A Colorado-based design-build team, consisting of Gilmore Construction Corporation and The Abo Group, has received the National Award of Merit in Rehabilitation, Renovation and/or Restoration from the Design Build Institute of America (DBIA) for the consolidation and renovation of the General Services Administration (GSA) Building 67, on the 623-acre Denver Federal Center Campus.
Building 67, constructed in 1967, is the tallest structure on the campus. At 14 stories, it holds a prominent position in the surrounding landscape. The building’s 372,000 square feet of office and support space house the Social Security Administration, the Office of Natural Resources, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR). Managing water in the West since 1902, the Bureau of Reclamation is the primary tenant that was increasing density from approximately 800 to 1,040 employees. The renovation provided the opportunity to consolidate staff occupying 335,000 square feet and reduce space usage to 180,000 square feet (56% reduction) while remaining fully operational and occupied during construction.
The Gilmore-Abo design-build team, in partnership with IA Interior Architects and the RMH Group, is a core group of small, minority-owned businesses and 8A certified firms. Although not required by contract, more 15 of 27 trade partners were small businesses.
“The success of any design-build project starts with the owner,” said Jake Gilmore, president of Gilmore. “The GSA’s commitment to Design Excellence, which encouraged the use of DBIA best practices, demonstrated deep commitment to training and education around key principals that led to every team member’s success for the Building 67 project. It’s an honor to be recognized for the hard work and dedication that went into the delivery of this quality project for the GSA.”
DBIA’s 2020 award-winning projects were evaluated by a distinguished panel of design-build experts. A full list of project winners, including photos and descriptions of each project can be found online at DBIA’s Project/Team Awards page. These Merit Award winners will now compete for a National Award of Excellence and Project of the Year to be announced at DBIA’s Design-Build Conference and Expo Awards Ceremony, October 29.
