And overflow crowd packed the Embassy Suites Scottsdale on March 19, 2026, to celebrate the winners of the 20th Annual Real Estate Development (RED) Awards — the Academy Awards of Arizona’s commercial real estate sector.
“This year is a big one for the RED Awards as tonight’s celebration marks 20 years of honoring commercial real estate excellence in Arizona,” said Amy Lindsey, vice president and publisher of AZ Big Media, which publishes AZRE magazine. “While not every finalist will receive a RED Award tonight, each category is full of standout projects that have shaped the state’s skyline, economy and communities.”
Lindsey hosted the RED Awards along with Editor in Chief Michael Gossie and Associated Editor Kyle Backer, who served as co-hosts.
DEEPER DIVE: Here are the finalists for the 2026 RED Awards
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There were nearly 200 projects under consideration for the 2026 RED Awards and awards were presented in 18 categories, along with awards for Subcontractor of the Year, Architecture Firm of the Year, General Contractor of the Year and Developer of the Year.
“Tonight, we celebrate the people who turn empty dirt lots into something valuable — and beautiful,” Gossie joked, “and occasionally turn zoning meetings into WWE Raw.”
Sponsors of the RED Awards included beverage sponsor, DP Electric; dessert sponsor Layton; step-and-repeat sponsor, Suntec Concrete; valet sponsor, Stevens-Leinweber Construction; 360 photo booth sponsor, Ironmark Building Company; floral sponsor, Arizona Escrow & Financial Corporation; floral provider, PJs Flowers; production sponsor, Merestone; giveaway sponsor, Willmeng; spotlight sponsor, CORE Construction; and VIP sponsor, Haydon. Signature sponsors included A.R. Mays Construction, ADM Group, BPR Companies, Butler Design Group, Chamberlin & Associates, Chasse Building Team, Corgan, Cuningham Group , Derek Builders, Diversified Partners, Ganem Construction, GCON, GH2 Architects, Gensler, Hancock Builders, HCW Development, Integrity Electrical Services, Jackson-Shaw JE Dunn Construction, LGE Design Build, Lincoln Property Company, Sheply Bulfinch, Silverstar Wallsystems, Sun State Builders, The Empire Group, The PENTA Bulding Group, Todd & Associates, Ware Malcomb and Womble Bond Dickinson.
RED Awards photos by Bruce Andersen, Leslie Durazo and Mike Mertes. Photos from the 2026 RED Awards can be downloaded here.
Here are the winners of the 2026 RED Awards
In selecting the finalists and winners of the 2026 RED Awards, the selection committee considered size of the project, location, construction challenges and opportunities, architecture and design, effect on the surrounding community and, in some cases, the economic impact of the project. Here are the winners of the 2026 RED Awards:
Recreation Project of the Year
Rescue Oasis
Owner: City of Surprise
General contractor: Willmeng Construction
Architect: LEA – Architects
Public Works Project of the Year
Tempe Municipal Operations Center
Owner: City of Tempe
General contractor: Haydon
Architect: DWL Architects + Planners
Education K-12 Project of the Year
Goodyear High School
Owner: Agua Fria Union High School District
General contractor: CHASSE Building Team
Architect: ADM Group
Higher Education and Workforce Development Project of the Year
Mohave College Advanced Manufacturing Training Center
Owner: Mohave College
General contractor: CORE Construction
Architect: DFDG Architects
Industrial Project of the Year — less than 100,000 square feet
EMD Electronics
Owner: EMD Group
General contractor: Willmeng Construction
Architect: Deutsch Architecture Group
Industrial Project of the Year — 100,000 to 250,000 square feet
Super Radiator Coils
Owner: Super Radiator Coils
General contractor: Brinkmann Constructors
Architect: Ware Malcomb
Industrial Project of the Year — 250,000 to 750,000 square feet
XNRGY Headquarters
Developer: The Boyer Company
General contractor: Wespac Construction
Architect: Gensler
Industrial Project of the Year — More Than 750,000 square feet.
Luke Field
Developer: Lincoln Property Company
General contractor: Layton Construction
Architect: Butler Design Group
Redevelopment Project of the Year
The Phoenix Theatre Company Dr. Stacie J. and Richard J. Stephenson Theatre
Owner: The Phoenix Theatre Company
General contractor: Chanen, a Dick Anderson Construction Company
Architect: RSP Architects
Multifamily Project of the Year
Dwell @ 5th and Farmer
Developer: Holualoa Companies
General contractor: A.R. Mays Construction
Architect: WORKSBUREAU
Mixed-use Project of the Year. Here are the finalists.
The Maeve Central Station and ANOVA Central Station
Developer: GMH Communities
General contractor: Layton Construction
Architect: Multistudio
Build-to-Rent Project of the Year
The Village at Carver Mountain
Developer: The Empire Group of Companies
General contractor: Lifestyle Homes Construction
Architect: Felten Group
Office Project of the Year
Fender Co-Headquarters
Developer: RED Development
General contractor: Layton Construction
Architect: SmithGroup
Office Interiors Project of the Year
Dutch Bros
Owner: Dutch Bros
General contractor: Wespac Construction
Architect: Corgan
Healthcare Project of the Year
Phoenix Children’s Arrowhead Campus
Owner: Phoenix Children’s Hospital
General contractor: Kitchell
Architect: HKS
Retail Project of the Year
Mercy Center
Developer: Diversified Partners
General contractor: Sigma Contracting
Architect: Upward Architects
Restaurant Project of the Year
Warren’s Supper Club
Owner: Warren’s Supper Club
General contractor and architect: LGE Design Build
Hospitality Project of the Year
Desert Diamond Casino White Tanks at San Lucy
Developer: Tohono O’odham Nation
General contractor: The PENTA Building Group and AECOM Hunt
Architect: JCJ Architecture
Subcontractor of the Year
PK Associates
Architecture Firm of the Year
Butler Design Group.
General Contractor of the Year
Layton Construction
Developer of the Year
Lincoln Property Company
