Best Projects 2011 has been a marathon undertaking. Just look at the numbers for ENR’s annual competition recognizing design and construction excellence. It all started with 737 projects submitted by owners, contractors and design firms from all 50 U.S. states. A total of 60 regional judges—architects, engineers, developers and contractors—in the seven ENR Regional editions selected 119 winners in 18 categories, based on criteria such as safety, innovation, teamwork and design and construction excellence. A final jury of 17 industry professionals was convened to review these 119 projects and determine the nation’s Best of the Best Projects in each of the 18 categories, from transportation to green building.  

And now for the big reveal: we present to you the 18 Best of the Best Projects 2011 winners. From all the hours submitters spent putting together the entries, to all the work put in by the ENR staff, to the hundreds of hours the judges spent examining the entry documents, we can say with confidence that these projects are truly the Best of the Best in the U.S.

These winning projects will be featured in more depth in the Feb. 13, 2012 issue of ENR. One task remains – the editors of ENR will select one project from the final 18 as the Editor's Choice winner, to be announced in the same issue of ENR. Until then, on behalf of the staff of ENR and all the judges, congratulations to all the winners!

BEST OF THE BEST PROJECTS 2011 WINNERS       

Best Civil Works/Infrastructure - Inner Harbor Navigation Canal Floodwall, New Orleans, La.; submitted to ENR Texas & Louisiana by Traylor-Massman-Weeks LLC    

Best Cultural/Worship - DiMenna Center for Classical Music, New York, N.Y.; submitted to ENR New York by H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture


Best Government/Public Building - Chandler City Hall, Chandler, Ariz.; submitted to ENR Southwest by Sundt Construction Inc.     

Best Green Building - Facebook Data Center, Prineville, Ore.; submitted to ENR California by Facebook

Best Health Care - Helen DeVos Childrens Hospital, Grand Rapids, Mich.; submitted to ENR Midwest by Turner Construction Co.


Best Higher Education/Research - Kravis Center-Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, Calif.; submitted to ENR California by Bernards

Best Industrial/Manufacturing - Merck VBF, Durham, N.C.; submitted to ENR Southeast by Merck         

Best Interior Design/Tenant Improvement - BP Bright Lights, Chicago, Ill.; submitted to ENR Midwest by Lend Lease (formerly Bovis Lend Lease)


Best K-12 Education - Casey Middle School, Boulder, Colo.; submitted to ENR Mountain States by Weifield Group Contracting

Best Landscape/Hardscape/Urban Development - Wilmington Waterfront Park, Wilmington/Los Angeles, Calif.; submitted to California by Sasaki Associates Inc.          

Best Multi-Family Residential/Hospitality - Montage Deer Valley, Park City, Utah; submitted to ENR Mountain States by Layton Construction Co. Inc. 


Best Office - United States Institute of Peace (USIP) Headquarters and Global Peacebuilding Center (GPC), Washington, D.C.; submitted to ENR New York by Clark Construction Group LLC


Best Renovation/Restoration - Jackson Barracks Historical Renovation, New Orleans, La.; submitted to ENR Texas & Louisiana by Satterfield & Pontikes Construction Group LLC ·        

Best Retail/Mixed-Use Developments - Square 54, Washington, D.C.; submitted to ENR New York by Clark Construction Group LLC ·        

Best Small Project - St. Mary's Catholic Church Expansion and Addition, Plantersville, Texas; submitted to ENR Texas & Louisiana by Fretz Construction Co.


Best Specialty Contracting - MCFM Solar Thermal Installations, Phoenix, Ariz.; submitted to ENR Southwest by Builders Guild Inc. ·        

Best Sports/Entertainment - Jeld-Wen Field, Portland, Ore.; submitted to ENR California by Turner Construction ·        

Best Transportation - Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge, San Diego, Calif.; submitted to ENR California by T.Y. Lin International