Downers Grove Civic Center Earns 2026 Chicago Building Congress Award

An annual program recognizing outstanding built projects in the Chicago area, Chicago Building Congress Merit Awards celebrates the team partnership necessary for a successful project between architect, contractor and owner. This year’s winner in the Commercial Construction category was the FGMA/Leopardo/Village of Downers Grove project: the Downers Grove Civic Center.

The Civic Center brings together Village Hall, Police Department and School District administration in a vibrant, modern civic hub that replaces outdated facilities and reimagines public engagement. The timeless building celebrates government transparency and serves as a gateway to a revitalized downtown, with direct adjacency to the BNSF Metra rail line. An inviting northwest plaza links a popular pedestrian path to public transit, while the main Blackburn Civil Rights Plaza honors founder Isrel Blackburn and provides flexible gathering space.

Constructed on an active municipal campus with less than eight feet between the new and existing buildings, rigorous logistical and heightened safety protocols were employed to maintain uninterrupted police and village operations throughout construction. High-performance design elements abound, with solar panels, green roofs, rain gardens, permeable pavers and more.

“From initial site studies to final move-in, this multi-year effort required a dedicated partnership between the Village of Downers Grove, all the architecture and engineering consultants, and Leopardo Construction,” said FGMA Design Principal Brian Meade. “The result is a welcoming, efficient, environmental civic facility that honors the past while serving this community for decades to come.”

Submitted projects are judged by a panel of dedicated industry professionals including owners, developers, contractors, subcontractors and those in services to the construction industry. Entries are selected based on four criteria: design creativity, project challenges/complexity of construction, safety record, and impact on the community and inclusion.

Congratulations to the full project team of FGMA, Leopardo and Village of Downers Grove on this well-deserved project win!