517 W Main Wins SEAOI Excellence in Structural Engineering Award

Forefront Structural Engineers is proud to announce that 517 W Main Street has been awarded the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois (SEAOI) Excellence in Structural Engineering Award in the category of Best Project – Up to $10 Million.

Located in Madison, Wisconsin, the four-story, 33-unit apartment building represents a new approach to missing-middle housing. Developed in collaboration with Neutral, the project combines cross laminated timber (CLT) floor panels with prefabricated load-bearing cold-formed steel wall panels in a structural system that, to our knowledge, was the first of its kind to be constructed.

The award recognizes projects that demonstrate exceptional achievement in structural engineering through innovation, technical excellence, and collaboration. For Forefront, 517 W Main embodies all three, showcasing how a carefully developed structural system can improve constructability, sustainability, and the overall quality of urban housing.

What makes 517 W Main unique is not simply the materials used, but the way the structural system informed the entire design. Early in the process, Forefront worked with the project team to establish a standardized 12-foot grid that optimized CLT panel spans while providing the flexibility needed to accommodate varying apartment layouts, preserve an existing mature street tree, and create a public plaza that strengthens the connection to the neighborhood.

The result is a highly adaptable kit-of-parts approach that can be applied across a wide range of urban infill sites. By standardizing key structural elements, the project accelerated design and construction without sacrificing architectural quality or site responsiveness.

A few weeks before the awards ceremony, Forefront Senior Project Engineer John Pawlak Bodett presented the project to the SEAOI judging panel. His presentation focused on how the structural system became the foundation for the project's broader goals of sustainability, constructability, and housing affordability.

John highlighted how the prefabricated wall panels and CLT floor system allowed the above-grade structure to be erected by a small crew in just a few weeks. Because the same trade installed both the wall and floor panels, construction was simplified, eliminating the need to switch trades between floors and walls and helping accelerate enclosure of the building.

The presentation also emphasized the project's environmental benefits. Mass timber serves as the primary structural material, reducing reliance on more carbon-intensive systems while storing carbon within the building itself. Equally important, the structure remains exposed throughout much of the building, allowing residents to experience the warmth and character of the timber while celebrating the structural system rather than concealing it behind finish materials.

Perhaps most importantly, 517 W Main demonstrates that prefabrication and efficiency do not have to come at the expense of beauty. Through careful coordination between the design team, contractor, and local craftspeople, the project balances modern construction methods with thoughtful architectural expression, including a handcrafted brick façade that connects the building to its neighborhood context.

The SEAOI Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards recognize projects that advance the practice of structural engineering through innovation, technical achievement, and collaboration. We are honored to have 517 W Main included among this year's recognized projects and grateful to our partners at Neutral, Sala Hars, C.D. Smith, and the many individuals who helped bring this vision to life.

The awards ceremony was held at Goose Island Barrel House in Chicago, bringing together structural engineers, industry partners, and project teams from across the region to celebrate outstanding work in the profession. Members of the Forefront team were honored to attend alongside colleagues and collaborators, making the evening an opportunity not only to recognize innovative projects, but also to reconnect with peers and celebrate the collective effort behind great design. We are grateful to SEAOI for hosting a memorable event and enjoyed spending the evening with the many professionals who continue to advance the structural engineering industry.

As housing challenges continue to grow in cities across the country, projects like 517 W Main demonstrate how structural engineering can help create solutions that are efficient, sustainable, scalable, and inspiring. We believe this typology has the potential to influence future housing development and look forward to continuing to push the boundaries of what structural systems can achieve.

Developer: Neutral Studios

Architect: Sala Hars

Contractor: CD Smith