Photo courtesy Builders Guild Inc. Best Specialty Contracting Project: MCFM Solar Thermal Installations Related Links: See all of the Best of the Best Projects 2011 Winners MCFM Solar-Thermal InstallationsPhoenix  Region ENR SouthwestProject TeamOwner Maricopa County-Facilities Management Dept., PhoenixLead Design Michael Baker Corp., PhoenixGeneral Contractor Builders Guild Inc., Mesa, Ariz.Engineers Landa & Associates, Phoenix; Walsh Engineering, Tempe, Ariz.Consultants Greenfield Dynamics, Tempe, Ariz.; APS, PhoenixIntegrating new, large-scale solar-thermal systems with existing gas heating systems at two fully operational detention facilities without any loss of service reflects the "highest degree of difficulty," according to the judges. In total, 316 solar heat collectors will

Photo courtesy of Turner Construction Best Sports/Entertainment Project: Jeld Wen Field Related Links: See all of the Best of the Best Projects 2011 Winners Jeld-Wen FieldPortland, Ore.  Region ENR CaliforniaProject TeamOwner Peregrine Sports, PortlandArchitect AECOM, San FranciscoGeneral Contractor Turner Construction, PortlandCivil Engineer KPFF Consulting, PortlandStructural Engineer Catena Consulting Engineers, PortlandMEP Engineer PAE Consulting Engineers, PortlandFaced with the challenge of completing the $30-million renovation and expansion of Portland's Jeld-Wen Field in just six months of "off-season," Turner Construction used two separate phases to accommodate full schedules of soccer and minor-league baseball—an approach that caught the attention of this year's judges. Another

Photo courtesy of T.Y. Lin International Best Transportation Project: Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge Related Links: See all of the Best of the Best Projects 2011 Winners Harbor Drive Pedestrian BridgeSan Diego  Region ENR CaliforniaProject TeamOwner Centre City Development Corp., San DiegoArchitect Safdie Rabines Architects, San DiegoGeneral Contractor Reyes Construction, National City, Calif.Construction Manager/Lead Engineer T.Y. Lin International, National CityCivil Engineer David Evans and Associates, San DiegoThis 354-ft-long pedestrian bridge crosses six railroad tracks and a four-lane major arterial near San Deigo's Petco Park, home of MLB's Padres. But it's the style with which this bridge accomplishes its simple function that

Photo courtesy of Weifield Group Contracting Best K-12 Education Project: Casey Middle School Related Links: See all of the Best of the Best Projects 2011 Winners Casey Middle SchoolBoulder, Colo.  Region ENR Mountain StatesProject TeamOwner Boulder County School DistrictArchitect RB+B Architects Inc., Fort Collins, Colo.General Contractor Saunders Construction, Centennial, Colo.Engineers JVA Inc., Boulder, Colo.; MKK Inc., Greenwood Village, Colo.Electrical Consultant Weifield Group Contracting, DenverThe $26.5-million facility is the first Colorado school to seek LEED-Platinum. It features geothermal and solar power, a zero-waste cafeteria, many recycled materials and, for the new facade, two exterior walls salvaged from the original 1924 school.

Photo courtesy Satterfield & Pontikes Construction Best Renovation/Restoration Project: Jackson Barracks Historical Renovation Related Links: See all of the Best of the Best Projects 2011 Winners Jackson Barracks Historical RenovationNew Orleans  Region ENR Texas & LouisianaProject TeamOwner State of Louisiana, Division of Administration, Facility Planning and ControlArchitect Yeates & Yeates Architects, New OrleansGeneral Contractor Satterfield & Pontikes Construction, New OrleansEngineers Avegno, Bailey & Associates, New Orleans; M-K Engineering, Metairie, La.The Jackson Barracks in New Orleans once again houses Louisiana National Guard members and their families, thanks to this $7.3-million renovation project. The garrison, which is on the National Register of

Photo courtesy Traylor-Massman-Weeks Best Civil Works/Infrastructure Project: Inner Harbor Navigation Canal Floodwall Related Links: See all of the Best of the Best Projects 2011 Winners Inner Harbor Navigation Canal FloodwallNew Orleans  Region ENR Texas & LouisianaProject TeamOwner U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New OrleansLead Design Ben C. Gerwick, New OrleansGeneral Contractor Traylor-Massman-Weeks, Evansville, Ind.Construction Manager Shaw Environmental and Infrastructure, Baton RougeThe $330-million floodwall is a key aspect of New Orleans' new Inner Harbor Navigation Canal Surge Barrier, the largest design-build civil-works project in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' history. The alignment spans about 7,500 ft, closing off the Mississippi

Photo courtesy H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture Best Cultural/Worship Project: DiMenna Center for Classical Music Related Links: See all of the Best of the Best Projects 2011 Winners DiMenna Center for Classical MusicNew York City  Region ENR New YorkProject TeamDeveloper/Owner Orchestra of St. Luke's, New York CityArchitect H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture, New York CityGeneral Contractor/Construction manager Barr and Barr, New York CityThe DiMenna Center for Classical Music transformed the lower half of a concrete off-Broadway theater into a new 20,000-sq-ft rehearsal and recording facility for New York City's Orchestra of St. Luke's.The center features a box-in-a-box design, with each room floating

Photo courtesy Merck Best Industrial/Manufacturing Project: Merck Vaccine Bulk Manufacturing Facility Related Links: See all of the Best of the Best Projects 2011 Winners Merck VBFDurham, N.C.  Region ENR SoutheastProject Team Owner Merck, Whitehouse Station, N.J.Architect/Engineer Jacobs Engineering, Conshohocken, Pa.General Contractor Jacobs Field Services North America, Pasadena, Calif.Civil Engineer John R. McAdams Co., Durham, N.C.Project owner Merck challenged its Jacobs-led contractor team to deliver the $315-million, 214,000-sq-ft Vaccine Bulk Manufacturing Facility faster than any other large-scale structure of its type had been delivered. Although its analysis gave little hope of beating the target, Merck's Global Engineering Group organized the project

Tom Coble, president of Coble Trench Safety, a Greensboro, N.C.-based firm that supplied trench and traffic safety equipment and training to contractors, municipalities and industrial clients in southeastern and mid-Atlantic states, was killed on Jan. 20 when the plane he was piloting crashed shortly after takeoff in Rainbow City, Ala.Coble, who was 58, founded the now 82-employee firm in 2002. It now has 11 locations. CobleA spokesman for the firm says the cause of the crash “has not been determined yet” and is under investigation. The company says Coble, who was alone and returning to North Carolina, had more than 42

Christopher O. Ward, who left in October as executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, has joined Dragados USA, the New York City-based unit of the Spanish contractor Dragados SA, a Dragados USa official confirms. Ward says he will abstain from the firm's intended bid to the authority on an upgrade of the aging Goethals bridge, according to a published report. Ward joined the agency in 2008, from a previous role as managing director of the General Contractors Association of New York Inc.Cindy Wallis-Lage has been elevated to president of the global water business for