2021 Top Projects award finalists announced

While the construction industry has certainly had some challenges this past year – fighting insane increases in commodity prices, battling dwindling inventory in supply chains, and having to innovate on the fly to comply with COVID-19 social distancing requirements – somewhat amazingly, projects were still completed as scheduled.

The Idaho Business Review is pleased to recognize many of these outstanding projects as finalists for the 2021 Top Projects award program, now in its 17th year.

To be considered for an award, the project must have been built in Idaho — substantially completed between June 1, 2020, and May 31, 2021 — and valued at more than $1 million in construction costs.

To determine the top winners, a selection committee of local industry experts will judge the finalists across four categories:

• Infrastructure/Utility/Transportation
• Private
• Public
• Renovation

The selection committee will rate each project based on the criteria of: scope of work, overcoming challenges and obstacles, adherence to budget and time constraints and overall project quality.

The top three projects in each category will be announced during a special awards event in October, and the highest-scoring project overall will be named Project of the Year. Last year, the 2020 Project of the Year was Boise State University Center for the Visual Arts.

New last year, Idaho Business Review began an annual recognition of a Subcontractor of the Year honoree, which will also be announced during the awards event. Last year’s Subcontractor of the Year was Treasure Valley-based YMC.

And for the fifth consecutive year, each project will also be eligible for a People’s Choice Award, chosen by event attendees who each select their personal favorite project. This award is open to any project submitted to the Top Projects contest. Voters are asked to select one project for each of the four categories (infrastructure/utility/transportation, private, public and renovation.)

The 2021 Idaho Top Projects awards event is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Galaxy Event Center in Meridian.  Online ticket sales  have opened at squadup.com/events/2021-top-projects.

2021 Idaho Top Projects finalists

Infrastructure/Utility/Transportation

• Digital AirGround Integration Range (DAGIR)
• I-84 Blacks Creek Road Interchange
• Kathryn Albertson Park
• Kuna Downtown Revitalization – Main Street, Ave C to Ave A
• Multipurpose Range Complex Repair
• Old Valley Lift Station
• Park Street and Veteran’s Alley Surface Improvements
• The Centre at Rainey Creek

Private building

• 11th & Idaho Office Building
• AceCo Precision Manufacturing
• Bri at The Village
• Crave Kitchen and Bar
• Grace Assisted Living Chubbuck
• Habitat Veterinary Hospital
• Holiday Inn & Suites, Jackson Hole Junction
• Home2 Suites and Front Street Garage
• Homewood Suites
• Hope Plaza Phase II
• Life’s Kitchen
• RockHarbor Church Phase I
• Rosewood Apartments
• Swan Valley Community Center Marketplace
• Swan Valley General Store
• Swire Coca-Cola Fruitland Expansion
• The Advanced Test Reactor Security Building
• The Clara
• The Knolls Office Building

Public building

• Lewiston High School & Career Technical Education Facility
• Mary McPherson Elementary Addition
• Micron Center for Materials Sciences at Boise State University
• Mountain View Elementary School
• Pierce Park Elementary School
• Pleasant View Elementary School
• State Hospital South – Secured Skilled Nursing Facility
• State Hospital West
• Swan Falls High School

Renovation

• Blue Cross of Idaho
• Camp Rainbow Gold’s Hidden Paradise
• ESPAA (Opera Idaho)
• Idaho Foodbank
• Idaho Foodbank – Meridian
• Idaho State University Davis Field Renovation
• WaFd Bank

The 2021 Idaho Top Projects Selection Committee

• Shauna Corry, dean of the College of Art and Architecture at the University of Idaho
• Bruce Haglund, architecture professor at the University of Idaho
• Suzie Hall, founder and president of The Cornerstone Collective
• Wayne Hammon, CEO of Idaho Associated General Contractors
• Jana Knoll, association executive director at BOMA
• Anthony Perrenoud, associate professor of construction management at Boise State University
• Matt Stoll, executive director of the Community Planning Association of Southwest Idaho (COMPASS)
• Sheree Willhite, senior engineer at Idaho Power and member of the BOMA board of directors
• Charlie Woodruff, regional director, U.S. Green Building Council