40 Years of Aiming High

Founded in 1985, Steel Encounters has excelled in fabricating and installing stunning glass curtain wall systems on prominent high-rise buildings in downtown Salt Lake.
By Brad Fullmer

Steel Encounters' Executive Leadership team consists of (Left to right): Brad Hardy, President; Brian Tlustosch, Executive VP: Tom Jackson, Chairman/CEO; Michael Rudge, CFO.

Asked what makes Steel Encounters, Inc. (SE) special as the company marks its 40th anniversary this year, Chairman/CEO Tom Jackson recalled a story from the fall of 2016 that illustrates the firm's commitment to fulfilling client expectations. 

The project required the installation of exquisite bronze entrance doors on the Main Street side  of the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City. The client wanted the doors installed in time for Thanksgiving.


Manufactured by Jamestown, N.Y.-based Dawson, the high-end custom doors were highly labor intensive, requiring a five-month lead time. By early October, it seemed unlikely the doors would be finished in time. Jackson had worked with Dawson on previous projects and had a solid relationship with them, so he flew to New York to see if he could expedite the manufacturing process.


Jackson requested to speak to the union craftsmen, praising them for their skill and expertise on past jobs, and then explaining his dilemma of having a client really wanting the doors installed in time for Thanksgiving. He left the meeting and flew home thinking the trip was a failure and that the doors likely would not be delivered in time. On Nov. 1, Jackson astonishingly got a call from Dawson's GM saying the doors were ready to be shipped. 


"The GM told me, 'Whatever you told them, they were highly motivated to help your customer and did everything it took to finish the work.’ The doors were installed by Thanksgiving," said Jackson. "This is the beauty of good relationships. Just a little bit of acknowledgment to these guys, and they knocked out the work. I could share many stories of our employees and business partners, the general contractors, superintendents, project managers, and vendors partnering to resolve problems and deliver a favorable outcome. It is important to care about each other’s mutual success to get the job done." 


As Steel Encounters celebrates 40 years and hundreds of successful projects, it's operating like a well-oiled machine, firing on all cylinders, and achieving success at record levels on an array of impressive projects while completing $3.4 billion in contracts since its inception, including $1.2 billion from 2020-24.   


"We're blessed to have longevity and 40 years of profitability," said Jackson, a 29-year company veteran, about the four-decade milestone. "There were some lean years, but Steel Encounters has generated a yearly profit. We don't take it for granted."


Roots Grounded in Hard Work, Willingness to Innovate Leads to Expertise in High-Rise Projects

Now in its fourth iteration of leadership, Steel Encounters boasts 250 employees at locations in in five states, including its Salt Lake headquarters, along with offices in Seattle (Architectural and Structural Divisions), Portland (Structural Division), Boise, Idaho (Architectural and Structural Divisions), and Jacksonville, Ark. (Structural Division). 


The company was founded in October 1985 by Dennis Peterson and Billy Moore, with Fred Tannenbaum joining a year later to create a formidable trio. Peterson and Moore had worked together a few years at Salt Lake-based Associated Specialties (a construction products supplier) , which by the mid-80s was tanking, leading the pair to start Steel Encounters.


Despite a rough economic market in construction, they were bullish on their chances of success. 


"We were advised not to go into business at that time, but we knew what we were doing," said Peterson, 78, a southside Chicago-native who moved to Utah in 1977 to ski and escape the big city. "We were a great team. I was on the design side (he earned a Bachelor of Structural Engineering from the University of Dayton), Billy provided detailing services, Fred did sales and accounting—it was a good combination. We offered design-build information and worked with engineers to make jobs more efficient by offering more economical alternatives." 


The company was initially just a materials supplier, primarily open web steel joist and metal decking products. Within three years Associated had folded, and Steel Encounters picked up some key people, prompting it to diversify into architectural products including glass/glazing and building exteriors. 


"We gradually acquired the right people and developed the architectural side," said Peterson. Ira Field, a structural engineer and friend of Tannenbaum, was hired in 1988 to spearhead the Architectural Division. Field "took the division a long way. We were getting into some heavy architectural products that required specific engineering, and he was the perfect guy for it."


