OAC Service’s project – the Steve Ballmer Global Innovation Exchange Building in Bellevue, Washington – won the Technology/Life Sciences Development of the Year award at NAIOP’s annual Night of the Stars gala.
Honoring the best in real estate development, the awards showcase astounding projects in several categories, including office interiors, office developments, high rise, and others. The final winners of each category are announced at one of the biggest, most prestigious award ceremonies the industry. Several of OAC’s staff were present to accept the award for the project.
The Steve Ballmer Global Innovation Exchange Building (“GIX”) is a new, three-story, cutting edge facility designed to foster collaboration in technology research. A global partnership between the University of Washington, the Microsoft Corporation, the Tsinghua University in China and others, the 100,000-square-foot building is currently hosting graduate students from around the world who are focused on using technology to solve global problems.
As a laboratory for innovation, GIX features state-of-the-art classrooms, lecture halls, and laboratories with a focus on adaptable spaces that promote collaboration and experimentation across fields of study.
“We cannot be more proud of this project,” Shawn Mahoney, OAC’s Managing Partner, said. “This is an incredible facility designed to promote new ideas and new methods of tackling some of the world’s biggest problems. We really enjoyed contributing to this project because it represented new challenges that led to new solutions, which made the entire design and construction process a reflection of the very purpose of why it was built.”
OAC acted as the project/construction manager for the project, while Skanska and Bora Architects were the Design-Builders.
“I’m so pleased GIX was recognized by the real estate community this evening,” Alisa Billbe, Senior Project Manager at OAC and firm’s lead for the project, said. “This was a really fun project, and its mission to help solve global problems is why we do this. We try to serve our clients to improve where people live, work, learn and play. GIX couldn’t be any more appropriate and it makes winning this award all the more significant to me and the entire team.”