"Our client, GSA, actually submitted us for the award at the end of 2004, but we just found out we had won," a spokeswoman for Oz tells GlobeSt.com. In addition to recycling 941 tons of concrete-40 truckloads-for usein new construction, the renovation introduced energy measures that will save the government about $75,000 annually on natural gas and $100,000 on electric bills.

In 2002 and 2003, GSA oversaw an exterior makeover by a team including OZ Architecture, OZ Product Delivery Services Lantz-BoggioArchitects, DRG Construction, and Centerre Construction Inc.

The renovation was needed after severe weathering caused pieces of the building's façade to fall off and windows popped in or out. The project included 4,000 façade repairs and replacement of 1,500 windows with energy-efficient glass.

The building, which houses 1,000 employees of the Bureau of Reclamation andother agencies, remained open during construction. To minimize noise anddisruption, this was accomplished with day-night shifts under 24-hoursupervision directed by OZ PDS.

"This project should become the model for how we work together in thefuture," said Elizabeth Cordova-Harrison, regional director of the Bureau ofReclamation, when the building was dedicated in June 2003.

"The renovation addressed Building 67's problems while respecting the original architecture," says architect Linda Purcell, a project manager and senior associate with OZ Architecture. "Thanks to the renovation, plazas and outdoor spaces (which were roped off for years) are now open for tenants to enjoy."

HOK Inc. of St. Louis originally designed the 14-story Building 67, which opened on April 26, 1967, and was declared a landmark of Modern architecture in the region. Last year, Oz also completed a $43 million renovation of Building 25 at the Denver Federal Center, a 640-acre, 90-building campus.