McCownGordon Was Awarded Three Kansas City Journal Capstone Awards
2021 was a challenging year for the A/E/C industry with COVID precautions, difficult supply chains and a rapidly changing economy. Nevertheless, plans were drawn up, bricks were laid, and steel beams still soared around the Kansas City Metro skyline. The Kansas City Business Journal honored 28 construction projects in the metro area with the Capstone Awards and the team at McCownGordon was involved in three of those award-winning projects!
Community Impact – Mattie Rhodes Cultural Center 
The positive impact of Mattie Rhodes’ programming stretches back generations. Scores of Westsiders participate in the summer camp program and engage in its ongoing programming. The new center represents a tangible commitment to the community that cultural programming and arts education remains vital to the lifeblood of Kansas City’s Westside neighborhood.
In addition to providing a safe and quality space for ongoing programs, the project was an opportunity for Mattie Rhodes to demonstrate its environmental stewardship to the community. The site was severely contaminated, helping to explain why it sat neglected for so long. The site now serves as a place to learn, gather and celebrate.
“A lot of love, thought and passion went into every little detail in the redevelopment of the site,” Pegah Karstens, senior project manager for McCownGordon, said. “We had a lot of local and minority- and women-owned businesses that contributed to the project’s success to help us deliver it all on time.”
Learn more about the award for the Mattie Rhodes Cultural Center on the Kansas City Business Journal.
Industrial – Amazon Fulfillment Center 
McCownGordon completed Amazon’s 1.1 million-square-foot fulfillment center that sits on a 400-acre site in September 2021. Built where the former Woodland’s horse track sat, the site required extensive fill and stabilization from Geopiers. The team completed construction on an accelerated fast-track schedule to provide specialized contractors access for the extensive shelving installation. The facility is classified as a traditional non-sortable facility where Amazon associates pick, pack, and ship bulky or larger-sized customer items has generated more than 1,000 career opportunities for local residents.
“The Woodlands had been sitting vacant and unused for quite some time,” said the construction operations manager at McCownGordon. “It has good proximity to the interstate, good access, and it made a lot of sense from a citizen standpoint.”
Learn more about the award for the Amazon Fulfillment Center on the Kansas City Business Journal.
Sustainability – Prairie Village Public Works 
The new Prairie Village Public Works facility replaces several aging existing buildings and is expected to achieve LEED Platinum Certification. The one-story, 20,500-square-foot facility provides three specific programmed areas: 1) administration offices; 2) crew area; and 3) garage bays.
The sustainability features of this project include:
- Indoor water use reduction of 45%
- Roof mounted solar panels providing up to 50% of the building’s annual energy needs
- Demand responses technologies and local program participation to increase grid reliability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Rainwater harvesting
- Zero-irrigation native landscaping
- EV Charging spaces
- 85% of the construction and demolition waste was diverted from the landfill through recycling and other methods
“They are in and out of here all day long,” said Keith Bredehoeft, director of public works. “McCownGordon made sure it was not an issue for us to be here while they were trying to build a building.”
Learn more about the award for the Prairie Village Public Works on the Kansas City Business Journal.
This year, Kansas City Business Journal recognized 28 different projects that represent the leading edge in Kansas City’s development. We’re grateful to have worked on these award winning projects that each improves lives in their own way. You can find the full list of 2022 Capstone Award Winner on the Kansas City Business Journal.
