The Lemont High School project involved new construction, renovation and demolition. The project took place over nearly two years in a 1,600-student facility that is on a restricted site in terms of land space and topography. The major components included a 67,500-sq-ft academic wing with 26 classrooms, laboratories and other facilities; the demolition of a 600-seat auditorium and the construction of a replacement; and rehabilitation of the football stadium.

Owner: Lemont School District 210, Lemont, Ill.; Contractor: Frederick Quinn Corp., Addison, Ill.; Architect: Wight & Co., Darien, Ill.; Structural Engineer: Larson Engineering of Illinois, Naperville

Lemont, Ill.

Photo courtesy of Frederick Quinn Corp.

A combination of heavy traffic, aging, deteriorating pavement and poor drainage contributed to the need for the $840-million reconstruction of the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago. It is among the world’s busiest with 14 to 16 lanes carrying more than 330,000 vehicles daily—more than double the number when the thoroughfare opened in 1963. Back then it handled 150,000 vehicles daily. Safety had become an issue. From just 1998 to 2000, 8,200 accidents occurred on the Dan Ryan, resulting in 27 fatalities and 1,800 injuries. Beyond rebuilding a major artery in need of repair, the objectives included improving traffic flow, improving safety and development an aesthetically pleasing expressway.

Owner: Illinois Department of Transportation, Springfield; General Contractor: Walsh Construction Co., Chicago; Engineering: Bowman, Barrett & Associates Inc., Chicago; Engineering: CTE, Chicago; Engineering: T.Y. Lin International, Chicago

Chicago

Photo courtesy of the Illinois Department of Transportation

The $1.1-billion upgrade of Indianapolis International Airport is reportedly the largest project in the city’s history. The 1.2-million-sq-ft Midfield Terminal is the project’s centerpiece. Highlights include two 1,300-ft concourses, 40 gates, 96 counter positions and 200-ft-diameter Civic Plaza. About 11,000 tons of steel frame the space. Along with the terminal, a 5,900-space parking garage was built. An energy plant was also built to heat and cool the terminal and a future hotel.

Owner: Indianapolis International Airport Authority; Program Manager: Aviation Capital Management, Indianapolis; Contractor: Hunt/Smoot Joint Venture, Indianapolis; Architect: Hellmuth, Obata Kassabaum, St. Louis; Architect of Record: AeroDesign Group, Indianapolis; Structural Engineer: Thornton Tomasetti Engineers, Chicago

Indianapolis

Photo courtesy of Transportation Consulting & Management

The Grand Avenue Relocation Project in Franklin Park, Ill., relocated a railroad segment in part to improve traffic flow for commuters on nearby streets. Previously, at-grade rail lines hauling mostly freight caused frequent traffic tie-ups. A study done in 2002 by the Illinois Commerce Commission showed that the crossing where Grand met the Indiana Harbor Belt railroad as the fifth worst in northeastern Illinois for daily vehicle delay (4,988 vehicles) and sixth worst for daily motorist delay (171 hours). The less-busy Canadian National railroad caused about a one-third the delay of the IHB but nevertheless added to commuter woes. Prior to the project, Franklin Park overall ranked as the sixth worst community in the Chicago region for motorist delay (276 hours), according to the ICC study. The key project elements were the consolidation of the two rail corridors into one large alignment with a three-track bridge across Grand and the construction of an underpass beneath.

Owner: Grand Avenue Railroad Relocation Authority, Franklin Park, Ill.; Program Managers: Clark Dietz, Chicago, and Bloom Cos. LLC, Chicago; General Contractor: Lorig Construction Co./Lindahl Bros. Inc. Joint Venture, Franklin Park; Design Engineer: CTE/AECOM, Chicago

Franklin Park, Ill.

Photo courtesy of Village of Franklin Park, Ill.

The Aldo Leopold Legacy Center in Baraboo, Wis., sought to become the highest-rated LEED Platinum-certified building in the world. It earned 61 points of a maximum of 69 points for LEED. The structure is reportedly the first zero-energy building in Wisconsin and the first carbon-neutral building to be recognized by LEED. The facility is named for the eponymous writer, forester and ecologist. He died in 1948, and his book, “A Sand County Almanac,” sold 2 million copies.

