2026 Call for Entries

HRACRE invites you to enter projects in the annual HRACRE Excellence in Development Design Awards Program. The entries are judged by five out-of-the-area professionals, and the awards will be presented at the Awards Program on April 16, 2026 at Nauticus in downtown Norfolk! 

MISSION

To identify, encourage and reward excellence in development design in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA).

ELIGIBILITY

• Projects may be submitted for any and as many categories for which they qualify.
• All entries must be sponsored by an HRACRE member.

CRITERIA

• Project must be located in Hampton Roads MSA (counties of Gloucester, Isle of Wight, James City, Mathews, York; cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg; North Carolina counties of Currituck and Gates).
• Certificate of occupancy must be dated after January 1, 2021.
  (Conceptual projects must be completed on or after January 1, 2021).
  
• Projects may be submitted in multiple categories; each project must be submitted as an individual entry.

**CATEGORIES

Please use discretion regarding category selection. Understand, if they believe it is merited, judges reserve the right to move submissions to a different category, and have the discretion to not award, as well. Our judges panel consists of 5 professionals residing outside Hampton Roads. They are in no way affiliated with HRACRE other than sitting on this panel for our annual Design Awards Program.  A project may be submitted to multiple categories. 

• BEST COMMERCIAL / OFFICE  BUILDING
• BEST INDUSTRIAL BUILDING
  
• BEST CONCEPTUAL PROJECT
  (Project must be un-built)
• BEST EDUCATIONAL BUILDING
  (K-12 Schools, Universities, Daycare Centers)
• BEST HEALTHCARE PROJECT
  (Hospitals, Clinics, Doctor Offices, Medical Office Buildings, Assisted Living, etc.)
• BEST INSTITUTIONAL / PUBLIC BUILDING
  (Government, State, Federal, Churches, Libraries, Community Centers, Museums, etc.)
• BEST INTERIOR
• BEST LANDSCAPE PROJECT
• BEST MASTER PLANNED DEVELOPMENT
  
• BEST MULTI-FAMILY / COMMERCIAL HOUSING PROJECT
  (Apartments, Condominiums, Club Houses, etc.)
• BEST RECREATION / ENTERTAINMENT / HOSPITALITY PROJECT
  (Hotels, Resorts, Theaters, Sports Complexes, etc.) 
• BEST RENOVATED OR HISTORIC REHABILITATION PROJECT
• BEST RESTAURANT / EATERY / BAR
  
• BEST RETAIL BUILDING
  (Wholesale Showrooms, Malls, Shopping Complexes, etc.)
• BEST SMALL PROJECT
  (Projects under 10,000 square feet)
  
• BEST SUSTAINABLE  PROJECT
  (WELL Building, Fitwell, Living Building Challenge, LEED, Active Design, Sustainability, etc.; Can include buildings, sites, parks,etc, which may or may not have certifications.)
  
  

ENTRY FEES

• Each submission requires an entry fee of $275.00 payable by Friday, October 24th, 2025.  All entry fees are non-refundable and not transferable.
  
• After you fill out the form below and click Submit you will be presented with steps to process entry fee(s) either by credit card or check payment. If you want to mail payment, print a copy of the invoice after check out and send in with a check to the address on the invoice by Friday, October 24th, 2025

IMPORTANT DATES

• Complete the entry form below and submit entry fee by Friday, October 24th, 2025
• An email will be sent after submitting an entry, with a link to the "Submittal Page" for project information and file uploads.
  
• The submission deadline for project entries is Thursday, November 13, 2025. 
• The awards will be presented at the Design Awards Program on April 16, 2026 at Nauticus in downtown Norfolk. 

**Jurors have the right to re-categorize any entry, and the discretion to not award, as well.