These projects are paving the way with innovative solutions to create better community experiences
NEW YORK (Jan. 7, 2025) HNTB has been honored with three 2025 Engineering Excellence Awards by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of New York. Recognized as one of the industry’s most prestigious accolades, the Engineering Excellence Awards celebrates projects that exemplify exceptional innovation, complexity, achievement and value.
The HNTB winners for this year’s awards are as follows:
East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, Project Area 2 – Diamond Award
Photo courtesy of the New York City Department of Design and Construction.
The HNTB-LiRo Joint Venture is the program and construction manager for the New York City Department of Design and Construction on the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) Project for Project Area 1 and 2. ESCR is a coastal protection initiative aimed at reducing flood risk due to coastal storms and sea level rise on Manhattan’s East Side. The project was awarded the ACEC New York Diamond Award under the Water Resources category.
Under this program, a portion of East River Park will be raised, and above- and below-ground flood protection measures will be installed to strengthen 2.4 miles of urban coastline and protect lower Manhattan from rising sea levels and storm surges. The project will improve amenities and accessibility to East River Park, and several local parks and playgrounds.
Newark Liberty International Airport, Terminal C- Recomposure Benches – Diamond Award
United Airlines assembled a project team, led by HNTB, to create a ‘recomposure area’ for passengers exiting Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal C security checkpoints to ease pedestrian traffic immediately beyond security. The installation a series of new, custom- designed recomposure benches allows passengers to recompose after clearing through security; where previously, passengers had no designated location for this activity.
The bench design provides a visual connection with the airport and the city of Newark. Inspired by the architectural elements of Terminal C’s 1970s-era façade, HNTB designed a sleek, transformative bench within the recomposure area that mirrors the airport’s aesthetic without expanding the terminal’s existing footprint. The design scope was part of the architecture and design services work HNTB provided to improve passenger experience and facility needs in the terminal. The project was awarded the Diamond Award under the Transportation category.
Recomposure Benches at Terminal C in Newark Liberty International Airport.
Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Improvements to Park Slope, Brooklyn – Silver Award
NYCDDC BED798 water infrastructure project.
HNTB assisted the New York City Department of Design and Construction with this water and wastewater infrastructure improvements project that consisted of replacing trunk and distribution water mains, combined sewers and appurtenances in the densely populated, historic Park Slope area of Brooklyn.
These facilities upgrades increase the city’s ability to meet growing need of water infrastructure improvements in the Brooklyn community. During construction, the existing 66-inch and 72-inch steel trunk water main – dating back to 1913 – was replaced with 4,900 feet of new 72-inch steel spiral-welded trunk main. The new trunk main include both cement lining and cathodic protection systems that will significantly extend the life of this critical water supply facility. HNTB provided resident engineering inspection and construction management services for the project that received the ACEC New York Silver Award in the Waste and Stormwater category.
The project teams will be recognized for these awards at the annual ACEC New York Engineering Excellence Awards gala which will be held April 5 in New York City. The projects that received the ACEC New York Diamond Award move on to the national ACEC competition, which is open to the top winning projects from state competitions.