Judges Cite Collaboration, Innovation in 2025 Midwest Best Project Awards | Columbus Ohio Dump Trucks

By Annemarie Mannion

Judging has concluded and ENR Midwest is thrilled to announce its 2025 Best Projects Awardees. Four panels of industry-expert judges selected 33 winners who completed projects that represent outstanding quality of work, spurred innovative ideas and overcame tough challenges. Winners in the Safety and Sustainability categories will be announced at a later date.  

This year’s ENR Midwest judges, listed in alphabetical order, included: 

• Bill Ash, vice president, design director, SmithGroup
• Josh Hodges, project manager, Tarlton
• Zane Hyrkas, project engineer, OHM Advisors
• Jill Katic, senior director, sustainability, Barton Malow
• Brandon Maurisak, transit and rail project manager, HNTB
• Sam Mishelow, director of client development, Meyer Najem
• Vivek Prasad VK, lead estimator-Americas, Microsoft
• Deana Ruud, director, External Communications, Marketing and Communications, Terracon
• John Schlick, director, pre-construction, JE Dunn Construction

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

All winning project teams will be recognized at a breakfast Nov. 18 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 SmithGroup; Contractor of the Year Ryan Companies; and our Specialty Contractor of the Year, ERMCO. We will also recognize Midwest’s Legacy Award winner Willis “Rick” Conner.

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

Aviation/Transit

Best Project: Damen Green Line Elevated CTA Station
Chicago
Submitted by F.H. Paschen, S.N. Nielsen & Associates LLC

Award of Merit: O'Hare 21 T5 Parking Garage
Chicago
Submitted by AECOM Hunt Clayco Bowa

Cultural/Worship

Best Project: Joslyn Art Museum + Renovation
Omaha
Submitted by Kiewit Building Group

Award of Merit: Cincinnati Main Library
Cincinnati, Ohio
Submitted by Group 4 Architecture, Research + Planning, Inc.

Energy/Industrial 

Best Project: Limestone Ridge Reliability Project
Wittenberg and Jackson, Mo.
Submitted by Burns & McDonnell

Award of Merit: City of Lebanon, Ohio Solar Project
Lebanon, Ohio
Submitted by: Kokosing Industrial, Kokosing Solar

Government/Public Building

Best Project: State of Michigan DNR Customer Service Center
Newberry, Mich.
Submitted by Walbridge

Healthcare

Best Project: UW Health Eastpark Medical Center
Madison, Wis.
Submitted by IMEG

Award of Merit: Altru New Hospital
Grand Forks, N.D. 
Submitted by PCL Construction

Award of Merit: Ascension St. Vincent Women and Infants Hospital
Indianapolis, Ind.
Submitted by: Pepper Construction of Indiana

Higher Education/Research
Best Project: Vertical Expansion Project of the Steven & Susan Lipstein BJC Institute of Health
St. Louis, Mo.
Submitted by: Alberici Constructors

Highway/Bridge

Best Project: I-75 Segment 3
Hazel Park, Madison Heights, Royal Oak, Mich.
Submitted by: Michigan Dept. of Transportation, AECOM and WSP

Award of Merit: US-169 Buck O'Neil Bridge Project
Kansas City, Mo.
Submitted by: Massman-Clarkson, A Joint Venture

Interior/Tenant Improvement
Best Project: Confidential Law Firm
Chicago
Submitted by: Clune Construction

Award of Merit: Boston Consulting Group-Midwest Headquarters Relocation
Chicago
Submitted by: Executive Construction Inc.

K-12 

No Award 

Landscape/Urban Development 

No Award  

Manufacturing

Best Project: Ford Ohio Assembly Plant Expansion
Sheffield, Ohio
Submitted by: Rudolph Libbe Group 

Award of Merit: L3Harris Payload Manufacturing and Integration Facility
Fort Wayne, Ind. 
Submitted by: Design Collaborative 

Office/Retail

Best Project: Cincinnati Public Radio - New Headquarters 
Cincinnati, Ohio
Submitted by: Skanska USA Building 

Award of Merit: The Fields Studios
Chicago 
Submitted by: Bulley & Andrews 

Renovation/Restoration 

Best Project: Lawson House Renovation
Chicago 
Submitted by: The Walsh Group 

Award of Merit: Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory
Detroit
Submitted by: Ideal Contracting

Award of Merit: Catalyst Omaha
Omaha
Submitted by: Boyd Jones

Residential/Hospitality

Best Project: RIU Plaza Hotel Chicago
Chicago
Submitted by: WSP USA

Award of Merit: The Porter Apartments
Maryland Heights, Mo. 
Submitted by: Brinkmann Constructors

Small Project 

Best Project: LOT Polish Airlines
Chicago
Submitted by: Clune Construction 

Award of Merit: CDC Port Health Station at Detroit Metropolitan Airport
Detroit
Submitted by: RS&H, Inc.

Specialty Construction 

Best Project: Hammond Family YMCA
Hammond, Ind.
Submitted by: Tonn and Blank Construction

Award of Merit: Coastal Cold Storage
Foristell, Mo.
Submitted by: Brinkmann Constructors

Sports/Entertainment
Best Project: Osborne Legacy Complex
Lincoln, Neb.
Submitted by: Hausmann Construction

Award of Merit: 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Pools
Indianapolis
Submitted by: Shiel Sexton Company, Inc.

Water/Environment
Best Project: Upstream Approach Walls at the Soo Locks Complex, Phase 2
Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
Submitted by: Alberici Constructors

Award of Merit: Kokomo Peak Excess Flow Treatment Facility  
Kokomo, Ind.
Submitted by: Lochmueller Group, Inc.

Award of Merit: Illinois Beach State Park Shoreline Stabilization
 Zion, Ill.
Submitted by: Michels Corporation

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