The second wave of leadership included Peterson, Field, and Bob Dern, overseeing significant company growth through the 90s. Jackson came on board in 1996, having cut his teeth in the industry as a union glazing contractor in Seattle in 1982, traveling to 11 states over six years. He met his wife, Susie, and they ultimately settled in Utah with Jackson working for a competitor a few years before being recruited as a Project Manager by Field. 


Field skillfully guided the firm into the high-rise market, initially landing Salt Lake-based projects the Gateway Tower in 1997, Grand America Hotel in 2000, and 222 Main in 2006. 


Jackson quickly proved his mettle managing high-profile jobs including Gateway Tower, Rice-Eccles Stadium Expansion at the University of Utah, and the Juan Diego Catholic School Campus in Draper. 


The company grew consistently during the 2000s, even weathering the great recession from 2008-2010 in part by landing significant work on the $2 billion City Creek Center in Salt Lake and the giant NSA Data Center in Bluffdale.


"Our success, I can flatly say, is because we hired the right people," said Peterson. "Without the right people, the company wouldn't be where it is now. We had a great team; they still have a great team."


Jackson said the firm's attention to detail includes direct communication with all team members, beginning with manufacturers. He served as Construction Manager in 2008 when 222 Main started and insisted on a detailed QA/QC plan from each manufacturer while meeting with personnel directly to ensure the highest quality product. 


"It's so important to know the people making these products for us," he said. 


Since then, Steel Encounters has thrived in the high-rise glass curtain wall market, with an enviable 25+ year run of skyline-busting projects. The list includes Utah Valley Medical Center, 95 South Temple, City Creek Condos, the Regent, 111 Main, 95 State, Liberty Sky Apartments, Hyatt Regency Hotel, the Worthington, and the 40-story Astra Tower—the tallest building in Utah at a whopping 450 ft.


"It's a highlight to see the city skyline develop—we've been a big part of that change," said Brad Hardy, a 20-year veteran at Steel Encounters named President/COO in January, having formerly been Executive Vice President of the Structural Division. 


A list of standout past projects beyond skyscrapers includes Intermountain Medical Center in Murray (one of 15 Intermountain Healthcare projects since 2000), Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake, Adobe Corporate Campus in Lehi, George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater in Salt Lake, the Salt Lake City Airport Redevelopment, and Mountain America Credit Union HQ in Sandy. Current projects include the North Capitol Building in Salt Lake and the new Salt Lake Bee's Stadium in South Jordan. 


"As I look at our projects, every job brings a flood of memories—the challenges, the difficulties," said Jackson. "Our goal is to make the difficult look easy." Projects like the high-rises and City Creek Center pay dividends in helping attract the best and brightest in the exterior facade industry. 


"When recruiting, I take people through City Creek, a highly engineered, sophisticated project with glass, motorized doors, the bridge, the cable inlet walls. It helps them see our impact. It's fun for me," said Jackson. 

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Steel Encounters has excelled in the fabrication and installation of all-glass curtain wall exterior systems in the past 15 years, including 95 State in Salt lake City and the Nu Skin Innovation Center in Provo.  Crews utilize specialized equipment with huge suction cups to lift huge pieces into place. (All photos courtesy Steel Encounters, except where indicated)

Multiple Divisions, Fabrication Shop Spur Diversity, Broad Market Reach

Steel Encounters added offices in Seattle (in 2004) and Boise (in 2024) to extend the reach of the Architectural and Structural Divisions. The Special Projects department was added in 2015. Each division has an array of in-house engineering, fabrication, logistics, quality assurance, safety, and project management specialists. 


The Architectural Division creates beautiful building envelopes, including dazzling glass curtain walls, durable cladding systems, storefronts, and operable glass partitions, among other exterior finishes. 


The Structural Division provides steel joist and deck materials throughout the U.S. and has a reputation for helping clients streamline projects. With an average of more than 600 commercial construction projects completed annually, it is well-versed in efficiently delivering the highest-quality products and services. 


The Special Projects team focuses on unique specialty projects, including luxury residential homes, houses of worship, temples, tenant improvements, and post-construction services and maintenance. In addition, Steel Encounters' fabrication shop has been a major success since it opened at the end of 2014, with employees immediately showing off their chops by fabricating the curtain wall system for 111 Main in downtown Salt Lake. 


