DBIA Announces 2016 Design-Build Project of the Year, National Award of Excellence Winners

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Design-Build Institute of America recently announced the 2016 Project of the Year and National Award of Excellence.

The Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant was recognized as the 2016 Design-Build Project of the Year. The Gateway Plaza office building, the SR-520 Evergreen Point Floating Bridge and Landings Design-Build Project, Champion Petfoods Kentucky DogStar Kitchens and the Spokane Central Service Center were also recognized for excellence.

“This year’s Design-Build Project/Team Award winners are the best we’ve had. Our jury was particularly impressed that as we advance awareness of Design-Build Done Right, Design-Build is producing exceptional outcomes as measured by owner satisfaction.” said Lisa Washington, CAE, DBIA’s executive director/CEO.

The jury this year recognized 30 projects in nine categories for Awards of Merit showcasing exemplary collaboration and integration in Design-Build project delivery. One project from the categories was then singled out as best-in-category as a National Award of Excellence winner. The jury also chose four outstanding projects for special awards in Excellence in Design (Architecture), Excellence in Design (Engineering), Excellence in Process and Excellence in Teaming. Finally, the jury chose one outstanding Project of the Year. The 2016 selected projects showcase Design-Build best practices, in addition to achieving budget and schedule goals and exceeding owner expectations.

DBIA 2016 Project of the Year – Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant

The largest desalination facility in the Western Hemisphere, with average production of 50 MGD of fresh, high-quality drinking water. Owned by Poseidon Water and completed by the Design-Build team of Kiewit Shea Desalination with Arcadis, IDE Technologies and Tetra Tech, it is a harbinger of a new era in which desalination is viewed as a viable solution to water challenges and a way to drought-proof public water supplies. The team also included specialty contractor Morrow-Meadows.

“This marks the first time a water/wastewater project has been named Project of the Year,” says Washington. “This clearly shows that Design-Build can be an excellent choice for any type of project.”

DBIA 2016 Excellence in Design (Architecture) – Gateway Plaza, Richmond, Virginia

Developed by CRG, designed by Forum Studio and built by Clayco, Gateway Plaza represents a custom design solution to become the headquarters for one of America’s top law firms. Located in Richmond, Virginia, it sets a new standard for office construction, accommodating multiple tenancies, with retail space and parking on lower levels. The 538,000-square-foot, 18-story Class A Office building includes floor-to-ceiling glass, uncompromised design and quality and a LEED Gold certification.

DBIA 2016 Excellence in Design (Engineering) – SR-520 Evergreen Point Floating Bridge and Landings Design-Build Project, Seattle-Medina, Washington

The SR 520 Floating Bridge and Landings Project creates a safer, more reliable link between Seattle and the growing high-tech cities east of Lake Washington. With HOV lanes, full shoulders for disabled vehicles, a cross-lake bicycle and pedestrian path and the largest, heaviest and strongest bridge pontoons ever built, the new, 1.5-mile-long floating highway dramatically improves the movement of people and freight in the Central Puget Sound region.

DBIA 2016 Excellence in Teaming – Champion Petfoods Kentucky DogStar® Kitchens, Auburn, Kentucky 

Gray Construction completed the first Design-Build kitchen in the U.S. for Canadian-based Champion Petfoods. The 371,000-square-foot kitchen named DogStar prepares their foods in its state-of-the-art kitchen designed and operated to meet the same food safety standards  required for the manufacturing of human foods. DogStar was designed, constructed and commissioned in 14 months from 0 percent design to 100 percent test runs of their new recipes.

DBIA 2016 Excellence in Process – Spokane Central Service Center, Spokane, Washington

The Spokane Central Service Center is a consolidated Fleet Maintenance and Solid Waste Facility for the city of Spokane, Washington. The project was designed to create operational efficiency, savings and is the city’s first Design-Build project. Design-Build was chosen to speed construction and control costs to meet consolidation functions identified since 1983. A thorough, yet revised plan with a Design-Build approach at the center was able to achieve this result.

DBIA 2016 National Award of Excellence by Category winners are:

• Civic/Assembly – Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center Expansion
• Commercial/Office Buildings – Zev Yaroslavsky Family Support Center
• Educational Facilities – Cornish College of the Arts: Cornish Commons
• Federal, County, State, Municipal – Wallace Creek North Bachelors Enlisted Quarters Complex
• Healthcare Facilities – The University of Arizona Cancer Center at Dignity Health St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center
• Industrial, Process and/or Research Facilities – USCG Base Ketchikan Alaska – Fast Response Cutter Homeport Upgrades
• Rehabilitation, Renovation and/or Restoration – DAYTONA Rising Frontstretch Grandstand Replacement
• Transportation – Veterans Memorial Bridge
• Water/Wastewater – Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant