2002 WBC Craftsmanship Awards Winners

  (Please note that   Star Awards Nominees are indicated with a Black Star and Star Awards Winners are indicated with a Red Star )

Finishes
Plaster (including Stucco & Dryvitt)

Bob Medura, Charles Rice, Jeff Zeman, John H. Hampshire, Inc.
Project:  Cosmos Club House Systems Upgrade, Washington, DC
Architect:  Quinn Evans Architects
General Contractor:  The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
Many long shifts and weekends were worked to complete the project in accordance with the client's event schedule. In particular, the beams of the Old Member Dining Room were especially complicated. The existing plaster beams were opened up for the installation of new lighting and sprinkler pipe. Due to existing conditions, the beams could not be reconstructed as originally shown on the drawings. Together with the architect, the plasterers designed a new beam to enclose the lights and piping. The revised plan demanding duplicating many of the existing plaster finishes in the room. First, rubber molds had to be made of running trim, "egg and dart" trim, and three-dimensional lion heads. New running trim had to be married into existing and all other pieces were cast and then "stuck" and mitered in place.

Drywall (including framing & finishing)

Ellis Barber, Luis Campos, Cristobal Portillo, Angelo Serrano, Cindell Construction Co., Inc.
Project:  Swidler Berlin Shereff Friedman, Washington, DC
Architect:  OPX
Engineer:  Karnik Gregorian Engineering, Inc.
General Contractor:  Rand Construction Corporation
The detailed drywall ceilings help to convey the sense of prosperity, strength, and ingenuity of the tenant of this office space. The design is highlighted by the visual impact of long, flowing radiuses. The space flows with the rounded walls of the long corridors that are complimented by the easy curves of the ceiling and bulkheads. The front entrance/elevator lobby is a feature design highlighting the round drywall ceiling details and lighting, which reflect the image of the stone flooring below. The drywall ceilings and reveals in the boardroom magnify the importance of the room and match the design and layout of the boardroom table. All work was completed within an extremely tight schedule and had to be carefully coordinated with surrounding trades.

Maurisio Bellosso, Felipe Martinez, Efrain Rivera, Ovidio Rivera, Raul Rodriguez, Layhill Drywall Co., Inc.
Project:  Saints Peter & Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church, Potomac, MD
Architect:  Angelos Demetriou & Associates
General Contractor:  Donohoe Construction Company
The framing and drywall applications for this project required the utmost in skill from the tradesmen involved. The intricate curves and domes included in the design, the scale of the work and the heights and access at which the work was accomplished presented numerous challenges. The impressive size and scale of the design lends to the reverent air of this facility. The main dome of the church rises to a height of 65 feet above the finished floor. Curves of the walls, bulkheads, pendentives and vaulted ceilings were framed with metal studs, and intricate framing assemblies were often required to realize the design. In summary, the high level of skill and craftsmanship exhibited by these trades-professionals was outstanding.

Kenneth Carey, Saul Cibrain, Hector Cisneros, Steven A. Martin, Hugo Ramos, Jose G. Reyes, TRICON Construction, Inc.
Project:  Troutman Sanders, Washington, DC
Architect:  Interior Space Design
General Contractor:  James G. Davis Construction Corporation
There are six glass elaborate reinforced gypsum (GRG) ellipses in the ceilings through the space. The detail of the framing for these ellipses needed to be extremely accurate to receive the pre-molded gypsum ceiling. The craftsmanship was so exceptional, that all six fit perfectly on the first attempt, and the surface is very smooth, not showing any joints or interrupting light conditions.

