Nor-Son Earns National Awards of Excellence from Associated Builders and Contractors

Friday, September 18, 2009:

Nor-Son, Inc.’s work on the Anderson French Chateau in Nisswa, Minn., has earned the company an  Eagle Award in the Residential – Single Family Projects category of ABC’s Excellence in Construction Awards.  In Commercial  - $1-5 Million category, Nor-Son received a Pyramid Award for the Bay Lake Church Camp in Deerwood, MN.  Nor-son representatives received the awards during the 19th annual Excellence in Construction Awards celebration at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The Excellence in Construction awards program is the industry’s leading competition, developed to honor innovative and high-quality merit shop construction projects and safety programs. The award honors all construction team members, including the contractor, owner, architect and engineer. The winning projects, selected from entries submitted from across the nation, were judged on complexity, attractiveness, unique challenges overcome, completion time, workmanship, innovation, safety and cost.

The Anderson Chateau was precisely crafted with antique hand-hewn oak beams, Wisconsin stone, seven masonry fireplaces and high-end finishes that conceal a sprinkler system and remote-controlled electrical, mechanical and security systems. Standing as a tribute for future generations, the home showcases incomparable craftsmanship with minimal impact to the environment.  


In conquering the many unique challenges of a small site, limited design, old-world materials and precise craftsmanship, Nor-Son, Inc. has created a building that stands a testament of time.


“ABC congratulates Nor-Son for its exceptional work on the Anderson French Chateau,” said Kirk Pickerel, ABC president and CEO. “This project is an outstanding example of the innovation and commitment to superior craftsmanship that embody merit shop construction. It is a pleasure to honor this project with the association’s top construction excellence award.”  

As the Design/Builder for Bay Lake Church Camp, Nor-Son transformed the camping facilities into a rustic camping experience with updated amenities and modern conveniences that reflect the camps valued tradition to connect with nature.  This 72-acre island was donated to a Lutheran church in St. Paul in the early 1900’s.  In 1926 the first 145 campers arrived from Minneapolis for the Fourth of July weekend.  Ever since this time, the 72-acre island has been called Church Island.  With all its natural beauty and character, the island is an important component of Bay Lake.  Only a small portion of the island is currently developed with facilities used for the camp.  Tall stands of oak, birch, pine, cedar and maple blanket the land down to the undisturbed 8,000 feet of shoreline. Nor-Son’s ability to meet the challenges of working on an island location during summer and winter months while preserving the aquatic environment was an example of construction excellence.

Materials and crew were transported by barge when open water was feasible or over ice during the winter.  Scheduling and safety were critical for the success of this project.
A panel of industry experts served as the competition’s judges. This year's panel included representatives from the Design-Build Institute of America, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Surety & Fidelity Association of America, Engineering News-Record and representatives from higher education, among others.

 

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