BEST NEW FACILITY

Midtown Marvel

WINNER: HEARST CORP., NEWYORK, NYEntry: Cafe 57The Big Idea: It's not exactly tough to find a good place to grab lunch in Midtown Manhattan, and for an eatery to stand out there it practically has to have its chefs doing cartwheels between the tables. Yet, Hearst Corp., the venerable magazine publishing empire (Esquire, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, etc.), has managed to open a real eye-catcher of an inhouse dining venue, Cafe 57, in its new headquarters building on 57th Street (hence the cafe name).

Cafe 57 is not only visually stunning—the spacious white-marble-floored atrium area floods with natural light from high glass windows and a glass ceiling—but culinarily exquisite, with an array of gourmet-quality food choices offered each day by dining services provider Restaurant Associates. These range from vegetarian and vegan choices, often with organic ingredients, to freshly rolled sushi, authentic ethnic selections and daily specialty dishes from a chef's table. Ecological values are also emphasized, from the free-range chicken and sustainable seafood on the menu to the recycled rainwater that pours down the indoor waterfall adjacent to the cafe. How does it do against its Manhattan competition? Participation at lunch is over 60 percent, and 30 percent at breakfast.

Project Team: Hearst Corp.—Brian Schwagerl (VPReal Estate & Facilities Planning); Restaurant Associates—Julie Sajda (Director of Operations), Charles LaMonica (Senior VP), Michael Gallagher (VP-Culinary), Jayson Brown (Executive Chef); Ira Beer (kitchen design); Arlene Spiegel (foodservice consultant)

Taking Center Stage

WINNER; THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATIEntry: CenterCourt Dining Centerthe Big idea: UC's new Recreational Center complex, of which CenterCourt is a vital component, represents an emphatic response to the challenges facing urban universities by creating a stirring campus gathering place. CenterCourt, with its glass-and-metal design dynamics, undulating metal roof, eye-in-the-sky views (the seating area looks down on the athletic complex basketball courts) and array of four two-station serving islands proferring freshly prepared dishes (courtesy of foodservices provider Aramark) significantly elevates the quality of the dining choices at the university. The serving islands alleviate lunchtime crushes by channeling traffic efficiently through the servery while giving customers over 225 unique entree options each week. CenterCourt has helped UC increase meal plan participation 20 percent and retail customers by 300 percent in its first year.

Project Team: UC Campus Services—Steve Sayers, Ann Sullivan, Todd Duncan, John Hautz; Aramark—Omar Rayan, Spyros Gravas, Janelle Craft; UC Office of the University Architect; Brailsford & Dunlavey, Thom Mayne of Morphosis, KZF, Inc., Ricca Newmark Design (consultants)