Steve Armstrong, Larry Curtis, Roger Fournier, Richard Holmes, Tom Martin, Robert Schell, Martin Wolfe, Manganaro Corporation MD
Project:  Gannett/USA Today Headquarters, McLean, VA
Interior Architect:  Lehman-Smith + McLeish
General Contractor:  The Clark Construction Group, Inc.
The sloping corridor drywall ceiling found on this job is the accent ceiling element amongst the open plan design used on this project. It highlights the use of drywall bulkheads to create transition between building exterior and office space. This ceiling includes reveals, which align to window mullions, columns, stone and millwork lines. The main lobby and auditorium is a combination of traditional and specialty materials. Angles, elevations, varying planes, and curving components are mixed with drywall, veneer plaster, metal panels, and specialty wood ceilings to create a complete custom installation. All work was installed with exacting perfection.

Eugenio Contreras, Van DeBernard, Marcelino Llamas, Raymond Monk, Edward Skinner, Adan Vargas, Anning-Johnson Company
Project:  Worldcom Northern Virginia Operations Center, Ashburn, VA
Architects:  HKS, Inc. and Workplace USA
General Contractor:  Structure Tone Inc.
Main Street USA is an interconnecting central corridor that spans for more than ¾ of a mile inside the WorldCom campus with a vast degree of high-end drywall finishes. The drywall work performed was exceptional due to the high degree of technical skill required to ensure seamless radial installations and coordinated reveals. It was particularly challenging given the detailed curved surfaces interconnecting with rectangular surfaces. It required a seamless smooth finish for the numerous joints and reveals to convey and appealing and consistent look. Visually flawless, this high level finish commands attention to its well-coordinated details.

Marble/Granite (including terrazzo, ceramic tile & interior pavers)

Erasmo Marquez, Louie Pedri, Jose Ramirez, Regis Studeny, Rugo & Carosi, LLC
Project:  1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC
Architect:  Shalom Baranes Associates
General Contractor:  Donohoe Construction Company
This project features intricate and detailed stonework. The quality of installation and the adherence to exacting close tolerances of design culminated in an exceptional presentation.

Jose F. Mijango, James M. Natali, Ronald S. Wondoloski, Boatman & Magnani Inc.
Project:    Tysons II Building C, McLean, VA
Architect:  Weihe Design Group, PLLC
Engineer:  Smislova, Kehnemui & Associates, P.A.
General Contractor:  The Clark Construction Group, Inc.
The complex geometry coupled with the alignment criteria is what makes this job unique. The floors consist of parallelograms with intermittent accent bands that align with the weirs of the fountain as well as reveals in the wood wall panels. The focal point of the entry lobby, the fountain, consists of a wall of grooved stone which sends water into a basin, as well as numerous weirs which drop in elevation as they branch out and extend into the floorspace. The weirs themselves follow an irregular angel of 104 degrees so as to align with the parallelograms in the floor. With over 5,600 square feet of granite and marble from two different continents on the floors and close to 4,600 square feet of stone on the walls, this lobby reflects true craftsmanship.
Star Award Winner for Excellence in the Face of Adversity

Painting and Wallcovering

Horacio Amurrio, Carlos Gordiano, Dave Jordan, Jay Lilly, Kevin Lilly, Herman Wilke, Madrid's Contracting Inc.
Project:  Interstate Commerce Commission, US Customs Services, Connecting Wing Building Modernization, Washington, DC
Architect/Engineer:  RTKL Associates Inc.
General Contractor:  AMEC Construction  Management, Inc.
The auditorium in this facility was a very difficult area to paint and posed many obstacles. The craftsmen had to locate a lift that was small enough to fit through an eight-foot opening into the space, able to lift up to 60 feet, and weigh under the required floor weight allowed. The paint had to be carefully blended to avoid noticeable flashing, and protection of expensive light fixtures and gold leaf molding was critical. The corridors and meeting rooms where additional paint and wallpaper were installed also presented their own set of challenges. Despite this, the finished project is exceptional and exhibits the finest in craftsmanship.

