ENR West California and Nevada Winners Announced for Regional Best Projects Awards Competition

ENR West is pleased to announce the winners for the 2025 Regional Best Projects competition in the Northern California and Southern California subregions!

After several weeks of hard work, an independent group of AEC experts reviewed 145 projects from across California, Nevada and Hawaii and selected 30 Best Projects and 36 Awards of Merit. The Northern California subregion includes northern Nevada and Hawaii while the Southern California subregion includes southern Nevada.

Projects were evaluated on the ability of the project team to overcome challenges, their contribution to the industry and community, safety and construction and design quality. 

The judges for the 2025 contest are:

• Amer Bata, deputy department manager, AECOM
• Priscilla Chavez, manager business development, PCL
• Doug Conrath, retired, CRB Group
• Larisa Escalle, rail and transit lead, Northern California, GHD
• Rick Fochtman, executive vice president, Prowest Constructors
• Chris Forster, vice president operations, Largo Concrete
• Matthew Grubb, vice president of engineering, R.D. Olson Construction
• Donald Kahn, principal consultant, TMS Project Consulting
• Glen Kaneshige, president, NordicPCL
• Beatriz Kim, engineering team lead, Rosendin
• Phil LeCocq, project management, division of engineering, California Dept. of Water Resources
• Kabri Lehrman-Schmid, project leader, Hensel Phelps
• Vince Mammano, director of strategic solutions, Mark Thomas
• T.J. McNulty, office lead, Rider Levett Bucknall
• David Mori, engineering manager, City of Anaheim
• Suzanne Napier, vice president, SmithGroup
• Caleigh Raymer, construction manager, PCL
• Kim Scott, vice president, Blach Construction
• Brian Staton, president/C.E.O., HMC Architects
• Pamela Touschner, global leader, architecture, DLR
• Tim Wilson, senior vice president, Pacific, Ames Construction

As always, to avoid conflicts of interest, our judges did not score any categories in which their firms submitted entries, and abstained from scoring projects on which they had any involvement.

Winners of the Excellence in Sustainability award and the Excellence in Safety award for the California subregions will be announced later this month. Winners of the Northwest subregion will be announced in September.

All winning project teams — as well as the Owner of the Year, Design Firm of the Year, Contractors of the Year, Specialty Contractor of the Year and Legacy Award winners – will be recognized in a pair of awards events in November. 

In addition to selecting category winners, judges have also chosen three finalists each for Northern California and Southern California for consideration as ENR West's 2025 Projects of the Year, which also will be announced at the Best Projects events. 

• Southern California awards will be presented on Nov. 5 in Los Angeles. (click here for more info)
• Northern California awards will be presented on Nov. 7 in San Francisco. (click here for more info)

This year’s winning projects in the main categories—listed  below—will be profiled in depth in the October print issue of ENR California.

Congratulations to this year’s winners!

ENR California's 2025 Regional Best Projects Winners

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Best Airport/Transit
San Francisco International Airport Interim Corridors
San Francisco
Submitted by Turner Construction Co.

Award of Merit - Airport/Transit
Terminal Loop Road Reconstruction
Reno, Nev.
Submitted by Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.

Award of Merit - Cultural/Worship
Henry J Kaiser Auditorium
Oakland, Calif.
Submitted by Build Group Inc.

Best Energy/Industrial
SMUD Solano Phase 4 Wind Energy Project
Rio Vista, Calif.
Submitted by Clark Bros. Inc.

Award of Merit - Energy/Industrial
Birds Landing 230kV Transmission Line Upgrade
Rio Vista, Calif.
Submitted by Michels

Best Government/Public Building
South Airfield Military Construction (MILCON) Projects, Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake
Ridgecrest, Calif.
Submitted by ECC

Award of Merit - Government/Public Building
Presidio Building 643 Rehabilitation Project
San Francisco
Submitted by Herrero Builders

Best Health Care
UCSF Health Peninsula Outpatient Center
Burlingame, Calif.
Submitted by Swinerton Builders

Award of Merit - Health Care
UCSF Bayfront Medical Building
San Francisco
Submitted by Clark Construction

Best Higher Education/Research
Evergreen Valley College Student Services Complex
San Jose, Calif.
Submitted by XL Construction

Award of Merit - Higher Education/Research
University of San Francisco Malloy Pavilion New Practice Gymnasium
San Francisco
Submitted by ZFA Structural Engineers

Award of Merit - Higher Education/Research
San Francisco State University West Grove Commons
San Francisco
Submitted by McCarthy Building Cos.

