The Cub World Medieval Castle by W. Gohman Construction Company in St. Joseph, Minn., won Project of the Year honors.

Although activity in light commercial construction faltered this year, winners of the 2011 Awards of Excellence from NAHB’s National Commercial Builders Council (NCBC) demonstrate how stand-out projects are successfully responding to a changing marketplace.

The awards recognize achievements in design, market appeal, overall aesthetics, challenges faced during building and overall success of commercial projects that are either built or renovated and range in size from less than 5,000 to more than 100,000 square feet.

Nine entries were selected this year.

"Our award is an effective way for commercial builders to showcase their work for others in the industry and receive peer recognition of their business capabilities," said NCBC Chairman Carl Harris, of the Carl Harris Company in Wichita, Kan.

The award winners are selected by a judging panel of industry peers, who consider such factors as the project's market appeal, energy efficiency, innovativeness, creative problem solving and success in meeting projects goals.

Entries are submitted in six project-size divisions from eight categories: retail, commercial, institutional, medical, industrial, recreational, mixed-use and green building. 

Built for the Central Minnesota Council of the Boy Scouts of America, this year’s Project of the Year (in the Recreational Category) was Cub World Medieval Castle by W. Gohman Construction Company in St. Joseph, Minn.

“We wanted to create a wow factor with our project, but needed to design and construct a facility with the most maintenance-free and readily available materials,” said Mike Gohman, the company’s president.

The castle is a two-story structure with 6,000 square feet on each floor. One of the main features of the facility is a walled-in 7,500-square-foot courtyard, with precast catwalks and full-sized lookout towers. As many green-building and energy-efficient concepts as possible were included in the project’s design — while creating a safe and fun environment for the scouts.

"In today's complex market, being recognized in a special way for meeting and exceeding project goals — while adhering to new, green building standards and other regulations — will make you stand out." said Harris.

The other award winners are:

Grand Awards

• First Finish, of Columbia, Md., won top honors in the commercial category for upgrading The Little Nell ski resort and hotel in Aspen, Colo.

  (Commercial)
  The Little Nell
  First Finish, Columbia, Md.
  
  At this ski resort and hotel in Aspen, Colo., building corridors and 92 guest suites with 30 floor plans were updated with American black walnut, millwork, ornamental metals and Spanish marble tiles. The rooms were taken down to their studs and in many cases even the studs were removed and replaced.
  
  
• (Institutional)
  St. Cloud Public Library
  W. Gohman Construction Co., St. Joseph, Minn.
  
  This two-story, 118,00-square-foot building is a post-tensioned concrete superstructure with high plated girder beams, which were developed to carry the loads of opposing roof planes that add to the building’s unique flair. Vast curved curtain walls surround the front of the building.
  
  
• (Medical)
  Neurology & Neuroscience Center
  Zumpano + Hanson Development, Akron, Ohio
  
  This three-story, 45,000-square-foot medical office building is adjacent to a stretch of interstate highway. A solid concrete mass, reinforced with fiberglass rods, was poured and used to eliminate highway vibrations from affecting the MRI unit.
  
  
• Merit Awards
  
  (Medical)
  Okeechobee Veterinary Hospital
  Kirchman Construction Co., Stuart, Fla.
  
  This new facility in a rural community features an “Old Florida” style with porches and broad overhangs, supported by natural cedar columns. The metal Galvalume roof is practical for the building’s location in a hurricane zone.
  
  
• (Commercial)
  FreeStar Bank
  Bailey Edward, Champaign, Ill.
  
  This bank was constructed in a rapidly developing commercial area with a high-traffic shopping district. To optimize thermal resistance and maximize sound attenuation, all exterior walls were formed using an insulated concrete system with an R-Value of 22.
  
  
• (Mixed Use Commercial/Retail)
  The Capitol Hilton
  First Finish, Columbia, Md.
  
  This project included renovations to all 544 hotel guestrooms and suites, public corridors and bathrooms. Several rooms were redesigned and updated to meet Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. New HVAC units, lighting in hallways and water-efficient fixtures for the bathrooms were installed.

Chairman’s Award

• Bayview Construction, in Stuart, Fla., was honored for its Snake Road Auto Salvage project.

  (Industrial)
  Snake Road Auto Salvage
  Bayview Construction Corp., Stuart, Fla.
  
  This salvage processing center and office structure is concrete masonry block with stucco and fiber cement siding. Steel trusses were selected to help ensure fire proofing and reduce insurance costs.  

Honorable Mention

• (Institutional)
  St. Peter’s Lutheran Church
  Bossart Builders, Inc., Flanders, N.J.
  
  This religious facility features a pre-engineered, wood-panelized and scissor-truss roof system; a sanctuary seating 250 persons, a fellowship hall with a full commercial kitchen; classrooms and meeting rooms; and a large Gothic entrance foyer.

Last year, NCBC recognized 10 projects, which was reported in Commercial Builder Online Magazine.

For more information, e-mail Kisha DeSandies at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8455.