Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is a new $7.3-million Byzantine church that is modeled loosely on the Hagia Sophia and sits on a 20-acre site in Carmel, Ind. The design includes a 55-ft-dia. dome that was built and raised up from the ground, bronze doors weighing 600 pounds each as the grand entrance, and the ability to accommodate more than 600 worshipers. Photo: © Shawn Hitchcock Related Links: Midwest Constructions Best of 2009 Awards The Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church was the first Triad Byzantine-design church constructed since the Hagia Sophia, built more than 1,400 years ago. There are no

The Gwen and Jules Knapp Center for Biomedical Discovery at the University of Chicago’s Hyde Park Campus is a new 330,760-sq-ft research building. Photo: NICK MERRICK Related Links: Midwest Constructions Best of 2009 Awards More than half of it is dedicated to The Institute for Molecular Pediatric Sciences, which focuses on improving children’s health through team research on how genes influence disease. The remainder is the new headquarters of the University of Chicago Cancer Research Center and houses the Ludwig Center, which studies how cancer spreads. Key Players Owner: University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago General Contractor: Turner Construction Co.,

The $16-million Hanna Theatre renovation consists of the complete renovation of an historic theater that was originally constructed in 1921 as part of the 480,000-sq-ft Hanna Building complex in downtown Cleveland. The original theater was designed by architect Charles A. Platt with a Pompeian theme, and includes intricate coffered plaster ceilings, ornate private boxes, and faux travertine wall finishes. Photo © Scott Pease Photography Related Links: Midwest Constructions Best of 2009 Awards The Hanna Theatre renovation is the final component of PlayhouseSquare’s 27-year restoration of its five historic grand theaters. Key Players Owner: PlayhouseSquare, Cleveland General Contractor: Turner Construction Co.,

The heavily wooded site for a new $6- million nature center for the Bolingbrook (Ill.) Park District influenced the building’s design to be similar to a tree house. The design places the nature center between two large oaks with decks around both trees, creating a treehouse feeling. Photo: PAUL SCHLISMANN PHOTOGRAPHY Related Links: Midwest Constructions Best of 2009 Awards The project is pursuing LEED Platinum certification and has currently achieved LEED Gold through the initial design submittal. Project highlights include: two early-education classrooms, two multi-use rooms, staff offices and interpretive displays; a green roof; constructed wetlands for black water cleansing;

This $45-million, 65,000-sq-ft, four-story museum and education facility in Skokie, Ill., is the largest center in the Midwest dedicated to preserving the memories of those lost in the Holocaust and to teaching current generations about their role in combating intolerance and genocide in today’s world. Photo: COURTESY OF RONALD GALL, OWNER SERVICES GROUP, INC. Related Links: Midwest Constructions Best of 2009 Awards It consists of permanent and temporary exhibition spaces, a youth exhibition space, art gallery, auditorium, “reflection” space, classrooms, research library, and museum offices. Its design presents two related concepts: the reality of the Holocaust to the younger generations

Having endured 83 years of constant traffic and harsh winter weather, the Jackson Avenue Bridge in downtown Chicago was nearing structural failure. Photo: COURTESY OF ABSTRACT PHOTOGRAPHY Related Links: Midwest Constructions Best of 2009 Awards The $11.5-million Jackson Avenue Bridge Reconstruction Project began with demolition of the existing structure and pavement. New foundations, piers, abutments, bridge superstructure, roadway, and sidewalks were built. The project also included restoration of the bridge’s architectural features, as well as installation of new precast balustrades, ornamental lighting, and new stairs to the Metra platform below. More than 2,000 cu yd of concrete, 190 tons of

Photo: © J.P. Cullen & Sons, Inc. Related Links: Midwest Constructions Best of 2009 Awards Judy Faulkner is founder and CEO of Epic Systems Corp., a leading medical software provider headquartered near Verona, Wis. To keep pace with phenomenal growth, Epic is roughly doubling the size of its headquarters to accommodate all of its 3,400 employees. In addition to running the company, Faulkner, once described by a colleague as “very smart, very passionate, very focused,” is also deeply involved in planning and constructing Epic’s headquarters addition. “She’s a hands-on owner who has a vision and knows what it takes to

The Grove on Kickapoo Creek, a new 460+ acre development on the southeast side of Bloomington, Ill., features more than 88 acres of passive parklands, a 20-acre active park, four miles of trails, a 15-acre site for an elementary school currently under construction, and a proposed daycare. Photo: COURTESY OF FARNSWORTH GROUP Related Links: Midwest Constructions Best of 2009 Awards The centerpiece is the restoration of the existing stream into an 88-acre corridor serving multiple purposes: nature preserve, education, recreation, aesthetic enhancement, habitat restoration and detention. Key Players Owner: City of Bloomington, Ill. General Contractor: Stark Excavating, Bloomington, Ill. Design

Rising 60 stories, 300 N. LaSalle is one of Chicago’s tallest buildings. The $240- million office building provides 52 levels of office space, seven levels of mixed-use space, three floors of underground parking, and two floors of mechanical and elevator levels. Photo © Hedrich Blessing Related Links: Midwest Constructions Best of 2009 Awards Each floor provides 25,000 sq ft of rentable floor space with full-height glass and eight column-free corner offices to maximize layout flexibility, natural lighting, and views of the Chicago skyline and adjacent river. Key Players Owner: Hines, Chicago General Contractor: Clark Construction Group, Chicago Design Firm: Pickard

After 13 in. of rain fell on south-central Wisconsin in three days during early June, 2008, an embankment along Lake Delton gave way, unleashing a raging torrent of water that drained the 600-million-gallon lake dry in just a few hours. Photo: JOE OLIVA Reconstruction of CTH A and Refilling of Lake Delton Related Links: Midwest Constructions Best of 2009 Awards Sauk County Hwy. A, which ran atop the failed embankment, was also washed away in the flood. Tourism brings 1.5 million visitors and an estimated $1-billion to the Wisconsin Dells area each year. With the 2008 summer tourist season washed