Winners of 25th Annual Chicago Commercial Real Estate Awards announced

A diverse collection of projects shared the limelight Thursday night at the 25th annual Chicago Commercial Real Estate Awards, the Oscars of the local industry, as developers Sterling Bay Cos. and Hines Interests LP attained top honors.

Sterling Bay won or shared in three awards due to its work at 400 S. Jefferson, an old industrial building it reconfigured to be the home of Hillshire Brands. Hines was recognized for a 250-unit apartment building it completed at 1225 N. Wells, which was deemed development of the year, and won separate honors as top property management company.

The 400 S. Jefferson project was named redevelopment of the year and innovative deal of the year, an award Sterling Bay shared with Hillshire, CBRE Inc. and Colliers International. The work netted Sterling Bay the designation as developer of the year.

The awards, covering projects finished in 2012, were announced at a dinner that is the largest annual fund-raiser for the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Organizers said the event at the Hyatt Regency Chicago drew 1,800 people and raised more than $1 million for the agency.

The Sun-Times founded the awards, whose current sponsors are Associated Bank and Crain’s Chicago Business. Over the years, the dinners have raised more than $13 million to combat hunger, the food depository said.

Two awards for special achievement were bestowed. One went to 1871, the incubator at the Merchandise Mart for technology companies, and honored the work of Desks Inc., Environmental Systems Design Inc., Gensler, Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. and Skender Construction.

The other honor went to Mortenson Construction and Power Construction for completing the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, which opened in June 2012 ahead of schedule and under budget.

An industry panel picks nominees for the awards and winners are decided by a secret vote of the dinner’s table purchasers.

Other awards went to:

– Architect of the year: Gensler.

– Build to suit project of the year: Silliker Solution Center, Studley Inc.

– Industrial broker of the year: Daniel Leahy and Adam Roth, NAI Hiffman.

– Interior contractor of the year: Clune Construction Co.

– Interior design firm of the year: Perkins & Will.

– Investment sales broker of the year: Jeffrey Devine, Steven Disse and Jeffrey Kahan (posthumous), Colliers International.

– Office broker of the year: Matt Carolan, Jeff Liljeberg, Meredith O’Connor, Bill Rogers and Steve Steinmeyer, Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.

– Office property representative of the year: Joy Jordan, Jack O’Brien, Matt Pistorio and Brian Whiting, the Telos Group LLC.

– Property manager of the year: Howard Blair, Development Resources Inc.

– Retail broker of the year: Sharon Kahan, CBRE Inc.

Source: Chicago Sun Times

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