Owner: Aldo Leopold Foundation, Baraboo, Wis.; Contractor: Boldt Construction Co., Appleton, Wis.; Architect: Kubala-Washatko Architects, Cedarburg, Wis.

Baraboo, Wis.

Photo courtesy of Kubala-Washatko Architects

The goals of the Portage Lakefront Park in Portage, Ind., included setting a standard for lakefront redevelopment. Prior to the project, the dune was an industrial brownfield site that had once been used for sewage treatment by U.S. Steel. Other project goals included providing active and passive educational, recreational and environmental experiences. For instance, the park’s goal was LEED Silver Certification though it achieved LEED Gold Certification.

Owner: National Park Service, Washington, D.C.; Park Operator: Portage Park System, Portage, Ind.; Contractor: The Skillman Corp., Merrillville, Ind.; Architect: The Design Organization Inc., Valparaiso, Ind.

Portage, Ind.

Photo courtesy of Design Organization Inc.

One Museum Park East is a 65-story, 980,000-sq-ft condominium with 289 residential units in Chicago’s South Loop. The condominium overlooks many of the city’s landmarks, including Michigan Avenue, Soldier Field and the Museum Campus that houses the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum. The building evokes an international style but remains rooted in Chicago’s signature modernist tradition. The fa�ade steps back five times and features a curtain wall with no 90-degree angles. The blue-and-gray low-emissivity glass with mica-fleck-infused silver painted metals makes the building a focal point of the South Loop.

Owner: The Enterprise Cos., Chicago; Contractor: Bovis Lend Lease Inc., Chicago; Architect: Pappageorge/Haymes Ltd., Chicago

Chicago

Photo � Tim Benson

The goal of the restoration of the dome above Preston Bradley Hall in the Chicago Cultural Center was to restore the piece to its original 1897 grandeur. The dome was originally designed by Tiffany Glass and Decorating Co.’s chief mosaicist, Jacob Holzer, as the crown jewel of the Chicago Public Library, the previous incarnation of the building. At 38 ft in diameter, the dome is reportedly the largest Tiffany art glass dome in the world. The project scope included the restoration of the art glass, refinishing of the cast iron frame, installation of a skylight system, the addition of an HVAC system and the decorative refinishing of the plaster.

Owner: Chicago Cultural Center; Contractor: Wight & Co., Darien, Ill.; Architect: Holabird & Root Architecture, Chicago

Chicago

Photo courtesy of Wight & Co.

In 1910, the Blackstone Hotel opened to usher in a storied career filled with celebrities, political heavyweights and intrigue. Known as the hotel of presidents, the Blackstone hosted 12 presidents, from William Taft to Jimmy Carter. The political jargon “smoke-filled room” was coined by a reporter to describe the wrangling over the nomination of Republican Warren Harding in the 1920s. But the building, a Beaux Arts beauty, lay idle since 1999 until a $128-million infusion of cash heralded its rebirth. The goal was to create a vibrant new entry into Chicago’s South Loop and to restore the building’s historical grandeur.

Owner: Sage Hospitality Resources, Denver; Contractor: James McHugh Construction Co. Inc., Chicago; Architect: Lucien Lagrange Architects, Chicago

Chicago

Photo courtesy of James McHugh Construction Co. Inc.

St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church is a 41,250-sq-ft facility constructed to serve an expanding parish. The 1,200-seat church in St. John, Ind., features structural steel with heavy-gauge, metal-stud exterior walls and masonry veneer exterior. The exterior is highlighted by two massive bell towers that create an impressive view from the highest elevations of Lake County. Inside, the ceiling is a composition of arched beams painted navy blue with gold trim that culminates at the peak with a stained-glass widow of a dove representing the Holy Spirit.

Owner: St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, St. John, Ind.; Contractor: Eden Enterprises, Carmel, Ind.; Architect of Record: JMA Architects, South Holland, Ill.