Leadership Transition;ESOP Aims to Optimize Employee Wealth 

Peterson retired in 2015, and Field followed in 2019, leading to Steel Encounters' third generation of leadership, including Jackson, Pam Foote, Peter Hatton, Derek Losee, Shauna Christofferson, and Dan Tibbitts. Each contributed mightily to the firm's progress from 2020-2024.


Last year, Hardy was installed as President/COO, while Jackson retained the role of Chairman/CEO. In addition, Michael Rudge was named CFO in 2020, and Brian Tlustosch became Executive VP of the Structural Division this year.


Steel Encounters began its ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) journey in 2015 and became 100% employee-owned in 2023. Jackson is particularly excited about this program, as it gives each of SE's 250 employees more "skin in the game" and an opportunity to accumulate greater wealth and prosperity during their careers. It also benefits the firm via increased loyalty and employee incentives to maximize quality and productivity. 


"[ESOP] helps us generate employee wealth," said Jackson. "As you can tell, I'm excited about our people. Our employees work hard because they love the company they own." 


Jackson sets the standard for establishing a forward-thinking culture with positive encouragement and praise when a job is done well. The firm emphasizes employee growth and happiness and rolls out the red carpet for new hires with their name on the door, a swag bag, a laptop, and business cards ready to go on day one. 


"What that all says to a new hire is, 'We've been expecting you, and we're looking forward to working with you', "said Jackson.


"I love visiting the fabrication facility and seeing our craftworkers. The sounds of the shop and visiting with the employees make me happy," said Jackson. “My other happy place is at the job sites—the field and shop guys are my jam. My early career as a glazier created a bond between us. I am proud of them. It's going to be hard for me to retire."


"I've never worked with anybody that is so engaged with not just the success, but making sure people are safe—that's what makes Tom a good leader," said Hardy. "Tom has a CEO mindset—he's always looking at the big picture on how to make Steel Encounters, our employees, and our customers successful." 


Hardy also echoed the company's focus on employees and a culture that fosters loyalty, hard work, and a genuine appreciation for co-workers.



"It's more than just a job—you spend so much time together, it's like a work family," he added. "You can't do that without a culture that makes people want to come to work." 


Steel Encounters Significant Projects


Year Project Location

1997 The Gateway Tower Salt Lake City

1998 Rice-Eccles Stadium University of Utah

2000 Larry H. Miller Corp. HQ Sandy

2007 Intermountain Med. Center Murray

2009 222 Main Salt Lake City

2012 Adobe Corporate Campus Lehi 

2015 111 Main Salt Lake City 

2023 95 South State Salt Lake City

2023 Hyatt Regency Hotel Salt Lake City

2024 The Worthington Salt Lake City

2024 Astra Tower Salt Lake City 

2025 Salt Lake Bees Stadium South Jordan

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Q&A with Nathan Goodrich

By UC&D • August 1, 2025
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100 Years & Five Generations

By Brad Fullmer • August 1, 2025
Paul founded Paulsen Construction in 1925 after immigrating from Norway 16 years prior. Sprague Library in Sugar House was originally built by Paul, and then restored nearly 100 years later, led by current President John Paulsen.

State of Industry; State of Progress

By Utah C&D • August 1, 2025
West Valley City Veteran’s Memorial Expansion Owner: West Valley City Architect: EDA Architects GC: Okland Construction Estimated Completion Date: September 2025

