Construction projects across New York and New Jersey have received regional recognition for their execution, design quality, safety and contributions to the industry and surrounding communities. The 2026 ENR New York Best Projects awards selected 31 projects across 17 main categories, highlighting work ranging from transportation infrastructure to commercial development and institutional facilities.
The selected projects include public infrastructure improvements, health care facilities, educational buildings, manufacturing expansions and major commercial properties. The awards programme also includes an Award of Merit designation for projects recognized within their respective categories.
The winners will be honoured at an event on Nov. 17. Additional awards for safety and sustainability, along with the overall Project of the Year selection, are scheduled for separate announcements.
Transportation infrastructure featured prominently in the results. The MTA LIRR Hall Interlocking Expansion in Jamaica, New York, received Best Project recognition in the Airport/Transit category. Other transportation honorees included the Saratoga County Airport terminal and jet hangar project and the Church Avenue subway station accessibility upgrade.
In the Energy/Industrial category, the Smart Path Connect Project, submitted by the New York Power Authority and Michels Corp., received Best Project recognition for work across multiple towns in northern New York. Consigli Construction Co. received an Award of Merit for the second phase of the 345 Hudson decarbonization project in New York City.
Health care and higher education projects also featured in the awards. EW Howell Construction Group's Good Samaritan University Hospital Patient Care Pavilion in West Islip, New York, was named Best Project in the Health Care category. LeChase Construction Services received the top recognition for Cornell University's Computing and Information Science Building in Ithaca, New York.
Commercial and residential development winners included 125 West 57th Street, One Times Square and SoMA at 25 Water Street in New York City. Other recognized projects included the Unither Pharmaceuticals BFS addition in Rochester, New York, and the Oak Hill Country Club master plan renovation and expansion.
The judging process evaluated project teams on their ability to address construction challenges, deliver quality design and construction, maintain safety and contribute to industry and community outcomes. A panel of six industry professionals from construction, estimating, communications, architecture and programme management assessed the main award categories.
The programme also recognizes projects in public buildings, cultural facilities, schools, landscape development, renovation, sports and environmental infrastructure. Not every category received an award, as judges could determine which projects merited recognition at the Best Project or Award of Merit level.
The awards provide construction owners, developers and contractors with examples of completed work across a range of project types and delivery environments in the New York-New Jersey market. Recognition across transportation, decarbonization, health care, higher education and commercial development illustrates the breadth of construction activity represented in the regional programme.
For project teams, the evaluation criteria also highlight the importance of managing construction challenges while meeting expectations for safety, quality and community impact. The results offer industry stakeholders a reference point for examining project execution across public infrastructure and private-sector development.
Source: Jingoli Power.
