The Houston Chapter of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) today announced the finalists for its upcoming 2012 Development of Distinction Awards.  The awards program is the centerpiece of ULI’s efforts to identify and promote best practices in all types of real estate development. 

Finalists/For-Profit

CITYCENTRE, developed by Midway Companies
Gulfgate Center, developed by Wulfe & Co.

Finalists/Not-for-Profit
 

Mandolin Gardens Park, developed by Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 230
Market Square Park, developed by Houston Downtown Management District
Tellepsen Family YMCA, developed by YMCA of Greater Houston

Finalists/Heritage
 

Harris County 1910 Courthouse, owned by Harris County
Wortham Theater Center, owned by City of Houston
 

Honorable Mention

Lee & Joe Jamail Skatepark, developed by Houston Parks Board
Houston Permitting Center, developed by City of Houston

 

A jury of independent experts toured each finalist and selected winners, who will all be honored at the 2012 Awards event at the Rice Crystal Ballroom on Jan. 31, 2012.  The jury included: Mike Davis, Founder, CEO and Director of Design - The DAVIS Experience, Phoenix, Arizona; Anthony J. Trella, President - The Meranth Company, Deerfield Beach, Florida; and  Alexander Garvin, President and CEO - AGA Public Realm Strategists, Inc., New York, Adjunct Professor of Urban Planning and Management - Yale University.

A prestigious nominations panel of real estate leaders was assembled by the 2012 ULI Houston Development of Distinction awards committee to select finalists. The nominations panel included: 

James Noteware, Director - City of Houston Housing andCommunity Development Department

Jeff Hollinden, Senior Managing Director – HFF

Les Newton, President - Planned Community Developers

Joy Horak-Brown, Executive Director - New Hope Housing, Inc.

Cynthia Rogers, Executive Vice President of National Construction Means-Knauss Partners, LP

Ric Guenther, AIA Patrinely Group, LLC

Patricia Oliver, Dean of the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture - University of Houston

Past Houston award-winners which have been honored at the national level by the global organization of ULI include Brays Crossing by New Hope Housing, winner of the international ULI Americas Award for Excellence in 2011, Discovery Green and Brochstein Pavilion, both finalists for the 2011 ULI Amanda Burden Open Space Award.

“The ULI Development of Distinction Award sets a high bar,” said Greg Erwin, firm-wide head of the Real Estate Development and Investments Practice Group for Winstead attorneys, and ULI Houston officer.  “It is not enough to be a great single project.  This award honors developments that make a positive impact on their surroundings and their larger communities.  Our aim is to encourage more developers to imitate these best practices.” 

 

About the Urban Land Institute

The Urban Land Institute (www.uli.org) is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members.  Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in sustaining and creating thriving communities worldwide.  Established in 1936, the Institute has more than 30,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.  For more information about ULI Houston, visit www.uli-houston.org.