Showroom Showstopper

By Taylor Larsen • August 1, 2025
Commercial office is not dead. The market is alive and well, according to the design pros at HB Workplaces team. Their new office and showroom in Draper, and what it has done for employees and clients, is a case in point. All it took was a change in scenery. Transitioning from the B'Nai Israel Temple, built in 1890, to a new space was a welcome change for the team. "I just remember working between 2015 and 2020, and it was just," Keilian Meyer trailed off as he described the former office, a historic religious building converted into an office and showroom in 1987. Minimal natural lighting, rooms and layouts misaligned for team needs—their space wasn't bringing out anyone's best work. Meyer, Marketing Director for HB Workplaces, said going to work didn't engender a sense of engagement. "It was kind of punch in and punch out." But everything coalesced with their move. "The timing aligned perfectly," Meyer said of the June 2024 move and their rebrand from the year before from Henriksen/Butler to HB Workplaces. Dual Purposes Come to Life It aligned with every real estate broker's favorite word: location. Planting the HB Workplaces flag in the award-winning Baltic Pointe made perfect sense, especially with its epicenter locale between the booming economies of Salt Lake and Utah counties. HB Workplaces CEO Dave Colling summed it all up succinctly: "Our new headquarters is not just another building; it's a statement of our appreciation and stewardship of design, built upon decades-long heritage of our own, along with MillerKnoll, underscoring our commitment to excellence." The mass timber ceilings in HB Workplaces' first-floor office in Baltic Pointe—the first of their kind for a commercial building in Utah—are part of that commitment. Everything seems warmer, healthier, and better under the all-lumber ceiling. "We've always been drawn to inspiring architecture, and the natural warmth and intentionality of this structure made it a natural fit," said Meyer. HB Workplaces sought to make their mass timber home a showpiece for the beautiful and wide-ranging possibilities of today's commercial interiors, serving as an office for the HB Workplaces team and a showroom for interior designers and architects looking to envision their next project. That dual nature comes through perfectly across the space, with the showroom piece especially highlighted in the "Living Room" and its 382 SF of mid-century modern glory. The unforgettable Eames Lounge chair catches the eye, but closer inspection reveals some nods to the B'Nai Israel Temple's stained glass windows and other homages to the deep histories of the Herman Miller and Knoll brands. The room's mid-century-style lounge chairs, couches, ottomans, and side tables—all MillerKnoll line, of course—combine with gentle lighting to create the perfect spot for hosting. Brit Badger, HB Workplaces' VP of Client Development, explained how the Living Room is ideal for getting to know their design partners and clients, especially for a first meeting. "It's not all the same seating everywhere, like it would be at a conference room," she explained of how the varied seating choices—the Nelson Coconut Lounge Chair is often first dibs—help to create a relaxed and comfortable environment. "It's cool to see who chooses what. It's a fun way to start."

ASCE 2025 Report Card For Utah

By Brad Fullmer • August 1, 2025
Bragging about a “C+” might seem gauche, but Utah is one of only four states to earn that high a grade, according to the May 28 release by the Utah Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) of the 2025 Report Card for Utah’s Infrastructure. The cumulative “C+” for the Beehive State is the highest mark ever given by ASCE to any individual state—the report card itself spans 12 categories of infrastructure and is virtually unchanged from 2020 (ASCE issues report cards every four years). Utah's grade is also one step higher than the national infrastructure average grade of “C” in the ASCE 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, which dropped in March. Roads (B+) and Bridges (B) remain the stars of the class, as the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) continues to receive consistent state funding in furthering its aggressive program of building new projects to meet ongoing demand, while diligently maintaining existing infrastructure. “Our transit and transportation are doing fabulous," said Anna Lisonbee, President of ASCE Utah and an Engineer-in-Training at South Jordan-based Hansen, Allen & Luce. “UDOT and UTA are lauded as some of the most efficient [organizations] nationwide, so we’re doing very well in that category.” Aviation infrastructure was the only category to see a grade increase—somewhat predictable given the sheer amount of capital investment made over the past decade at Salt Lake International Airport, Provo Airport, and other regional airports statewide. Three categories—bridges, s tormwater, and transit—saw grade decreases. The remaining eight categories held steady from 2020. "Utah is one of the fastest-growing states in the country, and state leaders have taken steps to ensure the reliability of infrastructure systems as more people move here to enjoy Utah's thriving communities, amazing outdoors, and high quality of life," said Craig Friant, Utah Civil Practice Lead for South Jordan-based Wilson & Company and Chair of the 2025 Report Card for Utah's Infrastructure. Utah grades per category: Roads: B+ Bridges: B Drinking Water, Solid Waste, Transit: B- Aviation, Dams, Hazardous Waste: C+ Stormwater, Wastewater: C Canals: D+ Levees: D-

