HONOLULU, Hawaii (Aug. 23, 2025) - In a dazzling repeat of excellence, Nordic PCL Construction has once again claimed the coveted Grand Prize at the 2025 Build Hawaii Awards hosted by the General Contractors Association of Hawaii. This marks the second consecutive year NPCL has taken home the top honor, reinforcing a reputation as a powerhouse in Hawaii’s construction industry.
The King Kalakaua Plaza project earned the GCA 2025 Grand Prize for its exceptional transformation of a structurally limited retail building into an eight-story Marriott Vacation Club resort. Originally a four-story commercial structure with underground parking, the building was never designed to support additional floors. Yet, through advanced structural analysis, lightweight concrete, and a custom tower crane anchored to the existing foundation, the team achieved the expansion without full demolition — saving time and over $1 million in costs. This ambitious retrofit was made possible by a two-year preconstruction phase that fostered seamless collaboration between designers, engineers and contractors.
One of the project’s most impressive feats was its innovative response to Waikiki’s high-water table. Removing upper floors risked making the basement buoyant, so the team flooded the B2 level with over one million gallons of fresh water to counteract uplift forces — a solution more practical than sandbags, CMU blocks or even surplus rental cars. Despite the challenges of working in a submerged environment, structural retrofits proceeded on schedule using pre-installed shoring and daily paddleboard inspections. The project not only overcame complex geotechnical and logistical hurdles, but did so without disrupting the surrounding community, setting a new benchmark for adaptive reuse in urban hospitality development.
But the accolades didn’t stop there. Nordic PCL led all general contractors in total awards this year, securing an impressive three Excellence Awards and one Honorable Mention — the most by any general contractor in the competition. These honors reflect Nordic PCL’s continued commitment to innovation, craftsmanship and community impact across a diverse portfolio of projects.
Winning the Grand Prize: More Than Just a Good Write-Up
Securing the Grand Prize is no small feat. It demands far more than a compelling submission — it requires the perfect alignment of a standout project, a high-performing team, a strategic and successful execution approach and a meaningful connection to the community.
About PCL Construction
PCL is a group of independent construction companies that operates throughout the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Australia. As one of the largest contracting organizations in North America, PCL completes more than $8 billion USD in work annually, building projects that shape communities. The company’s 100% employee ownership model fuels a culture of commitment for clients in the buildings, civil infrastructure, heavy industrial and solar markets. With a strategic presence in more than 30 major centers, PCL’s leadership teams consistently drive innovation and set new benchmarks for excellence, bringing unparalleled skill to every project. Watch us build at PCL.com.