North Carolina Construction News staff writer
Carolinas AGC (CAGC) has named five construction projects as recipients of its 2025 Pinnacle Awards and recognized one industry leader with a “Build with the Best” Pinnacle Award.
Projects are judged on unique challenges, special values, project management, budget and schedule performance, and safety. In addition, CAGC presented five Construction Excellence Awards recognizing projects of distinction.
Pinnacle Awards:
Clemson University Tillman Hall Auditorium Renovation, Clemson, S.C.
- Harper General Contractors served as general contractor, with Lord Aeck Sargent and Clemson University named as Pinnacle partners.
- The project modernized the historic 1891 auditorium while preserving its architectural character.
Coastal Credit Union Headquarters Renovation, Raleigh
- Led by Barnhill Contracting Company, with Precision Walls and Triple-R Electric serving as partners.
- The renovation focused on improving connectivity and creating indoor-outdoor workspaces as employees returned to the office.
SCDOT Gaffney T Bridge project in Gaffney, S.C.
- Reeves Construction Company served as general contractor, with Augusta Iron & Steel Works, Concrete Supply Co. and Bullington Construction.
- The project rehabilitated one of only two T-shaped bridges in the world, providing a critical emergency route over railroad tracks.
Military Cutoff Extension project in Wilmington
- Balfour Beatty served as general contractor, with Coastal Precast Systems, S&W Ready Mix Concrete, and Barnhill Contracting.
- The $95 million project includes four miles of new alignment and serves as a key evacuation route and future gateway to the Hampstead Bypass.
Clarke Creek Pump Station, Force Main, Gravity Sewer and McDowell Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant project, Huntersville
- State Utility Contractors served as general contractor, with Morrison Engineers and Smart Electric Company recognized as Pinnacle partners.
- The regional infrastructure project redirects wastewater flow along a five-mile corridor to an existing treatment facility.
CAGC presented its Build with the Best Pinnacle Award to Lamar Sylvester, retired chief engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Sylvester began his career with NCDOT in 1995 and later oversaw all statewide highway program areas, including construction, structures, materials, operations, and alternative delivery.
Five projects received Construction Excellence Awards:
- Maeve in Raleigh, built by W.M. Jordan Company;
- I-40 widening from I-440 to Cornwallis Road in Wake and Johnston counties, built by S.T. Wooten Corporation;
- SCDOT US 17A/21 bridge replacement over the CSX Railroad in Yemassee, S.C., built by Crowder Construction Company;
- Bryant Farms Road Extension in Charlotte, built by Blythe Development; and the emergency demolition and repair of the Old Vaucluse Road bridge over I-20 in Aiken County, S.C., built by United Infrastructure Group Inc.
- Emergency Demolition of Damaged S-2-105 (Old Vaucluse Road) Bridge Over I-20 and Repair of Roadway Near Mile Marker 13, Aiken County, SC
General Contractor: United Infrastructure Group, Inc.