CHARLESTON—The Diocese of Charleston and its building partners in the construction of the pastoral center earned high accolades recently.
The diocese, along with Choate Construction Co. and LS3P Associates architects, were selected as winners of the 2015 Eagle Award for Excellence in Construction from Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.
The honor was presented in the category of Best Institutional Design, which covers churches, colleges, schools, and local government structures, excluding healthcare facilities, said Lydia Doyle, director of Planning and Operations.
Doyle said she started working on the new chancery project shortly after she came on board in April 2013.
Originally, she and Stephanie Posda, who is coordinator of Building and Renovation, were tasked with being in charge of all the furniture, fixtures, and equipment for the site. Over time, that role grew and transitioned into serving as modified owner’s representatives, Doyle said.
Andy Reinhardt, senior project manager with Choate, said the collaborative effort resulted in a project that is above and beyond the usual.
“The campus provides beauty and function that the diocese can enjoy for many decades,” he said. “Projects that received awards at the ABCC banquet [represent] the finest projects in the Carolinas. We are extremely honored to be recognized among this select group of peers able to perform at such a high level.”
Doyle also praised the team effort.
“Andy and his team were godsends for this project and it couldn’t have happened without them,” she said. “I have been grateful for their help and patience pretty much every day for the last 2.5 years or so.”
The pastoral center includes a state-of-the-art conference center, a beautiful chapel, and a three-story office building all nestled on 26.5 acres of land, including almost 22 acres of marsh with a view of Charleston’s creeks and rivers.
The new chancery, which houses all diocesan departments under one roof, was the vision of Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone.
The Excellence in construction Awards program is the industry’s premier competition that recognizes innovative and exemplary merit construction projects.
“Working on a project of this magnitude was such an honor and an incredible learning experience,” Doyle said. “It was infinitely rewarding, humbling, and gratifying to see it come together into such a magnificent facility.”
Miscellany file photos
