The finalists for the 2011 Gold Nugget awards have just been announced and 4th & U in Berkeley has received an Award of Merit in the mixed use category. The $40 million project was built by SCM Construction Management Services, Inc. (SCM-CMS) for Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESS) and designed by San Francisco firm Christiani Johnson Architects. The 171-unit complex encompasses retail shops and a podium parking structure in the historic University area of Berkeley, CA.

The Gold Nugget Awards is the oldest and most prestigious design awards in the United States, recognizing those who improve communities through exceptional concepts in design, planning, and development. The awards are open to builders, developers, architects, and land planners with projects in the United States and all international countries. Awards of Merit were chosen this year from over 400 entries. Grand Award trophies will emerge from Awards of Merit winners at the 2011 Gold Nugget Awards luncheon on June 23rd at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.