The Build New York Awards

In 1990 the GBC started its Build New York Awards program in an effort to portray the positive impact of the construction industry in New York State, and to enhance the reputation of its general contractor and construction manager members. Entries are solicited from Members each spring. The winners are honored at a gala event in the fall, and are featured in the fall issue of Build New York magazine.

The awards emphasize the construction team, not only the general contractor or construction manager but also the many others – the owner, architect, engineer, subcontractors, suppliers and craftspeople – who contribute to the success of a project.

Since 1990, the Build New York Award winners have symbolized the best of building projects in the state. Winning projects have included buildings large and small, new and renovations, public and private. Hospitals, schools, hotels, parking garages, sports arenas, office buildings, even a mosque have been winners. Some projects are beautiful, others ordinary to the eye. But they all have one thing in common – they presented challenges that were met successfully by the winning company and its team.

Click here for a list of all past Build New York Award winners.

GBC Members in good standing are eligible to submit entries to the Build New York Awards program. Projects must have been substantially completed in the past two years. Projects submitted in previous years will not be accepted, and winners are ineligible in the year following their award.

The program is divided into two categories – new and renovation – and subdivided into large and small projects (the dividing line is determined by the jury, and is usually around $5 million). The number of awards presented varies depending on the total number and quality of the entries. Honorable mention awards are sometimes also presented.

A 10-to-12-member jury judges the entries. The jury is made up of the previous year’s general contractor/construction manager winners and others from the construction community, such as architects, engineers, public and private owners, construction academics and construction media representatives.

The jury seeks to honor projects that are not necessarily pretty designs, but ones that were challenging to build. During a several-hour-long deliberation session, the jury examines each entry for its merit in the following areas:

Excellence in project management.

Responsiveness to client needs – financial, scheduling and other.

Innovation in construction techniques, materials or equipment and state of the art advancement.

Overcoming challenging, unusual or unique circumstances.

Exceptional service in areas such as training, employee relations, environmental protection, affirmative action, partnering, total quality management, etc.

Excellence in project safety, including any unique hazards encountered and lost work time due to accidents or injuries.

Contributions to the community.

Each winner is presented a triangular piece of Lake Placid blue granite, indigenous to New York, set on a sleek black pedestal, in recognition of the company’s efforts. Each construction team member is also appropriately honored. The award is meant to symbolize a substantial and quality contribution by the contractor and its team to the client that will stand the test of time, just as will a piece of New York granite.