Awards for Excellence
Since 1995, the ULI Atlanta Awards for Excellence program has recognized outstanding real estate development projects or initiatives that exemplify ULI’s global mission to shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide. The program identifies and promotes best practices in all types of real estate development and land use.
Who is Eligible:
Private sector, public sector, and nonprofit projects are eligible for the ULI Atlanta Awards for Excellence. The Awards are open to ULI members and non-members with projects located within Georgia. All applications will be evaluated by a distinguished jury of ULI members, representing all major segments of the industry. The jury will consider how a development demonstrates leadership, innovation, market success, sustainability, resilience, and meets the current and future needs of its surrounding community.
Award Eligibility Requirements & Criteria
• Have received a Certificate of Occupancy between the dates of February 2023 – February 2025;
• Be in stabilized operation;
• Exemplify a sustainable model;
• Have achieved market acceptance;
• Achieve a high standard of excellence in all areas – i.e. Design, Construction, Economics, Marketing and Management.
The jury will consider how each development demonstrates leadership, innovation, market success, sustainability, resilience, and meets the current and future needs of its surrounding community. Every project will be evaluated with the consideration of how the work fits in within ULI’s Mission Priorities.
Over the years, the program has evolved and acknowledges the latest advancements in real estate development including the full development process of a project—construction, design, economic viability, marketing, and management. An Awards jury representing unique expertise, perspectives, and skillsets across the built environment evaluates projects based on alignment with ULI mission priorities, market acceptance, execution and leadership, and positive community impact.
The traditional Awards for Excellence categories such as office and mixed-use development, market-rate and affordable housing, adaptive reuse, and civic and institutional development – ULI Atlanta also recognizes projects that exemplify and embody tenants of ULI’s global mission such as community-focused public realm characterized by equity and parks, open space, and equitable development and projects that address the built environment’s role in reaching net zero.
In addition, ULI Atlanta recognizes outstanding people through its Industry Impact Award and Community Impact Award.
- The Industry Impact Award, formerly known as the Frank Carter Award, is given to an individual in the field of real estate development or related area such as finance, planning, or design who has made an outstanding contribution in their lifetime to the metropolitan Atlanta region. The very first individual awarded this distinction was Tom Cousins in 1995. Over the years has been awarded to AJ Land, John Portman, Lawrence and Mary Gellerstedt, Chip Davidson, and Noel Khalil (posthumously) in 2022. David Allman was most recently honored in 2023.
- The Community Impact Award, formerly known as the Dan & Tally Sweat Community Leadership Award is given to a leader within the non-profit or public sector who has significantly contributed to promoting responsible land use in the metropolitan Atlanta region. The very first Dan & Tally Sweat Award was presented to Renee Glover in 1998 for her leadership at the Atlanta Housing Authority. Over the years Award winners including folks like Keith Parker for his role at MARTA, Marcia Bansley for her leadership at Trees Atlanta and making sure Atlanta remains a ‘city in a park’, Dennis Creech for the sustainability legacy of SouthFace, and AJ Robinson for his steadfast commitment for creating and sustaining a thriving Central Business District for our region. Our last Dan & Talley Sweat Community Leadership Award winner was Bill Bolling for his fight against food insecurity at the Atlanta Community Food Bank.
Showcasing the 27th Awards for Excellence winners below.
