Pair of Halff Projects Recognized in ENR’s Regional Best Project Awards

November 18, 2021

Kalahari Resort & Convention Center

Two Halff Associates, Inc. (Halff) projects were recognized as Best Project awards in Texas/Louisiana by Engineering News-Record.

Kalahari Resort & Convention Center in Round Rock, Texas, was honored as the Best Residential/Hospitality project. Additionally, an Award of Merit in the Small Project (under $10 million) category was issued for the EpicCentral PlayGrand Adventures in Grand Prairie, Texas.

Halff, one of the nation’s leading engineering/architecture consulting firms, provided surveying, civil engineering design, permitting and construction phase services for the development of the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center. The resort includes a 975-room family resort, indoor water park, family entertainment center and convention center. The project sits on a portion of a 350-acre tract across the street from the Dell Diamond on E. Palm Valley Drive. HKS Architects served as the prime consultant, while Hensel Phelps Construction Company served as the general contractor.

Halff worked with the City of Grand Prairie to develop the 172-acre EpicCentral project along State Highway 161. PlayGrand Adventures was recently featured as a model for an all-inclusive kids playground in the recent edition of Parks & Recreation magazine. The playground—designed to stimulate, challenge and encourage development of several skill sets while providing social interaction, sense of discovery, creativity and exercise—is for children of all abilities to play on ADA-accessible equipment. TBG Partners served as the prime consultant, while Hill & Wilkinson served as the general contractor.

playground at Epic CentralEpicCentral PlayGrand Adventures playground

Halff Associates has collected eight project awards in 2021. Other award winners include the French Creek Natural Channel Restoration and Flood Control Project (APWA Texas Chapter Public Works Project of the Year – $5 million to $25 million), City of Pearland Multi-Modal Master Plan (APA Texas – Transportation Planning Gold), City of Temple Comprehensive Plan 2020 (Central Texas Section of the APA – Comprehensive Plan Award), State Highway 249 Toll Road (APWA Texas Chapter – Public Works Project of the Year – Transportation greater than $75 million), Sutton Creek Sewer Reconstruction (APWA Texas Chapter Public Works Project of the Year – Environmental less than $2 million and Walter E. Long Park Vision Plan (Texas ALSA Merit Award).

About the Firm

Halff is an award-winning, employee-owned, diverse and multidiscipline professional engineering and architecture firm. For more than 70 years, Halff has provided innovative solutions for clients throughout the United States. Halff is committed to the purpose of improving lives and communities by turning ideas into reality by continuously investing in its employees and fostering a culture of collaboration.

Halff has 28 offices in Arkansas, Florida, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas. The firm is ranked No. 97 by Engineering News-Record. Halff is the No. 10 Top Workplace nationally in 2022 as ranked by Energage for businesses with 1,000 to 2,499 employees.

For more information about Halff, visit halff.com.