Leopardo Construction is proud to announce that the Downers Grove Civic Center has been honored with a 2026 Chicago Building Congress (CBC) Merit Award, recognizing the project team’s commitment to innovation, collaboration and construction excellence. The CBC Merit Awards have celebrated outstanding projects across the Chicagoland region since 1956.
Developed in partnership with FGM Architects, the new 80,900-square-foot civic center serves as a modern municipal hub for the Village of Downers Grove, the Downers Grove Police Department and Downers Grove School District 58. Located adjacent to the BNSF Metra rail line within an active downtown campus, the project required extensive coordination and phased construction planning to maintain uninterrupted municipal and public safety operations throughout construction.
The two-story facility was designed to strengthen community connection and government transparency while creating a highly functional and sustainable civic destination. The project includes council chambers, training rooms, public gathering spaces, an accessible roof garden, shared fitness amenities, a public plaza, and advanced police department facilities, including a firing range, sally port, evidence lab, and detention areas. Sustainable features such as photovoltaic panels, permeable paving systems, and high-performance building materials contribute to significant operational and environmental efficiencies.
“The Downers Grove Civic Center is a reflection of what can be accomplished when strong partnerships, thoughtful planning and a shared commitment to the community come together,” said Leigh McMillen, executive vice president of operations at Leopardo. “This project required an extraordinary level of collaboration between our project teams, trade partners, the Village of Downers Grove and FGM Architects. We are honored to see that effort recognized by the Chicago Building Congress.”
The project has already received significant industry recognition, including a 2024 CISCO Project of the Year Award and a 2025 Downers Grove Economic Development Corporation Cornerstone Award.
“From the earliest stages of preconstruction through final completion, the team remained focused on delivering a civic facility that would serve the community for generations,” said Jeff Montanari, project executive at Leopardo. “Working on an active municipal campus next to a busy rail corridor presented unique challenges, but through proactive communication, detailed coordination and trusted partnerships, we delivered a project the entire community can be proud of.”
The recognition further reinforces Leopardo’s continued leadership in delivering complex municipal and community-focused projects throughout the region. Building on this momentum, Leopardo recently was selected as the Construction Manager for the new Elmhurst Police Station project, continuing the firm’s long-standing commitment to helping communities modernize critical public safety infrastructure through innovative, relationship-driven construction solutions.
