Each year, AZRE magazine’s RED Awards commemorates the meticulous work accomplished by the teams of companies who shepherd projects of all kinds from initial concept to final delivery. Each category represents the finest the industry has to offer — state-of-the-art education buildings, chic offices spaces, lavish hotels, modern apartments and so much more. Today, take a deeper look at the finalists for public works project of the year.
The 2026 RED Awards will honor finalists and announce winners in 18 categories on Thursday, March 19 at the Embassy Suites Scottsdale. The year’s top developer, general contractor, architecture firm and subcontractor will also be celebrated.
The RED Awards VIP sponsor is Haydon Companies, the spotlight sponsor is Core Construction, the beverage sponsor is DP Electric, the dessert sponsor is Layton Construction, the step and repeat sponsor is Suntec Concrete, the valet sponsor is Stevens-Leinweber Construction, the giveaway sponsor is Willmeng Construction, the 360 photo booth sponsor is Ironmark Building Company and the floral sponsor is Arizona Escrow.
Tickets for the 2026 RED Awards can be found here.
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Here are the finalists for the Public works project category:
Maricopa County Kids Club
- General contractor: Signature Projects
- Architect: GH2 Architects
- Owner: Maricopa County
- Subcontractors: KCL Engineering, Dibble, Advanced Structural Engineering, Ricca Design Studios
- City: Phoenix
- Size: 12,820 square feet
The Maricopa County Kids Club project was intended to strengthen Maricopa County’s public workforce and downtown core by transforming a historic building into a secure, 24-hour childcare facility that directly supports essential workers and their families. The project is an adaptive reuse of a 12,000-square-foot facility located in the Phoenix historic warehouse district and listed on the Arizona State Historic Register. Historic preservation was an important component to this project. The renovation preserves the building’s historic character while activating an underutilized asset with a mission-driven use that supports workforce retention, public service continuity, and long-term community resilience.
Safety and security guided every design decision, particularly given the site’s adjacency to the county jail. Layered security strategies include controlled access points, natural interior checkpoints, and clear sightlines that balance safety with warmth. Landscape design adds integrated fencing and protective barriers without compromising approachability.
Outdoor spaces feature three shaded, age-appropriate playgrounds designed for child development and Phoenix’s extreme climate. Inside, biomimetic design inspired by Arizona’s desert landscape creates a bright, regionally rooted learning environment. A new clerestory introduces abundant natural light to a shared motor skills room and throughout the classrooms. Flexible layouts and shared teacher support spaces allow the center to adapt to changing enrollment and operational needs.
Mesa Gateway Library
- General contractor: Willmeng Construction
- Architect: Richärd Kennedy Architects
- Owner: City of Mesa
- Subcontractors: Kimley-Horn, Dibble, Energy Systems Design, Dig Studio, Knot Studio
- City: Mesa
- Size: 28,146 square feet
The Mesa Gateway Library is a 28,272-square-foot civic facility, situated in the Eastmark master-planned community and next to the Eastmark Great Park. The project represents Mesa’s first new full-service library in more than 25 years. The library is organized around an open market concept unified by a soaring, folded roof. The material palette focuses on durability and desert-responsive performance, utilizing 24-gauge Corten metal roofing, Exitron 16-gauge mill finish steel, and prefinished metal wall panels. The design integrates a 2,592-square-foot outdoor deck and an aluminum curtain wall system featuring 1-inch insulated low-e glazing to maximize natural light.
The interior includes advanced technological infrastructure such as a THINKspot makerspace, three Zoom rooms, and a digital art display wall. Furthermore, the project demonstrates industry leadership in inclusivity through a dedicated sensory room for the Certified Autism Center, which utilizes trauma-informed design to select lighting and materials for neurodiverse populations. The project’s design was honored at the 2024 ALA/IIDA Library Interior Design Awards in the “On the Boards” category and the final project execution brought that design to reality.