Specialty Painting

Dennis Dasilva, Lisa Dasilva, George Hecht, Anne Kramer, Michael Kramer, The Gilder's Studio, Inc.
Project:  Gannett/USA Today Headquarters, McLean, VA
Base Building Architect:  Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, PC
General Contractor:  The Clark Construction Group, Inc.
One of the building's most distinctive features is its aluminum leaf ceiling. Hovering more than 40 feet above the atrium floor, this magnificent element looks like something straight out of a 15th century palace. The swirls of metallic leafing appear to whirl across the 7,500-square-foot ceiling, giving off a shimmering glow when hit by the morning sun. To re-create the distinguished circular pattern that the architects requested, these craftsmen applied the leafing by hand or with the help of a small brush. This antiquated application technique allowed craftsmen to create the ceiling's textured appearance. Despite the challenges, these craftsmen completed the work in extraordinary time, finishing one week ahead of schedule.

Concrete
Cast-in-Place Concrete (including formwork & reinforcement)

Lawrence Abraham, Jr., Jose Cabrera, Eric J. Goldfield, Stephen G. Hathaway, Michael J. Langan, Arnoldo Orellana, Miller & Long Co., Inc.
Project:  National Research Council, Washington, DC
Architect:  SmithGroup
Engineer:  Tadjer-Cohen-Edelson Associates, Inc.
General Contractor:  Centex Construction Company
One of the distinctive features of this project is the use of cast-in-place concrete to create an exposed helical stairway that starts on the 3rd floor atrium and extends to the 11th floor. The building was constructed, leaving the stairway off. The stairway was constructed one lift at a time. This project is exceptional for the careful and skillful use of cast-in-place concrete to create an interior stairway with features that today are normally crafted from simpler materials in a more controlled environment.

Donald Billings, Samuel Fauntleroy, Jr., William Fauntleroy, Joseph Fulcher, Charlie McDaniel, Joel Rose, William V. Walsh Construction Co., Inc.
Project:   The Pentagon Wedge 1 South Terrace, Arlington, VA
Architect:  Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern
General Contractor:  William V. Walsh Construction Co., Inc.
The architectural concrete and stone bridge structures are the first additions to the Pentagon and had to match the historical structure. The concrete forms had many curved and arched surfaces. In addition, the concrete had to be poured precisely to match color and texture. The final result is a perfect match and even from close up it is virtually indistinguishable from the stone.

Hector Castillo, Tom Ritchey, Cruz Rodriguez, Evelio Romero, Miller & Long Co., Inc.
Project:  Georgetown Incinerator Mixed-User Project, Washington, DC
Architect:  Gary Edward Handel & Associates
Engineer:  DeSimone Consulting Engineers, P.L.L.C
General Contractor:  Bovis Lend Lease, Inc.
This monumental project included 47,000 cubic yards of concrete, 175,000 square feet of cast-in-place walls, over 5,000 cast-in-place columns, nine-foot deep transfer girders, a 200,000-square-foot parking garage, over 1,000 cast-in-place beams, and 4,700 tons of steel/rebar. The craftsmen overcame many challenges while completing the concrete portion of this project. One challenge included the 180-foot incinerator chimney located in the middle of the project site. These craftsmen had to "undercrane" the job, using two cranes instead of three. The scope of work called for three cranes, which meant that they had to be as productive as possible at all times to compensate for the crane shortage. Crane placement became critical to ensure total site coverage.

Precast Concrete (fabrication and/or installation)

Franco Buccellato, Manuel Faria, Mario Goloci, Jose Luis, Artex Precast Limited
Project:  Chase Tower , Chevy Chase, MD
Architect:  RTKL Associates Inc.
Engineer:  KCE Structural Engineers, P.C.
General Contractor:  The Clark Construction Group, Inc.
This building's design features a façade clad in granite and precast, highlighted by large punch windows with a distinctive mullion pattern and metal panel accents. The precast concrete used on the project is a split-finished, light gray system. The panels are alternating light and dark by elevation, with dark or light accents. During the installation, there were several obstacles these craftsmen had to overcome, including a confined site and lack of staging areas.

Additional winners
Concrete - Doors & Windows - Electrical - Finishes - Masonry - Mechanical  - Metals - Sitework - Special Construction - Woods & Plastics

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