Finalists in running for 2024 Design Team of the Year honor

Two projects – an ultramodern church teen center and what may be the nation’s largest jellyfish tank – are squaring off for the Springfield Contractors Association’s 2024 Design Team of the Year award to be announced on Nov. 5 at the 40th annual Salute to Design & Construction banquet.

James River Church commissioned a 26,000-square-foot Youth Center Addition in Ozark as a “third place” between home and school where area children and teens can already be found studying, playing games and socializing, according to project officials.

And coming soon is the Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium Jellyfish Gallery, with a 50-ton tank offering theater-style views for visitors, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.

While church officials were excited to show off the brightly colored youth center, WOW held off on allowing an SBJ photographer to have a peek. The exhibit is not yet open to the public, with a reveal forthcoming upon completion.

Design teams were judged on exterior and interior design, creativity, quality, teamwork and community impact of the project.