Southwest Judges Highlight Teamwork, Innovation With Winning Selections

I’m pleased to announce the winners of ENR Mountain States & Southwest’s annual Southwest Best Projects competition. For more than 25 years, the regional publication has honored the best in design and construction in Arizona and New Mexico, and this year is no exception. Our panel of industry judges reviewed entries in a variety of categories and for two special awards, Excellence in Sustainability and Excellence in Safety, both of which will be announced at a later date. 

Thank you to our judges, listed below in alphabetical order:

• Sergio Carrasco, Project Architect, Holly Street Studio
• Michael D'Andrea, Vice President of Development & Construction, GCON Inc.
• Stephanie Handley, Business Development Manager, PCL Construction
• Ryan O'Donnell, Operations Director, Balfour Beatty
• Peter Rasmussen, Principal, Shepley Bulfinch
• Cassie Saba, Arizona Get Work Lead, DPR Construction

In addition to selecting category winners, our judges have also chosen several finalists for Southwest’s Project of the Year, with the winner to be announced at the regional Best Projects event in November. We will preview the finalists in another blog leading up to the event.

All winning project teams will be recognized in Phoenix at a luncheon on Nov. 13 at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel. Click here for more info about the event

The event will also recognize several other award winners from throughout the year: Design Firm of the Year AEI; Contractor of the Year Layton Construction; and our Specialty Contractor of the Year, which is TBD. We will also recognize Southwest’s Legacy Award winner Steve Chanen.

Congratulations to this year's Best Projects winners, listed below by category: 

Airport/Transit

Best Project: Mountain Line Downtown Connection Center, located in Flagstaff, Ariz. Submitted by Loven Contracting

Award of Merit: South Central Extension/Downtown Hub, located in Phoenix. Submitted by Kiewit

Energy/Industrial

Best Project: Serrano Solar & Bess, located in Marana, Ariz. Submitted by McCarthy Building Cos. Inc.

Award of Merit: Pima DC1, located in Phoenix. Submitted by Willmeng Construction

Government/Public Building

Best Project: Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) ABQ Admin Office, located in Albuquerque. Submitted by Hensel Phelps

Award of Merit: Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner, located in Phoenix. Submitted by Kitchell

Award of Merit: Surprise Rescue Oasis, located in Surprise, Ariz. Submitted by Willmeng Construction

Health Care

Best Project: Sage Memorial Hospital, located in Gando, Ariz. Submitted by Layton Construction

Award of Merit: Phoenix Children's Arrowhead Campus, located in Glendale, Ariz. Submitted by Kitchell

Higher Education/Research

Best Project: Arizona State University Wilson Hall, located in Tempe, Ariz. Submitted by Holder Construction

Award of Merit: Mayo Clinic Integrated Education and Research Building (IERB), located in Phoenix. Submitted by DPR Construction

Award of Merit: University of New Mexico College of Nursing and Public Health Excellence Building, located in Albuquerque. Submitted by Dekker

Highway/Bridge

Best Project: I-15 Virgin River Bridge No. 1, located in Littlefield, Ariz. Submitted by Kiewit

Interior/Tenant Improvement

Best Project: TikTok USDS Scottsdale Tenant Improvement, located in Scottsdale, Ariz. Submitted by Gensler

Award of Merit: True Food Kitchen Headquarters, located in Scottsdale, Ariz. Submitted by RSP Architects

K-12 Education

Best Project: Larry C Kennedy - Campus Rebuild, located in Phoenix. Submitted by CHASSE Building Team

Landscape/Urban Development

Best Project: Ashler Hills Park, located in Scottsdale, Ariz. Submitted by Valley Rain Construction Corp.

Award of Merit: Frontier Family Park, located in Queen Creek, Ariz. Submitted by Hunter Contracting

Manufacturing

Best Project: Fab 52 (Project Eagle), located in Chandler, Ariz. Submitted by Hoffman Construction

Award of Merit: Comarch Data Center, located in Mesa, Ariz. Submitted by Gensler

Office/Retail/Mixed-Use

Best Project: Esplanade, located in Phoenix. Submitted by Layton Construction

Renovation/Restoration

Best Project: Grand Hyatt Scottsdale Resort Renovation, located in Scottsdale, Ariz. Submitted by RSP Architects

Award of Merit: The Gateway Center, located in Albuquerque. Submitted by Mullen Heller Architecture PC

Award of Merit: Arizona Biltmore Golf Club Renovations, located in Phoenix. Submitted by Sundt Construction Inc.

Residential/Hospitality

Best Project: The RaRa Room, located in Phoenix. Submitted by Gensler

Award of Merit: Birdsong Phoenix, located in Phoenix. Submitted by Vecino Group

Small Project

Best Project: HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center ICU Renovation, located in Scottsdale, Ariz. Submitted by Jacobsen Construction Co.

Sports/Entertainment

Best Project: Player 15 Group HQ and Phoenix Mercury Practice Facility, located in Phoenix. Submitted by Okland Construction

Water/Environment

Best Project: Inner Basin Waterline Restoration, located in Flagstaff. Submitted by Hunter Contracting