Through proactive collaboration with the City and stakeholders, the project team achieved over $600,000 in value engineering savings, all of which were returned to the City. To ensure high-level quality control, the team implemented electronic field inspections. When manufacturing errors occurred with exterior paneling, the team utilized 3D imaging to coordinate signage adjustments, preserving both the project schedule and the budget.
Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner
- General contractor: Kitchell
- Architect: SmithGroup
- Owner: Pima County
- Subcontractors: ISEC, KE&G Construction, MKB Construction, Parsons Steel Builders, Comfort Systems USA
- City: Tucson
- Size: 34,000 square feet
Serving nine counties and managing one of the nation’s highest caseloads, including a uniquely high number of unidentified migrant deaths, this 34,000-square-foot, purpose-built facility delivers capabilities essential to regional health, safety, and humanitarian response.
Replacing an undersized, outdated building, the new Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner doubles operational capacity and integrates state-of-the-art technology to support precision, privacy, and efficiency. Its six-station autopsy suite, aseptic isolation room, expanded 300-body cold storage, and specialized anthropology and imaging spaces position the facility as a critical resource for law enforcement, public health agencies and partnering universities. A dedicated observation gallery allows training and case review without disrupting active forensic work, expanding regional workforce development and interagency collaboration.
The design prioritizes dignity and discretion through carefully separated circulation paths for staff, public and law enforcement, supported by a secure sally port and robust site protections. Yet it remains welcoming and human-centered: a landscaped courtyard introduces natural light into high-intensity work areas, offering needed relief for personnel who perform emotionally challenging roles.
City of Scottsdale Police and Fire Safety Training Facility
- General contractor: CORE Construction
- Architect: Fucello Architects
- Owner: City of Scottsdale
- Subcontractors: LR Cowan Concrete, Aspen Drywall, EF Charles, Comfort Systems, Diamond Iron
- City: Tempe
- Size: 67,887 square feet
The Fire Safety Training Facility included the demolition of an existing public safety campus and the construction of a new two-story, 32,015-square-foot training facility. The state-of-the-art project features offices, conference rooms, restrooms, locker rooms, a fitness and wellness area, an expansive auditorium, and an elevator. A turnout room connected to the apparatus bay supports gear decontamination and prioritizes firefighter health and safety.
The Police Training Facility modernization involved a comprehensive renovation and expansion of an existing 36,000-square-foot public safety building. Improvements included upgrades to classrooms, break rooms, a weapons cleaning area and defensive tactics training spaces. The former shooting range was converted into office space, and a new 9,000-square-foot precast shooting range was constructed. Site enhancements included expanded parking, steel canopies and updated landscaping.
Tempe Municipal Operations Center
- General contractor: Haydon Companies
- Architect: DWL Architects + Planners
- Owner: City of Tempe
- Subcontractors: Kimley-Horn, SCL Consulting, LSW Engineers, Castle Steel, M.A.G. Construction
- City: Tempe
- Size: 119,847 square feet
Phase I of the project, located at the southern portion of the site, features a two-story 37,931-square-foot facility for Transportation and Parks Maintenance groups. This includes a public entrance, meeting rooms, shops, warehouse, administrative offices, and staff facilities. Phase II consists of four buildings totaling 81,916 square feet for the Solid Waste Service group, Fleet Services group, and the Tech Center. It includes 21 fleet maintenance bays, wash racks, shops, workrooms, administrative offices, and staff facilities.
The primary goal was to create a modern state-of-the-art operations facility. The building’s design emphasizes a campus aesthetic to unify with the City’s East Valley Bus Operation and Maintenance Facility (EVBOM) adjacent to TMOC. Curved standing seam metal roofs at varying levels and colors of building envelopes are coherent with EVBOM design.
By consolidating three dispersed operation yards totaling 52-acres (Priest, Hardy, and Transportation Operations) into one high-performance campus, TMOC enhances operational efficiency and service reliability. This was achieved while transforming a former dump site along the Rio Salado corridor into essential service facilities for the community. The strategic location frees up the former sites for future redevelopment opportunities, such as mixed-use and multifamily residential that align with Tempe’s long-range vision of delivering economic and social benefits to the community.
