Prestwick STEM Academy Wins Prestigious ULI North Texas Impact Award

Little Elm IS’s Prestwick K-8 STEM Academy, located within The Tribute development in The Colony, won the Urban Land Institute’s Impact Award for Influence last Tuesday evening.

The 2nd annual Impact Awards ceremony, recognizing competitive urban design and project development in four categories: Innovation, Influence, Public Places and The Next Big Idea,was held on Tuesday, March 29. The sold-out event for 700 people took place at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in the Chantilly Ballroom.

“A big congratulations to our Impact Awards winners – Prestwick STEM Academy, Old Parkland Campus, Tarrant County College Trinity East Campus and North Texas to Houston High Speed Rail,” said Michael Jackson, board chair of the Urban Land Institute’s North Texas Council.

The Influence Award is presented to a project, policy or program that creates a positive impact beyond its immediate borders or catalyzes the development of the surrounding community, resulting in a lasting effect on the built environment. In addition, the Influence Award often recognizes successful public/private collaboration leading to influential result, is the first of its kind and a positive impact in the market area.

“The creation of the Community Benefit Fund by The Tribute Owner’s Association to assist with $4 million in maintenance and operational expenses for the LEISD STEM Academy, along with the establishment of TIRZ #2 which has funded over $2 million for streets surrounding the school, were the catalysts of the unique public/private partnership between the developer, the city of The Colony and Little Elm ISD,” said Kristian Teleki, Senior Vice President of Matthews Southwest, the developer of The Tribute.

A Visioning Committee for this unprecedented $18.1 million school, which opened in the fall of 2014, removed traditional barriers, transforming the concept of an elementary/secondary campus to a learning environment that promotes individual discovery, learner ownership, and collaboration.

A jury of five distinguished members of the Urban Land Institute, chosen from a variety of real estate disciplines and from cities throughout the U.S., selected the and winners for the ULI North Texas Impact Awards program. In the Influence category, Prestwick STEM Academy was honored not only to have won the award, but just to be in the running alongside some of the most prestigious and large-scale projects in the cities of Plano, Frisco, and Dallas, as well as innovative new urban projects in Lancaster and along the Trinity River.

Regarding Prestwick STEM Academy, jury members commented, “This is such an impressive partnership with a truly beneficial result. It has been a catalyst for enhancing the value of the neighborhood and will be a focal point for years to come.”