By C.J. Schexnayder, Editor of ENR West
The construction landscape of the Pacific Northwest has long been defined by its complexity, environmental sensitivity, and rapid urban evolution. Today, ENR West is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 Regional Best Projects competition for the Northwest subregion, a selection that highlights the extraordinary ingenuity currently shaping Washington, Oregon, and Alaska.
Following an intensive multi-week evaluation process, a panel of independent industry experts has distilled 39 high-caliber project submissions into 13 "Best Project" winners and 14 "Awards of Merit." These projects represent the pinnacle of modern construction, demonstrating unparalleled success in navigating site-specific challenges, delivering community-defining infrastructure, and maintaining rigorous standards for safety and design.
The Judging Process: Integrity and Expertise
The hallmark of the ENR Best Projects competition is the caliber of its jurors and the integrity of the selection process. This year’s panel consisted of distinguished AEC professionals tasked with evaluating projects based on a holistic set of criteria: team collaboration in overcoming project hurdles, meaningful contributions to the industry and the local community, and a steadfast commitment to safety and construction quality.
To ensure absolute impartiality, ENR West enforces a strict conflict-of-interest policy. Judges were prohibited from scoring any categories in which their own firms submitted entries and were required to abstain from evaluating any project where they held a direct professional or financial interest.
Specialized categories were overseen by industry leaders. Pooja Sannamani, Senior Associate and Sustainable Buildings and Infrastructure Lead with AECOM, served as the lead judge for the Excellence in Sustainability contest, while Brian Sorensen, Director of Safety at Exxel Pacific, Inc., provided the final word on the Excellence in Safety submissions.
A Look Ahead: The Project of the Year
While the category winners have been finalized, the competition’s highest honor remains under wraps. The judges have selected three finalists for the prestigious ENR West Northwest 2026 Project of the Year. These finalists, which were chosen from among the category winners for their transformative impact on the built environment, will be publicly announced this October. The final recipient of the Project of the Year title will be unveiled during the celebratory awards event on December 15 in Seattle.
2026 Northwest Regional Best Projects: Category Breakdown
The following projects represent the best-in-class for the 2026 cycle:
Infrastructure and Transportation
- Best Airport/Transit: Federal Way Link Extension (Federal Way, Wash.) – Submitted by Kiewit.
- Award of Merit (Airport/Transit): Portland International Airport (PDX) Terminal Core Redevelopment (Portland, Ore.) – Submitted by Skanska USA Building.
- Best Highway/Bridge: Edgewater Creek Bridge Replacement (Everett, Wash.) – Submitted by David Evans and Associates, Inc.
- Award of Merit (Highway/Bridge): Combs Flat Road Extension and OID Ironhorse Piping Project (Prineville, Ore.) – Submitted by Taylor Northwest.
Community and Public Spaces
- Best Landscape/Urban Development: Waterfront Seattle Main Corridor (Seattle) – Submitted by the City of Seattle, Office of the Waterfront & Civic Projects.
- Award of Merit (Landscape/Urban Development): Seattle Waterfront Pier 58 Improvements (Seattle) – Submitted by Pacific Pile & Marine.
- Award of Merit (Government/Public Building): Oregon State Police Southern Oregon Command Center (Central Point, Ore.) – Submitted by JE Dunn Construction.
Healthcare and Institutional
- Best Health Care: Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Vista Pavilion (Portland, Ore.) – Submitted by Skanska USA Building.
- Award of Merit (Health Care): Compass Health (Everett, Wash.) – Submitted by BNBuilders.
Commercial and Mixed-Use
- Best Office/Retail/Mixed-Use: Four106 Office Tower (Bellevue, Wash.) – Submitted by Mortenson.
- Award of Merit (Office/Retail/Mixed-Use): Experience Center One (EC1) (Redmond, Wash.) – Submitted by Skanska Balfour Beatty.
- Best Interior/Tenant Improvement: UW Institute for Protein Design Tenant Improvement (Seattle) – Submitted by DPR Construction.
- Best Renovation/Restoration: The Metropole Building (Portland, Ore.) – Submitted by W.G. Clark Construction Co.
- Best Residential/Hospitality: Snoqualmie Casino & Hotel Expansion (Snoqualmie, Wash.) – Submitted by Skanska USA Building, Inc.
- Award of Merit (Residential/Hospitality): The Kaye (Seattle) – Submitted by Skanska USA Building, Inc.
Specialty and Environmental
- Best Specialty Construction: Akuluraq Fiber Project (Dillingham, Alaska) – Submitted by Meridian Management, Inc.
- Best Sports/Entertainment: Hillsboro Hops Ballpark (Hillsboro, Ore.) – Submitted by Mortenson.
- Award of Merit (Sports/Entertainment): University of Washington ICA Basketball Training Facility (Seattle) – Submitted by Mortenson.
- Best Water/Environment: Wrangell Water Treatment Plant (Wrangell, Alaska) – Submitted by Stanley Consultants and Dowl Engineering.
- Award of Merit (Water/Environment): Everett WFP (Sultan, Wash.) – Submitted by IMCO General Construction, Inc.
Excellence in Safety and Sustainability
Safety remains the non-negotiable cornerstone of the construction industry. The Excellence in Safety winner, the Federal Way Link Extension (Kiewit), proved that even the most massive transit infrastructure projects can be completed with a "zero-harm" mentality. Awards of Merit for safety were granted to The Kaye (Skanska USA Building) and the Alaska Airlines Global Training Center (Howard S. Wright).
In the Excellence in Sustainability category, The Metropole Building (W.G. Clark Construction Co.) set a new benchmark for adaptive reuse and energy efficiency. The Federal Way Link Extension and the Downtown Redmond Link Extension (Stacy and Witbeck) also received honors for their commitment to sustainable transit infrastructure.
Implications for the Regional Industry
The data from the 2026 awards reveals a shift in regional priorities. We are seeing a distinct trend toward "adaptive reuse" and "transit-oriented development," as seen in the high-profile awards for the Metropole Building and the Federal Way Link Extension.
Furthermore, the geographic spread of the winners—from the urban density of downtown Seattle and Portland to the remote infrastructure challenges in Dillingham, Alaska—demonstrates the versatility of Northwest contractors. These firms are not merely building structures; they are engineering solutions to complex climate, seismic, and logistical challenges.
Celebration and Recognition
The ENR West awards serve as more than just a trophy ceremony; they provide a platform to document the "how-to" behind the region’s most successful projects. All winning teams will be featured in an in-depth, multi-page profile in the December print issue of ENR West.
Beyond the project-specific awards, the December 15 ceremony in Seattle will honor the industry’s most impactful firms and individuals, including:
- Owner of the Year
- Design Firm of the Year
- Contractors of the Year
- Specialty Contractor of the Year
- The Legacy Award
These awards recognize the long-term vision of owners and the consistent performance of firms that continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in the built environment.
Concluding Thoughts
As the industry moves toward 2027, the projects honored here serve as a roadmap for excellence. The combination of technical precision, environmental stewardship, and a commitment to public safety defines the current era of Northwest construction.
We encourage all industry stakeholders to join us in Seattle on December 15 to celebrate these accomplishments. The challenges of the past year were significant, but as these 27 award-winning projects prove, the talent and resilience of our regional AEC community are more than equal to the task.
For more details on the upcoming awards event and to register your attendance, please visit the official ENR West portal. Congratulations once again to all the project teams whose hard work and vision have made this year’s competition a resounding success.
