NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — The Bill Holmes Tower at CHOC Children’s Hospital recently received an Alliant Build America Award for Best New Building Project from the Associated General Contractors of America. 
Representatives from McCarthy Building Companies, who served as general contractor for the project, accepted the award during the AGC of America’s annual convention in Las Vegas, Nev.
Considered by many to be the most prestigious recognition of construction accomplishments in the United States, the AGC Alliant Build America Awards highlight the nation’s most significant construction projects. A panel of judges, representing all areas of construction, evaluated the nominated projects’ complexity, use of innovative construction techniques and 
client satisfaction, among other criteria.
As a testament to the project’s success, the much-anticipated pediatric patient tower was completed 64 days early, enabling children to receive advanced medical care in the new facility sooner than originally anticipated. All of this was accomplished on a fully functioning hospital campus, while achieving an outstanding safety record and the highest levels of quality.
The eight-level Bill Holmes Tower features the region’s only dedicated pediatric operating rooms, emergency and imaging departments, and laboratory with 
leading-edge technology and advanced programs and services in a child-friendly, healing environment. The new facility not only increases capacity, but also consolidates all formerly dispersed diagnostic and treatment functions into a self-sustaining, best-in-class facility committed to a culture of safety and family centered care.
The project team developed a variety of innovative solutions to overcome a multitude of challenges on this complex project. Building Information Modeling technology, in conjunction with design-assist delivery, 
was used during the project’s design phase to coordinate the tower’s intricate drawings for MEP and other related systems.
FKP Architects of Houston, Texas was the design architect and architect of record and WBSA (Wood, Burghard & Swain Architects) of Irvine was the construction administration and associate architect for the Bill Holmes Tower. Other project consultants include Jacobs of Cypress, Calif., construction manager; Thomsen Engineering of Industry, Calif., civil engineer and TMAD Taylor & Gaines of 
Pasadena, Calif., structural and MEP engineer.
Photos courtesy of Craig Dugan Photography.
