Michigan Governor Rick Snyder presented the prestigious “Reinventing Michigan” award to the developer of 5716 Wellness, Southwest Solutions, at the project's grand opening ceremony in June of 2011. The award honors the development's inventive and effective efforts to revitalize southwest Detroit and help its residents lead healthier and more successful lives.

"Healthy families are essential to our reinvention of Michigan," Gov. Snyder said at the grand opening. "Southwest Solutions and its partners are providing residents access to health and behavioral care. This coalition has stepped up to provide needed services that will build a stronger community. Putting a former cigar factory to use as a place that now promotes health and wellness is a great example of creativity and reinvention," the Governor continued. "The Reinventing Michigan award recognizes those who make Michigan a better place through innovation and dedication, and Southwest Solutions is a most deserving recipient."

Originally designed by famed architect Albert Kahn, this 4-story, 100-year-old brick building, located at 5716 Michigan Avenue, initially served as the San Telmo Cigar Factory. In February 2011, O’Brien Construction completed extensive renovation on the structure to transform it into a state-of-the-art modern wellness center with historic elements that preserve the building's heritage. Today, this 50,000 square foot facility is the beautiful home of six partner agencies that promote physical and psychological health, education services and childcare for those who would otherwise not be able to afford it. Approximately 10,000 individuals from low-income families are projected to benefit from the services offered at 5716 Wellness each year.

This remarkable historical preservation project was also the winner of the Associated General Contractors 2011 Build Michigan Award. The Build Michigan Award honors projects that demonstrate:

• Quality design and construction
• Meticulous attention to budget, schedule and safety
• Excellent project management and innovative techniques
• Sustainability and environmentally sensitivity
• Meeting difficult challenges
• Responding keenly to client needs
• Contributing significantly to the community

To see a photo gallery of 5716 wellness and read the full story on this award winning development, click here.

Built by O’Brien Construction, Piquette Square received the prestigious Phoenix Award for National Community Impact 2010. This national award recognizes outstanding revitalization projects based on five criteria: magnitude of the project, innovative techniques, solutions to regulatory and social issues, and impact upon the community.

Piquette Square is a 4 story, 150 unit apartment complex located in Detroit’s New Center area. The structure boasts 11,000 square of feet of common area as well as commercial space on the first level. Developed and managed by Southwest Solutions, Piquette is designed to provide homeless veterans in the City of Detroit with permanent housing as well as a comprehensive offering of supportive services. These services are on-site and include mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment, on-site job training, computer labs, and educational programs.

This project was also a finalist in the National Association of Home Builders Multi-Family Awards for the category of Best Green Building Concepts. This recognition reflected the project's variety of sustainable and energy efficient architectural aspects. Most notably, the facility uses a cutting-edge geothermal heating and cooling system which all but eliminates the requirement for natural gas utilities.

Piquette Square is the second project of its kind in Michigan, and one of the largest of in the United States. Click here to see a photo gallery and learn more about this award winning project.

Renovated by O’Brien Construction Company, Lithuanian Hall is the first building in Detroit to be certified by the prestigous LEED® Green Building Rating System for Core and Shell construction. The building, originally built in the 1920’s, required extensive gutting of the internal structure and complete restoration to historic requirements. Energy efficient systems were utilized throughout the entire renovation design. The beautifully restored Lithuanian Hall now serves as the main corporate offices of Southwest Housing, and also provides prime commercial space along Vernor Highway in southwest Detroit.

LEED is the national benchmark for the design, construction, and operations of high-performance green buildings. The energy efficient systems used in Lithuanian Hall have produced significant energy savings for the building’s owner. The radiant heat system alone has reduced energy consumption by more than 12%. The high ceilings and other design features have generated a total energy savings of about 25%.

O’Brien Construction Company was also awarded the AGC of Michigan Build 2007 Michigan Award for the historic preservation of Lithuanian Hall. Click here to see a photo gallery and read the full story on Lithuanian Hall.

O’Brien Construction Co. was awarded the AGC of Michigan 2009 Build Michigan Award for Gratiot Woods Co-op Apartments in etroit, Michigan.  The award recognizes outstanding Michigan construction projects that represent the best the AGC membership has to offer.

Gratiot Woods Co-op Apartments is a 3-story, 62-unit senior apartment building featuring a cost-efficient yet beautiful design. This structure was built on a formerly dilapidated site and served as the anchor for the revitalization of its Detroit neighborhood.

O’Brien Construction was also nominated for AGC of America’s 2009 Build America Award for this project. The AGC/Aon Build America awards honor AGC members who build the nation's most impressive construction projects ranging across the building, highway and transportation, municipal and utilities, and federal and heavy divisions.

Click here to see a photo gallery of Gratiot Woods Co-op Apartments and learn more about this award winning project.

The Building Industry Association of Southeastern Michigan (BIA) awarded Gardenview Estates the 2009 Development of the Year.

Gardenview Estates is a redevelopment of the Detroit Housing Commission's former Herman Gardens public housing site. The first three phases of this affordable housing project, already completed by O’Brien Construction, included the construction of 93 buildings containing 328 units. A beautiful community clubhouse was also built during phase two.

O'Brien Construction is currently working on a Senior Independent Living Community situated within the Gardenview redevelopment. The award was presented on February 3, 2010 to William Phillips, William Richardson and Dwight Belyue of the Gardenview Development Company, LLC.

O'Brien Construction received the 2008 American Institute of Architects of Detroit Design Honor Award for construction of the Matilda Wilson Aviary Wing at the Detroit Zoological Park in Royal Oak, Michigan.

In the Matilda Wilson Free-Flight Aviary, over 30 species of birds are free to fly, walk, or swim among the cover of lush tropical plants in a warm and inviting climate. This impressive glass-enclosed habitat allows visitors to view birds in a natural setting as they walk along a winding pathway.

The project, built in 1975, earned the Twenty-Five Year Honor Award for a work of enduring quality.  The architect was Luckenbach Ziegelman Architects, PLLC of Ann Arbor and Detroit.   The building is owned by the Detroit Zoological Society and the City of Detroit.

O’Brien Construction was awardedThe Engineering Society of Detroit's Construction and Design Award for the Redford Branch of the Detroit Public Library.

Designed by the architectural firm of Sims-Varner, the Redford Branch houses approximately 150,000 volumes of books and other materials, and is the busiest of all the Detroit Public Library branches on the west side of Detroit. Special features of this branch include a children's storytelling corner, a children's garden and an Internet lab with 17 public-access computer workstations.

The Engineering Society of Detroit’s Construction and Design Awards are among the premier recognitions awarded to members of the construction industry and their projects. These awards are unique in that they honor the three primary members of the building team: owners, designers and constructors—and recognize outstanding team achievement and innovative use of technology.