The Construction Association of Michigan (CAM) Announces Detroit's Book Tower Redevelopment as the CAM Magazine Project of the Year 2023
The Construction Association of Michigan (CAM) has announced that the Book Tower development in downtown Detroit has been chosen as the 2023 CAM Magazine Project of the Year. The Bedrock-owned 38-story historic Italian Renaissance-style building has undergone a seven-year, nearly $400 million transformation. Congratulations to Construction Manager Brinker | Christman, A Joint Venture; Architects ODA and Kraemer Design Group; Engineers Giffels Webster and BuroHappold; and Bedrock as Owner/Developer. CAM’s President Kevin Koehler made the announcement at the association’s 138th Annual Meeting on Wednesday, February 14th, at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.
The project involved extensive restoration, including replicating the building’s original cornice, replacing 2,500 historic windows, and restoring a three-story atrium with a stained-glass dome. The reopened Book Tower now houses apartments, offices, restaurants, a hotel, and event spaces, blending historical charm with modern amenities, contributing to the renaissance of Detroit.
“As stewards of this incredible landmark, we had a responsibility to honor its history while positioning the property for the next hundred years,” said Bedrock Architecture and Design VP Jamie Witherspoon. “After seven years and a nearly $400 million investment, we reopened the property as a modern mixed-use destination that remains anchored in the historic fabric of the Washington Boulevard community.”
The full feature article on the Book Tower redevelopment, which appeared in the October 2023 Project Achievement Awards issue of CAM Magazine, can be viewed at https://buildwithcam.com/cam-magazine.
In 2023, CAM Magazine celebrated 27 years of publishing its annual project awards issue. How it works: In early January, CAM puts out a call for its member companies to submit their best construction projects of the previous year. Twelve finalists are selected and featured in this issue, which comes out each October. The owners, general contractors, and architects from these projects are interviewed and sites toured prior to the writing of the feature articles. The Project of the Year is selected by the CAM Magazine Editorial Advisory Committee, association staff, and an online vote, and the winner is announced at CAM’s Annual Meeting each February.
CAM is currently accepting submissions for its Special Issue 2024. To be eligible, projects must be constructed or designed by a CAM member company, and must have been completed – or reached substantial completion – between June 2023 and June 2024. The deadline for submitting projects is Friday, March 22, 2024. Advertising opportunities are available. Visit https://buildwithcam.com/cam-magazine for more information and to submit projects.
The list of all 12 finalists and their core project teams from CAM Magazine Project Achievement Awards Issue 2023:
2023 Project of the Year:
Book Tower (Detroit)
Construction Manager: Brinker|Christman, A Joint Venture
Architects: ODA, Kraemer Design Group (historic preservation architect)
Owner/Developer: Bedrock
2023 Finalists (in no particular order):
Ruth Ellis Clairmount Center (Detroit)
Construction Manager: O’Brien Construction Company
Architect: LBBA Architects
Owner: Ruth Ellis Center
Developer: Full Circle Communities
Wacker Innovation Center & Regional Headquarters (Ann Arbor)
Construction Manager: KIRCO MANIX
Architect: HED
Owner/Developer: KIRCO
Roosevelt Park (Detroit)
Construction Manager: WCI Contractors Inc.
Architect/Engineer: OHM Advisors
Owner: City of Detroit, General Services Department
Walled Lake Early Childhood Center (Walled Lake)
Construction Manager: AUCH Construction
Architect: TMP Architecture, Inc.
Owner: Walled Lake Consolidated School District
Ingham County Justice Complex (Mason)
Construction Manager: Granger Construction Company
Architect: BKV Group
Owner: Ingham County Building Authority
Owner Representative: Kramer Management Group
Woodward West (Detroit)
Construction Manager: Sachse Construction
Architect: Hamilton-Anderson Associates
Owner/Developer: The Platform and Queen Lillian
Monark Grove Clarkston (Clarkston)
Construction Manager: KIRCO MANIX
Architect: pH7 Architects
Owner/Developer: KIRCO
Huntington Tower (Detroit)
Construction Manager: Colasanti Construction Services, Inc./MiG Construction Joint Venture
Architect: Neumann/Smith Architecture
Owner: The Herrick Company, Inc.
Orion Township Municipal Complex (Orion Township)
Construction Manager: Cunningham-Limp
Architect: Auger Klein Aller Architects
Owner: Orion Township
Kettering University Learning Commons (Flint)
Construction Manager: Clark Construction Company
Architect: Stantec
Owner: Kettering University
Shelby Township Public Library (Shelby Township)
Construction Manager: Bernco, Inc.
Architect: Anderson, Eckstein & Westrick, Inc.
Owner: Charter Township of Shelby
