Urban Land Institute Philadelphia (ULI) Philadelphia is pleased to announce the finalists for its 6th Annual Willard G. “Bill” Rouse III Awards for Excellence. The national jury of experts comprised of interdisciplinary industry leaders from around the country recognized the high quality and impact across all projects that were submitted. Winners will be announced at a cocktail reception on June 12th.

The Awards for Excellence, modeled after the ULI Global Awards for Excellence, recognizes superior development projects in Eastern and Central Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey, and Delaware that capture the ULI mission of pushing the standard of excellence in real estate and land use and creating sustainable, thriving communities. Priorities for the awards include factors beyond innovation in planning and design. This year’s award criteria include leadership in development, sustainability & building performance, market acceptance and community impact. Celebrated projects are selected for this role in providing replicable strategies that better communities and the built environment.

The 13 selected finalists represent a variety of project types including residential, office, hotel, civic spaces, mixed-use, maker space, policy initiatives and provided high impact to the surrounding community and region. The national jury is celebrating this group as the highest quality projects that represent all aspects of the ULI mission. The Jury, which includes leaders in real estate, land use and development from across the country, had a difficult task this year with a strong pool of applicants and recognized high quality across the board.

The finalists are (alphabetically):

• 500 Walnut (Philadelphia): A structurally challenging lot south of Independence Mall developed by Scannapieco Development into a complex, state of the art luxury condominium tower with careful consideration to preserving an open sky behind America’s founding neighborhood.
• 1213 Walnut (Philadelphia): Bringing to life a formerly under-utilized parking lot, developed by The Goldenberg Group and Hines, this luxury residential tower also includes retail space and a unique thoroughfare that cuts the city block in half to help better activate the existing retail corridor in Midtown Village.
• 1800 Arch Street (Philadelphia): A joint-venture between Liberty Property Trust and Comcast Corporation, the Comcast Technology Center redefined the Philadelphia skyline with a design that signifies the city’s emergence as a technology hub and constructed a mixed-use complex with a luxury hotel on the upper floors that directly links the community to public transit while incorporating details inspired by the City’s industrial heritage.
• 2400 Market Street (Philadelphia): Situated directly between Center City businesses and University City educational and healthcare institutions, a first of its kind highly amenitized “dynamic office” and mixed-use property transformed from a historic industrial building by Lubert-Adler and PMC Property Group.
• 3675 Market Street (Philadelphia): At the epicenter of innovation and discovery, a creative flex office and laboratory space developed by Wexford Science and Technology that fits commercial, academic and community into one building.
• American Water Headquarters (Camden): Incorporating sustainable practices and energy efficiencies into the design, Liberty Property Trust embraced its surroundings and community by building the first corporate office building within the downtown of the City of Camden in decades.
• Fairfield Inn & Suites (Philadelphia): The Wankawala Organization led the restoration and revitalization of the former Parker Hotel, preserving the building’s historic character while incorporating modern, dynamic finishes that fit it into the neighborhood context.
• Lincoln Square (Philadelphia): Situated on the corner of Broad Street and Washington Avenue, Alterra Property Group, MIS Capital and Kimco Realty combined adaptive reuse of a historic train shed into a supermarket with a new residential tower while bringing vibrant retail to a previously vacant city block.
• MaKen Studios North and South (Philadelphia): Located in a neighborhood with high unemployment and poverty rates, social impact developer Shift Capital reactivated two abandoned warehouse buildings into entrepreneurial studios for socially-minded makers while preserving affordability and a strong connection to the community.
• PHS LandCare (Philadelphia): Philanthropically funded neighborhood greening program from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society uses gardening to effect large scale change across local communities by creating healthier and safe environments as well as access to nutritious food and economic opportunities.
• The Rail Park (Philadelphia): The City of Philadelphia and Center City District transformed an old rail line into an elevated public park with the intention of serving the local community and stimulating new inclusive development in the area, cohesively integrated into its surrounding neighborhood.
• Trolley Portal Gardens (Philadelphia): A uniquely shaped public space in an existing Trolley Portal, the University City District and the Trolley Car Station created a gateway to the West Philadelphia neighborhood by creating a well thought out design that emphasizes safety and comfort for both commuters and the local community.
• Yarn Factory Lofts (Manayunk): Developed in three historic mill buildings, Urban Conversions creatively addressed complicated topographical challenges while maintaining the site’s historic significance.

The awards will honor the legacy of the late business and civic leader Bill Rouse, one of the founders of ULI Philadelphia and a past Trustee of the Urban Land Institute.  Rouse created and led Liberty Property Trust and its predecessor Rouse & Associates as a unique and visionary developer, kicking off a return to urban development with the Philadelphia Stock Exchange Building, the Society Hill Sheraton and a generation of new skyscrapers and a modern skyline starting with Liberty Place and the redevelopment of The Navy Yard.  As a tough-minded civic leader, his achievements included We the People, the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and the Kimmel Center.

Winners will be announced at a cocktail reception on June 12th at The Ballroom at The Ben, located at 9th and Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA.

Learn more about the event and register here.

Sponsorship opportunities available.