2025 Midwest Best Projects
Award of Merit, Manufacturing: L3Harris Payload Manufacturing and Integration Facility
L3Harris Payload Manufacturing and Integration Facility
Wayne, Ind.
Award of Merit
Submitted by Design Collaborative
Owner: L3Harris; Silverado Cook Properties LLC
Lead Design Firm: Design Collaborative
General Contractor: Hagerman Construction
Structural Engineer: Engineering Resources Inc.
MEP Engineer: Design Collaborative
This addition and renovation effort at L3Harris’ Fort Wayne facility supports the end-to-end fabrication and testing of advanced equipment for the space exploration and communications industries.
Above the production floor, an open office environment fosters collaboration and maintains visual connection to the activity below. The lower level features a 26,000-sq-ft engineering hub with direct access to the build space.
Renovating and expanding a highly secure, operational facility presented multiple challenges. Crews planned out phased work, navigated limited ceiling space and integrated new infrastructure with aging systems. Outages and system transitions were staged to the minute, preserving the integrity of sensitive lab operations.
With the help of 3D modeling, the team coordinated dense systems within constrained spaces, allowing for early clash detection and informed field installation. To maintain a clean construction environment, the contractor implemented specialized cleaning protocols throughout the project, particularly as new construction tied into active lab areas. Extra effort was made to protect air quality.
