Jul 16 2015
On June 30, 2015, Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International held The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY) Award Reception and Banquet at the Every Building Conference & Expo in Los Angeles, CA. Eighty-one regional winners from across the United States and Canada competed for top honors in 15 categories honoring excellence in commercial real estate.
Coleman A. Young Municipal Center received top international honors in the government building category after winning first at the local and regional levels. The building property is owned and operated by the Detroit Wayne Joint Building Authority (DWJBA) and managed by Hines/Porcher. Accepting the TOBY award at the Conference were DWJBA Commission Chair Patricia Cole, Commissioner Lugene Nelson and Gregg McDuffee, Executive Director. Commissioner Steve Ogden was not present.
The TOBY Awards are the commercial real estate industry's highest recognition honoring excellence in commercial building management and operations in specific categories of building size or type. To win an International TOBY Award, a property first must win both local and regional competitions. Judging is based on community impact, tenant/employee relations programs, energy management systems, accessibility, emergency evacuation procedures, building personnel training programs and overall quality indicators. A team of expert industry professionals also conducted comprehensive building inspections.
Founded in 1907, BOMA International is a federation of 91 U.S. associations and 17 international affiliates. Its mission is to advance a vibrant commercial real estate industry through advocacy, influence and knowledge.
Originally named the City-County Building, in 1997 the building was renamed the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center after the city of Detroit's 66th and longest serving mayor with 20 years in office. The Coleman A. Young Municipal Center is circa 1955 with 747,000 square feet. DWJBA is the State of Michigan's oldest public authority. The twenty story municipal landmark is home to the city of Detroit's Executive and Legislative branches of government, the Clerk offices for the City of Detroit and Wayne County as well as the Third Judicial Circuit Court and Wayne County Probate Court. An average of four thousand people each day and one million annually visit the municipal center landmark anchoring the hub of the city's Civic Center.