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Day Spa, Restaurant Among Top Commercial Projects
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The Fiori Day Spa in downtown Houston mixes Old World charm with modern constuction. |
A day spa in Houston and a restaurant in Honolulu were among 15 commercial construction projects recognized by NAHB’s National Commercial Builders Council (NCBC) recently as the best in commercial construction.
The commercial projects won the 2007Awards of Excellence, which recognize achievements in the national commercial building industry for remodeling and new construction design, market appeal, energy efficiency, building challenges and overall project success.
This year’s winners demonstrated inventive use of technology, ingenuity in overcoming design and construction challenges and innovative use of energy-efficient features.
The winning projects will be on display at the NCBC headquarters during the 2007 International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Fla. in February.
The top NCBC honorees were:
Project of the Year
- Fiori Day Spa, Houston
Cornerstone Group Architects, LLP, Austin, Texas
Fiori Day Spa, an urban oasis in downtown Houston, wraps old world charm around brand-new construction. The spa, featuring as much natural daylight as possible, is energy-efficient. The builder preserved many existing trees to provide shade. In addition, a generous portion of the budget was dedicated to the interior finish-out and detailing, a rarity in commercial projects.
Grand Awards
- Live/Work Home, Orlando, Fla.
Harkins Development Corporation, Lake Mary, Fla.
Live/Work Home is a mixed-use project that gives business professionals the luxury of living and working at home. Featuring progressive two-story attached homes that have the flexibility to be used in a number of ways, Live/Work Home proved to be a popular project in central Florida, with 42 of the 46 homes sold before construction began.
- A New Gomatei Restaurant, Honolulu
Fung Associates, Honolulu
A New Gomatei Restaurant features a natural design achieved by using natural materials throughout ― from the floor to the counter. Materials were chosen to achieve warmth and ambiance, including a variety of wood species, primitive yet elegant Egyptian stone and high-quality halogen light fixtures.
- Belterra Amenity Center, Austin, Texas
Cornerstone Group Architects, LLP, Austin, Texas
The Belterra Amenity Center is a visual anchor for a large number of activities, including sports courts, playing fields and play areas. It offers an entertainment/party room, gym, offices and full kitchen in addition to serving as the control and safety point for the neighborhood pools.
Merit Awards
- Lentime Marine, Stuart, Fla.
Bayview Construction Corp., Stuart, Fla.
Lentime is a 40-year-old marine dealership that needed a new home. The finished project is a distinctive aquamarine building marked by giant, hand-painted murals on 30-foot towers to help it stand out from the growing number of new buildings in the area.
- St. Cloud State University Football/Soccer Stadium and Recreational Center, St. Cloud, Minn.
W. Gohman Construction Company, St. Joseph, Minn.
This enormous recreation center on the Mississippi River includes a multi-purpose artificial turf field and seasonal dome, a state-of-the-art fitness center, aerobics rooms, student lounge space, a climbing wall, martial arts space and outdoor area.
- Expeditors, Inc., Brisbane, Calif.
DES Architects + Engineers, Redwood City, Calif.
The building design is contemporary, with geometric masses using reinforced concrete, steel, reflective glass and aluminum panels.
- Sunrise Medical Campus, Puyallup, Wash.
Kohler Associates Architects & Planners, PS, Seattle
Extensive covered walkways convey a sense of caring, protection and shelter in this medical facility.
- Northwest Hills Medical Center, Austin, Texas
Cornerstone Group Architects, LLP, Austin, Texas
The building utilizes a variety of native materials reflecting the unique essence of Austin. The building grows from a base of indigenous limestone and sand-finished stucco to a more high-tech Reynobond panel system.
Honorable Mention
- Baylor Regional Medical Center, Plano, Texas
Baker Drywall Dallas, Ltd., Mesquite, Texas
- Shelter Systems Limited, Westminster, Md.
Conewago Enterprises, Inc., Hanover, Pa.
- East Bay Suites, Grand Marais, Minn.
Reward Wall Systems, Omaha, Neb.
- Trinity Fellowship Church, Dover Township., N.J.
Bossart Builders, Inc., Flanders, N.J.
- Kimberling Animal Hospital, Kimberling City, Mo.
S. Welko Construction, Inc., Kimberling City, Mo.
- Lake Mary Surgery Center, Lake Mary, Fla.
Harkins Development Corporation, Lake Mary, Fla.
Entries were submitted in categories from six divisions, based on project size, within the following commercial construction fields: retail, commercial, institutional, medical, industrial, recreational, entertainment and mixed-use commercial/residential.
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The pool at the Fiori Day Spa. |
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A New Gomatei Restaurant in Honolulu. |
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