Civic Center Receives Prestigious Award of Merit

The Chicago Building Congress (CBC) recently awarded the Civic Center its 2026 Merit Award for Commercial Construction, one of the construction industry's most respected honors. The CBC Merit Awards have celebrated excellence in the building industry since 1956 by recognizing outstanding projects completed throughout the greater Chicagoland area.

Award-winning projects are selected by a panel of volunteer industry professionals representing owners, developers, contractors, subcontractors, and construction service providers. Projects are evaluated based on design creativity, construction complexity, safety performance, community impact, and inclusion.

"This award reflects the vision, planning, and teamwork that made the Civic Center possible," said Mayor Bob Barnett. "From the beginning, our goal was to create a building that would serve residents for generations while complementing the character of our downtown. The result is a facility that is functional, sustainable, welcoming, and unmistakably Downers Grove. We are honored to receive this recognition from one of the region's leading construction organizations."

The CBC Merit Award adds to a growing list of accolades for the Civic Center, including the 2025 Officer Station Design Silver Award, the 2025 AIA Northeast Illinois People's Choice Award, and the 2024 CISCO Project of the Year Award.

The Civic Center serves as the home for all Village departments except Fire and Public Works, as well as the administrative offices of the Village's partner, School District 58. At just over 80,000 square feet, the facility is approximately the same size as the two buildings it replaced on the site while providing a modern, efficient, and accessible environment for residents and staff.

Designed in accordance with the Village's Downtown Architectural Design Guidelines, the building combines timeless civic architecture with modern functionality. The result is a facility that is instantly recognizable as a government building while fitting seamlessly into the character of downtown Downers Grove.

The Civic Center also reflects the Village's commitment to environmental stewardship through a variety of sustainable design features that improve energy efficiency, reduce environmental impacts, and support long-term operational savings.

Deputy Village Manager Mike Baker credited the project's success to the collaboration of numerous professionals and stakeholders.

"The Civic Center is the result of years of planning and the dedication of an exceptional team," said Baker. "This recognition belongs to everyone who contributed to bringing this project from concept to reality. We are especially grateful to our design and construction partners who helped create a facility that serves our community with excellence today and will continue to do so well into the future."

The Village extends its appreciation to Brian Meade and the team at FGMA for designing the award-winning facility, and to Jeff Montanari and the team at Leopardo for delivering the project with exceptional craftsmanship and professionalism.

The Village also congratulates Mike Baker, Enza Petrarca, Stan Popovich, Nora King, Chief Mike DeVries, Deputy Chief James McGreal, and all members of the Civic Center project team whose leadership and dedication helped make the facility a success.

As these awards continue to demonstrate, the Downers Grove Civic Center stands as a source of community pride and a lasting investment in the future of Downers Grove.