Best Highway/Bridge
NDOT 3935 Fernley Bridges
Fernley, Nev.
Submitted by Q&D Construction

Best Interior/Tenant Improvement
San Mateo Science Center
San Mateo, Calif.
Submitted by Truebeck Construction

Award of Merit - Interior/Tenant Improvement
Genentech B86
South San Francisco, Calif.
Submitted by XL Construction

Award of Merit - K-12 Education
Isaac R. Montanez Elementary & Middle School
Brentwood, Calif.
Submitted by C. Overaa & Co.

Award of Merit - Manufacturing
Valley Natural Beverages Milk Processing Plant
Bakersfield, Calif.
Submitted by Big-D Construction

Best Office/Retail/Mixed-Use
Healthpeak Properties' Vantage Phase I
South San Francisco, Calif.
Submitted by Salas O'Brien

Award of Merit - Office/Retail/Mixed-Use
1265 Borregas
Sunnyvale, Calif.
Submitted by XL Construction

Best Renovation/Restoration
SFO Alaska Airlines T1 Lounge
San Francisco
Submitted by Turner Construction Co.

Award of Merit - Renovation/Restoration
Gregory Bateson Building Renovation
Sacramento, Calif.
Submitted by McCarthy Building Cos.

Best Residential/Hospitality
The Martin
Sunnyvale, Calif.
Submitted by Build Group Inc.

Award of Merit - Residential/Hospitality
Limelight, Mammoth
Mammoth Lake, Calif.
Submitted by KHS&S

Best Small Project
California Firefighter Memorial Expansion
Sacramento
Submitted by Turner Construction Co.

Best Specialty Construction
301 Mission Perimeter Pile Upgrade
San Francisco
Submitted by Shimmick

Award of Merit - Specialty Construction
Caltrain Electrification Project
San Francisco
Submitted by Caltrain - Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project

Best Sports/Entertainment
San Bruno Recreation and Aquatic Center
San Bruno, Calif.
Submitted by Group 4 Architecture, Research + Planning, Inc.

Award of Merit - Sports/Entertainment
William N. Pennington Moana Springs Community Aquatics & Fitness Center
Reno, Nev.
Submitted by CORE Construction

Best Water/Environment
Klamath River Renewal Project
Hornbrook, Calif.
Submitted by Kiewit Infrastructure West Co.

Award of Merit - Water Environment
Covered Aerated Static Pile Composting Facility at Shafter - Wasco
Shafter, Calif.
Submitted by Clark Bros Inc.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Best Project Airport/Transit
Alaska Airlines LAX Terminal 6 Redevelopment
Los Angeles
Submitted by PCL Construction

Award of Merit - Airport/Transit
Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility – Turning Basin & Pier C HDD
Long Beach, Calif.
Submitted by Primoris Services Corp. | ARB Underground

Award of Merit - Airport/Transit
Terminal Island Wye Track Realignment at Pier S and Pier T
Long Beach, Calif.
Submitted by Herzog Contracting Corp.

Best Cultural/Worship
Museum of Natural History - Commons
Los Angeles
Submitted by MATT Construction

Award of Merit - Cultural/Worship
Glorya Kaufman Community Center
Culver City, Calif.
Submitted by Shawmut Design and Construction

Best Energy/Industrial
Sentinel Energy Center Battery Energy Storage System with Black Start
Desert Hot Springs, Calif.
Submitted by Burns & McDonnell

Award of Merit - Energy/Industrial
Condor BESS
Grand Terrace, Calif.
Submitted by Rosendin Electric Inc.

