DES MOINES, IOWA (January 25, 2023) — 1000 Friends of Iowa announced the winners of the 2023 Best Development Award winners during a ceremony at the Capitol this week. The awards honor projects that recognize connections between building and project development and quality of life. With a mission focused on responsible land use, 1000 Friends of Iowa promotes smart growth planning principles that help achieve socially, economically and environmentally sustainable communities.
The winners of this year’s awards are:
- Mixed Use Category: The Cohen Building (Council Bluffs)
- New Civic Category: Johnston City Hall (Johnston)
- Renewable Energy Category: Perry Solar Project (Perry)
- Placemaking Category: Linn County Resiliency Hub (Linn County)
- Renovated Civic Category: Bondurant Community Library (Bondurant)
- Renovated Commercial Category: Station 700 (Altoona)
- Renovated Residential Category: Housing Revitalization Program (Council Bluffs)
- Stormwater Management Category: Hamilton Drain Sewer Improvements (Des Moines)
- Complete Streets Category: 6th Avenue Corridor Streetscape (Des Moines)
- Innovative Leadership: The 712 Initiative
Click here for detailed information about each project.
“We congratulate this year’s award winners and commend them on their great projects that highlight best practices in responsible land use and innovation in sustainable building practices,” said Kari Carney, Executive Director of 1000 Friends of Iowa. “Economic Development projects like those honored with this year’s awards create vibrant communities and provide needed amenities for Iowans.
The Best Development Awards are selected from a pool of applications each year and judged by an independent group of jurors. This year’s jurors include Megan Down, Project Manager, Impact 7G; James Engle, Director, Iowa Downtown Resource Center, Iowa Economic Development Authority; Jeff Hanson, Business Development Lead, McClure Engineering; Ulrike Passe, Associate Professor and Director, Center for Building Energy Research, Iowa State University; and Bethany Wilcoxon, Senior Advisor, McClure Engineering.
1000 Friends of Iowa, founded in 1998, is a statewide non-profit organization focused on land-use education. Its mission is to unite Iowans in efforts to protect farmland and natural areas, revitalize neighborhoods, towns, and cities, and improve quality of life for future generations.
