Hagan Building in Erie, Pa., is the Excellence in Sustainability award winner.

This year’s safety judge—Bob McCall, director of safety, Master Builders’ Association of Western Pennsylvania—selected the UVA Inn at Darden – The Forum Hotel in Charlottesville, Va., as the Excellence in Safety winner. The project also won a Best Project in the residential/hospitality category and was named a Project of the Year Finalist.

ENR MidAtlantic’s overall Project of the Year was Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU.