Also awarded Best New Hospitality Project for its work at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Columbus Business First has announced the recipients of its 3rd Annual Building Columbus Awards. Established in 2023, these awards recognize notable newly constructed projects within the Columbus area. New Albany 75, a 1.2 million square-foot, build-to-suit facility, has been named one of the best new industrial projects. Pepper Construction was the contractor on this project, with VanTrust Real Estate as the developer. In addition, the North America Trek Phase 1 at the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium was named Best New Hospitality Project. Pepper was the lead contractor on this project, as well.
"We are deeply honored to receive recognition from Business First for our participation in the New Albany 75 project, and the renovations we made to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium," said Paul Francois, president of Pepper Construction Oho. "New Albany 75 was a unique challenge. Delivering a facility of this size – the largest building in the New Albany International Business Park – pushed major logistical challenges, but we were able to complete construction on schedule. We are also proud of the Zoo renovations, which will enhance the visitor experience for generations to come."
New Albany 75 was built as a modern logistics facility for DSV, a global leader in logistics and supply chain services, and tailored to meet their complex requirements. It features 120 dock doors (with space for 120 more), four drive-in doors,105 trailer parking spots, and 389 car parking spaces – all within a 135-foot court depth and 40-foot clear height. The building includes an ESFR sprinkler system and a jointless PrimX concrete slab, which is 50 percent stronger than conventional slabs. It also earned LEED Silver certification for sustainability, combining advanced automation support with energy-efficient, low-carbon materials.
"New Albany 75 presented a specific set of challenges due to its scale, complexity, and high-performance requirements," said Phil Rasey, executive vice president of VanTrust Columbus, and the developer of New Albany 75. "As a build-to-suit project, precision in design, construction, and coordination was critical. Pepper Construction understood the requirements and was instrumental in delivering the type of facility that DSV required. We couldn't have picked a better construction partner."
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium project, winner of the Best New Hospitality Project, marked the first stage of renovations in the Zoo's North America region, the oldest section that was built in the 1980s. The project introduced new habitats for river otters, bald eagles, black bears, Mexican wolves, and an aviary for trumpeter swans and songbirds. Infrastructure and pathways were also updated.
"Renovating the Zoo's oldest area was especially rewarding," noted Francois. "The project highlighted preserving America's wild spaces and created new habitats for native species, enhancing both visitor experience and animal welfare. We also upgraded infrastructure and pathways without closing that part of the Zoo."
Business First's Building Columbus Awards acknowledged 25 notable projects across nine categories. The award recipients were honored at a special reception on September 9th and will be profiled in the September 12th edition of Business First.
About Pepper Construction
Now in their fourth generation of family leadership, Pepper Construction serves clients across the country with comprehensive teams in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin. Ranked by ENR (Engineering News Report) magazine as one of the top builders of sustainable projects in the nation, Pepper serves clients in a variety of markets such as aerospace, healthcare, science and technology, education, manufacturing and industrial, data centers, entertainment, hospitality and interiors, among others. Pepper's High Performance and Sustainable Construction group is part of their Integrated Construction Services (ICS) team, which represents some of the most advanced thought leadership in our industry — investigating new technologies, evaluating new methodologies and integrating innovative solutions in the field. For more information, please visit www.pepperconstruction.com.
Media Contact
Marcy Fleisher, Team Fleisher Communications, 1 6143970032, [email protected], https://www.teamfleisher.com/
SOURCE Team Fleisher Communications
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