The St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station, constructed by McCarthy Building Companies, has earned top recognition in the “2020 Best Projects” competition, sponsored by ENR Midwest, the regional edition of national publication Engineering News-Record (ENR).
A panel of industry judges selected the aquarium as Best Project in the “Renovation/Restoration” category. The annual competition honors building teams for achievement in several areas including overcoming challenges and teamwork, safety, innovation & contributions to the industry, construction quality & craftsmanship and function & aesthetic quality of the design.
Built within the footprint of a 19th century iron umbrella train shed, the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station is a signature element of a $187-million redevelopment of the National Historic Landmark structure.
The 120,000-SF, two-story attraction brings together more than 13,000 animals, from 257 species, in 44 exhibits that provide visitors with immersive perspectives of underwater life in the world’s rivers, streams and oceans.
Using advanced technology and ingenuity, the construction team overcame formidable construction challenges while protecting and preserving the property’s original columns, footings, foundation, underground piping and other infrastructure.
Thirty-two “Best Projects” winners were selected from a list of 112 entries submitted from across the 10-state Midwest region. Winners will be featured in-depth in the December edition of ENR Midwest and honored at a virtual award event in December.
“The renovation/restoration and highway/bridge categories had some of the most competitive fields we have ever seen and most categories were difficult to winnow down to just one best project winner and award of merit,” noted ENR Midwest editor, Jeff Yoders, in the article announcing the winners.
For more details and to view the complete list of 2020 ENR Midwest Best Projects winners, visit https://www.enr.com/blogs/10-midwest-musings/post/50027-enr-midwest-selects-32-best-project-winners-for-2020