St. John, Ind.

Photo courtesy of Eden Enterprises

The Airport Operations Center/Emergency Operations Center is a command-and-control facility to manage day-to-day operations and emergency incidents that arise at Indianapolis International Airport. This facility also serves as the main back-up data center for the recently constructed Midfield Terminal. The AOC/EOC was developed with the use of high-end technology integrated into the building to allow for ease of control and overview of every element of the airport’s operations 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Located adjacent to the new midfield air-traffic-control tower, the 15,000-sq-ft AOC/EOC is compatible in design with the new Midfield Terminal, adjacent parking garage and planned airport hotel.

Owner: Indianapolis International Airport; Contractor: Shiel Sexton, Indianapolis; Architect: Ratio Architects, Indianapolis; Associate Architect: Williams-Dotson Inc., Indianapolis

Indianapolis

Photo courtesy of Ratio Architects Inc.

The South Campus Chiller Plant at the University of Chicago is to house five 2,100-ton chillers and associated pumps, cooling towers and auxiliary equipment. The building and the initial two chillers and equipment have been installed, and the remaining chillers and equipment will be installed in subsequent phases to match chilled water loads as they develop. Project goals included creating a building that can fulfill the campus’ future utility requirements and contribute a visually striking addition to the large number of architecturally distinctive buildings on the campus of the U. of C.

Owner: University of Chicago; Owner’s Representative: Carter & Burgess, Chicago; Contractor: Bovis Lend Lease Inc., Chicago; Architect: Murphy/Jahn Inc., Chicago; Architectural Consulting: Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City, Mo.

Chicago

Photo courtesy of Bovis Lend Lease Inc.

DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind., sought a building for an ethics institute that would be enduring and make a difference in people’s lives. The Janet Prindle Institute for Ethics is located in the school’s 520-acre Nature Park and is intended to help students, teachers and visitors have a place of solitude to reflect on moral responsibility so they make a positive impact on the world. Other goals included a sustainable and unique building and keeping on schedule and within budget.

Owner: DePauw University, Greencastle, Ind.; Contractor: Shiel Sexton, Indianapolis; Architect: CSO Architects/Lake Flato Architects, Indianapolis

Greencastle, Ind.

Photo courtesy of Shiel Sexton

The goal for the 10,000-sq-ft headquarters of the International Interior Design Association in Chicago’s Merchandise Mart was to create a space that exemplified design excellence and good environmental stewardship. In addition to housing staff, the office encompasses a conference and learning center. These allow the IIDA to generate revenue via rental to organizations with an affinity for spaces that are aesthetically, technologically and environmentally sound. The space comprises 12 offices, work stations and the conference and learning center.

Owner: International Interior Design Association, Chicago; Contractor: Turner Construction Co., Chicago; Architect: Envision, Washington, D.C.

Chicago

Photo courtesy of Turner Construction Co.

The Business Instructional Facility at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign signifies a new philosophy for building projects on the campus in Central Illinois. The $62-million project is the school’s first green building and is pursuing LEED Gold designation. The 160,000-sq-ft brick-and-limestone building has features that will reduce energy consumption by 75% when compared with old buildings on campus and by 42% vs. a new facility designed to the university’s existing standards.

Owner: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Contractor: Gilbane Building Co., Providence, R.I.; Architect: PSA-Dewberry, Peoria, Ill.

Urbana, Ill.

Photo courtesy of KJWW Engineering Consultants

The $72-million Heart and Vascular Center Addition at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Ill., gives the facility a new look and identity with its centrally located entrance and lobby. The project added 165,000 sq ft to the academic medical center. It also added 64 inpatient beds, eight catheterization labs, 12 operating rooms, one magnetic resonance imaging and one sterile processing center.

Owner: Loyola University, Chicago; Contractor: Pepper Construction, Chicago; Architect: HOK, St. Louis; Architect: Pratt Design Studio, Chicago

Maywood, Ill.

Photo courtesy of KJWW Engineering Consultants