Best Government/Public Building
Orange County Sanitation District Headquarters
Fountain Valley, Calif.
Submitted by Swinerton Builders

Award of Merit - Government/Public Building
San Diego County Public Health Laboratory
San Diego
Submitted by BNBuilders

Award of Merit - Government/Public Building
City of Henderson, Fire Station #92
Henderson, Nev.
Submitted by Carpenter Sellers Del Gatto Architects

Best Health Care
Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla Tower II
San Diego
Submitted by McCarthy Building Cos.

Best Health Care
The Healing Center at St. Jude's Ranch for Children
Boulder City, Nev.
Submitted by EV&A Architects

Award of Merit - Health Care
City of Hope - Hope Plaza
Duarte, Calif.
Submitted by DPR Construction

Best Higher Education/Research
Caltech Resnick Sustainability Center
Pasadena, Calif.
Submitted by Hensel Phelps

Award of Merit - Higher Education/Research
UCSD Theatre District Living and Learning Neighborhood
La Jolla, Calif.
Submitted by Kitchell

Award of Merit - Highway/Bridge
First Avenue Bridge
Barstow, Calif.
Submitted by Skanska USA Civil West

Best Interior/Tenant Improvement
A&J El Monte Training Facility Tenant Improvement
El Monte, Calif.
Submitted by Swinerton Builders

Award of Merit - Interior/Tenant Improvement
Confidential Project
Los Angeles
Submitted by HITT Contracting

Best K-12 Education
Del Mar Heights School
San Diego
Submitted by Balfour Beatty

Award of Merit - K-12 Education
Francis Parker School Phase 8 Athletic Complex
San Diego
Submitted by Level 10 Construction

Best Manufacturing
Neogene NGF40
Santa Monica, Calif.
Submitted by HITT Contracting

Best Office/Retail/Mixed-Use
8980 Villa La Jolla Drive
San Diego
Submitted by Swinerton Builders

Award of Merit - Office/Retail/Mixed-Use
UnCommons
Las Vegas
Submitted by Burke Construction Group

Award of Merit - Office/Retail/Mixed-Use
Evermont
Los Angeles
Submitted by Suffolk

Best Renovation/Restoration
Hotel Del Coronado Victorian Building Renovation
Coronado, Calif.
Submitted by Swinerton Builders

Award of Merit - Renovation/Restoration
Fairmont Breakers Hotel Long Beach
Long Beach, Calif.
Submitted by ARCO National Construction

Best Residential/Hospitality
Pepper Canyon West Living and Learning Neighborhood at the UCSD
La Jolla, Calif.
Submitted by Clark Construction

Award of Merit - Residential/Hospitality
Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center
Chula Vista, Calif.
Submitted by Mortenson | McCarthy (Mortenson Construction and McCarthy Building Cos., a joint venture partnership)

Best Small Project
SKIMS LA Flagship
Los Angeles
Submitted by Schimenti Construction Co.

Award of Merit - Small Project
Tory Burch
Beverly Hills, Calif.
Submitted by Schimenti Construction Co.

Best Specialty Construction
Din Tai Fung at Downtown Disney
Anaheim, Calif.
Submitted by PCL Construction

Best Sports/Entertainment
Intuit Dome
Inglewood, Calif.
Submitted by AECOM Hunt – Turner, JV

Award of Merit - Sports/Entertainment
"The Bolt" Los Angeles Chargers Headquarters and Training Facility
El Segundo, Calif.
Submitted by PCL Construction

Award of Merit - Sports/Entertainment
San Diego Football Club Training Facility and Right to Dream Academy
El Cajon, Calif.
Submitted by AECOM Hunt

Best Water/Environment
Carlsbad Desalination Plant Intake and Discharge Facility
Carlsbad, Calif.
Submitted by HDR

Award of Merit -Water/Environment
Hyperion Advanced Water Purification Facility
Playa del Rey, Calif.
Submitted by Walsh Construction Co. II

Award of Merit -Water/Environment
Newport Bay Trash Interceptor
Newport Beach, Calif.
Submitted by City of Newport Beach