August 18, 2020

JACKSONVILLE, FL – Balfour Beatty has been recognized by The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Florida, First Coast Chapter with its “Project of the Year” and  Eagle Award in the institutional $25 million to $100 million category for the recent completion of Jacksonville Transportation Authority’s (JTA), Jacksonville Regional Transportation Center (JRTC) at LaVilla.

The annual Excellence in Construction Awards program honors general and specialty contractors for top commercial construction projects that have been completed in the past year. The winning projects are judged by a panel of veteran industry professionals on complexity, teamwork, innovation, and cost, among other factors.

The multi-modal JRTC at La Villa development project includes a 10,000-square-foot, LEED Silver certified Intercity Bus Terminal (IBT) linked to a five-story, 67,000-square-foot transportation hub via an overhead pedestrian bridge. The state-of-the-art and aesthetically appealing facility will act as the epicenter for the city’s transportation infrastructure to create a seamless network of enhanced mobility options for the downtown Jacksonville business district and its surrounding communities.

The building’s distinctive curvature features a glass mosaic of chromatic panels to emulate radiating diamonds on the building’s exterior. JRTC at LaVilla’s interior design includes a first-of-its-kind custom insulation system enabling the building to be energy-efficient, saving the JTA on heating and cooling costs while mitigating noise and fulfilling visual uniqueness. The futuristic design by Pond Michael Baker International’s joint venture leaves a prominent mark on LaVilla’s skyline and marries the history, form and function of the rebirth of the historic LaVilla district.

“Our team is honored for the opportunity to deliver such an iconic structure to the community, especially with it being our first project for JTA,” said David Campbell, Balfour Beatty Project Executive in Jacksonville. “The visually striking building celebrates the union of LaVilla’s historic cultural roots and exemplifies the economic opportunities and increased safety and mobility the JRTC will bring to the local community and its passengers. Ultimately, it was the shared commitment of our project teams, designers and trade partners that resulted in the project’s great success and award-winning recognition.”

Balfour Beatty used advanced technologies and lean construction methods, including laser scanning and Building Information Modeling to cost-effectively and safely deliver the JRTC at LaVilla. The facility is now open and the new home of JTA’s regular and express bus routes, the Skyway and the First Coast Flyer Bus Rapid Transit network. It will also serve as the transportation authority’s downtown bus transfer facility, administrative headquarters and intermodal hub with direct connections to the Skyway and the IBT which serves Greyhound, Megabus and RedCoach lines.