PROJECT AWARDS

Project of the Year (Best Overall Transformation)

(Doesn't have to be in an opportunity zone)
The project of the year award is open to cities, developers, owners, or any individual company or group of companies that have breathed new life into an old building, have reimagined former manufacturing districts, underutilized spaces or taken any existing structure and reimagined it into new vibrant spaces and districts.
 

Best Overall Design

(Doesn't have to be in an opportunity zone)
The best overall design award is open to projects whose design has not only set new standards within commercial real estate architecture and/or design, but also to those projects who have adapted flexibility within their design. Projects considered can include office, industrial, multifamily, restaurant, retail, hotel, shopping mall or any other commercial project that celebrates a new overall design.
 

Best Civic Project (Public Sector)

(Doesn't have to be in an opportunity zone)
Civic buildings such as city and town halls, for example, are important landmarks, which are significant in defining a city. The winner of the best civic project in the public sector has not only thought about the functionality of a building, but must consider the project’s visual, social and symbolic impact.
 

Best Sustainable Project

(Doesn't have to be in an opportunity zone)
Open to any commercial real estate developer that has incorporated sustainable solutions into their adaptive reuse project. Those sustainable solutions should have proven results that it is an environmentally efficient and economically successful project.
 

Best Economic Revitalization

(Doesn't have to be in an opportunity zone)
This award is open to new projects or properties that have a reuse that is economically viable.
 

Best Commercial Project (Private, For-profit)

(Doesn't have to be in an opportunity zone)
This award is open to projects or properties developed by private, for-profit companies with the typical income-producing components, such as retail or multifamily.
 

Most Innovative Reuse of Abandoned Space or Best Overall Asset Rehab

(Doesn't have to be in an opportunity zone)
Abandoned buildings are a blight for any community but oftentimes they have a historic use that can be used as the foundation for a new development—or if not,  the building has good bones and old-time architectural details that can be preserved. In addition, adaptive reuse projects can consist of many different buildings that, taken together, give the project a neighborhood feel or sense of place. This award is also open for individual assets within such a project, or a project that consists of just one building and is also open to developers that have converted empty abandoned buildings into viable and attractive new uses.
 

Adding Opportunity Zones To the Mix

While some Opportunity Zones will be adaptive re-use projects, not all will be. We want to hear about your Opportunity Zone projects that fall in one of these three categories:  1) new construction 2) there is some element of value-add renovation or 3) adaptive re-use. Projects that are new construction in Opportunity Zones must demonstrate how the development is meeting the rules' tax, economic and design criteria. Likewise with value-add and adaptive re-use projects. These projects can be in any asset type including multifamily, schools and offices. 
 

Best Historical Preservation

(Doesn't have to be in an opportunity zone)
Historical properties bestow on a project a sense of charm and place but it can be complex to maintain the historical elements of the buildings. This award is open to historical preservations that successfully blended the old-style elements of a property with modern building practices.

TEAM & INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Developer of The Year

ALM’s Developer of the Year Award is given to one developer that best demonstrates both innovation and leadership for adaptive reuse projects.
 

Architect of The Year

The architect of the year award is meant for firms or individuals that created a unique concept and design for the adaptive reuse project.
 

Economic Development Agency of The Year

Economic Development Agencies often play a significant role in adaptive reuse projects. The winner of this award is an agency that demonstrated creativity in marketing the potential project to interested parties and then helping to meet their needs as the project progressed.
 

Investor of The Year

All projects need financial backing. This award is open to investors that not only provided the necessary capital for the project but exhibited a sincere passion for what the project was seeking to accomplish.
 

Best Public / Private Partnership

Adaptive reuse projects are often developed via a partnership between public entities and private companies. This award is open to the partnership that exhibited cooperation and provided mutual assistance in meeting their respective goals.