University Buildings Earn Four Construction and Design Awards From Fayetteville Chamber

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce recognized four recently completed University of Arkansas construction projects during its annual Construction and Developers Appreciation Awards program.

Hotz Honors Hall, Hillside Auditorium, the Fred W. Smith Football Center, and the Vol Walker Hall and Steven L. Anderson Design Center were all honored. The awards program is intended to recognize the quality of outstanding projects completed in Fayetteville and northwest Arkansas during the past year and to recognize the project owners for investing in new construction or reinventing the old.

“We are, of course, very proud of these buildings and of the work done by the architects, engineers and contractors who brought them into existence,” said Mike Johnson, associate vice chancellor of facilities at the university. “It is especially satisfying, however, to be honored by our home community, to know they appreciate that our new buildings do more than benefit the University of Arkansas – they enhance Fayetteville, our entire region and our state.”

“The university, without a doubt, is a great partner and contributor to the development in the City of Fayetteville,” said Chung Tan, director of economic development for the Fayetteville Chamber. “We appreciate that the university is not only interested in providing functional space.  These winning projects meet that need while adding beauty and form to the surroundings and respecting the environment at the same time. The campus enhances the image of our city to the outside world, increasing the overall economic value of the entire community.” 

The Hotz Honors Hall received the Phoenix Award, given to a project that exhibited renewal and reinvigoration as part of upgrading an existing building to satisfy the demands of its new clientele.  

Hotz Hall opened as a women’s residence hall in 1964, but by the mid-1990’s had been converted into an administrative office building. The $17.2 million renovation project that began in 2011 transformed the 100,000 square foot building back into a top quality residence hall for Honors students.

The Sustainability Award, which honors a forward thinking, well-designed and environmentally responsible project, went to the Hillside Auditorium. The $14.6 million building has more than 35,000 square feet of space, contains a 487-seat auditorium and a smaller 290-seat auditorium, but was designed for sustainability – from its heating and air conditioning system to its LED lighting to its three tiers of living, green roofs.

It is very appropriate that the $40 million Fred W. Smith Football Center received the Chamber’s Hail Mary Award, which, in addition to its football reference, honors a project that takes an explosive step forward in incorporating efficiency while providing amenities to impress its users. The 80,000 square-foot center includes a spacious locker room, team meeting rooms, a training room,  an equipment room, a student-athlete lounge and study area, coaches' offices, a recruiting reception area and football displays celebrating the tradition of Razorback Football. It also includes two new practice fields and a parking deck.  

The Vol Walker Hall renovation and Steven L. Anderson Design Center construction earned the Vision Award, for a project whose designs are inventive and inspiring, combining the old with the new, the modern with the traditional, setting a standard for future projects to achieve. The $36.6 million project involved renovating the 56,635 square feet of space in the original building, which dates from 1935, and adding a new 34,320 square foot addition. The result is a state-of-the-art home for the Fay Jones School of Architecture.

Last year the University of Arkansas was named Developer of the Year by the Chamber, while two projects, the Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center the Epley Center for Health Professions earned individual awards.