Toward The Promised Land

By Taylor Larsen • August 1, 2025
"What gets you out of Egypt doesn't take you to the promised land." The quote, as I first heard it, came from Ron Dunn, Founder of Salt Lake structural engineering firm Dunn Associates. While he was talking about the differences between founding and growing a company, the same principle holds true in developing a robust transportation infrastructure. In other words: "What got us here will not take us there." What has taken us here has been development dedicated to personal vehicles and last-mile freight—a stellar network of roads and highways from massive investments in horizontal construction. But what will get us "there" to the promised land? What will bring us to a future where Utahns can have the freedom to move without a car? Unified Plan for a Connected Utah? We'll certainly wander in the West Desert without a plan. Lucky us, we have hundreds of agreed-upon proposals across metropolitan planning organizations, cities and towns, counties, and even the Utah Department of Transportation. The Beehive State's guiding document toward long-term transportation plans, whether for cars or not, is found in the Utah Unified Transportation Plan, also known as the Unified Plan. The visionary document aims to prioritize funding across multiple transportation options and give residents choices, ranging from personal vehicles to mass transit and active transportation. Residents and metropolitan planning organizations across the state have added their input to further unify the state's trajectory. Key in Utah's Unified Plan, as documented, is analyzing and ultimately determining how transportation projects in Utah should be funded between 2023 - 2050. With projected needs across that timeline estimated at $153 billion in today's dollars, current revenue sources generating just under a projected $95 billion, and future revenue streams projected to generate just over $18 billion, we're going to be short. But where is that money going? Most often, it's funding roads. According to the Unified Plan, transportation needs from road capacity, maintenance, preservation, and operations project at a whopping $110 billion between 2023 - 2050, with a $29 billion funding gap in revenue. Funding future mass transit capacity ($14.8 billion) and operations ($19.8 billion) over the next 25 years costs a fraction of the projected costs for roads and highways. It's an apples-to-oranges comparison, admittedly, as massive funding for highways and freeways has created so much, but where do state priorities lead? Budget at a Glance Utah continues to tread the asphalt and concrete highway to prioritize highway funding. UDOT's FY2026 funding document shows $2.5 billion in funding. Estimated Transportation Investment Fund (TIF) expenditures, primarily used for improving or optimizing capacity, are projected at $1.2 billion. Within the TIF, Class B & Class C Roads, county roads and city streets, respectively, will receive $261 million, Highway Systems Construction $205 million, and Operations/Maintenance $254 million. It makes sense when $883 million in projected revenue for FY2026 comes from user-based fees, permits, and gas tax revenues (set to be 40 cents per gallon in 2026). On the other hand, UDOT-funded mass transit receives a bulk of its budget from the above-mentioned Transportation Investment Fund—35% of the index fuel tax sales tax goes into the Transit Transportation Investment Fund. For FY2026, transit and commuter rail projects will receive $103 million. John Gleason, UDOT's Sr. Public Information Officer, said there is a major shift happening within UDOT over the last decade-plus to give some "gas" to other forms of transportation. "All transportation is important to us. For every project we undertake, we are looking at the different components across all modes—cars, transit, bikes, trails," Gleason said. "We need to keep an eye on how the entire transportation system can function across the state." The words and shift in priorities are welcome, but what "Keeps Utah Moving", will not be more highway lanes or highway construction that receives the lion's share of transportation funding. Utah highways, like those in so many other states, are the victims of induced demand. The phenomenon is a matter of economics. For vehicle transportation, each lane added, highway developed, or road widened helps to expand capacity on these newly modified transportation corridors. However, expanding capacity does not mean solving traffic concerns. While capacity expands, more people are "induced" to use these freshly expanded corridors, lanes fill back to capacity, and commutes return to their sluggish nature. This never-ending quest to meet our transportation needs is set to play out again on I-15. UDOT is set to add another lane on I-15 from Farmington to Salt Lake, and do so at a multi-billion-dollar price tag. Surely this lane will be "The One" that fixes the traffic problem on Utah's busiest transit corridor? Utah may still be adjusting to roundabouts, but will we ever get out of this circle?

Limitless Sky

By Brad Fullmer • August 1, 2025
Standing atop the now-tallest building in Utah—the dynamic 451-foot, 680,000-SF Astra Tower in downtown Salt Lake City—Lance Shields was succinct in describing the otherworldly, 360-degree views available from the 41st-floor rooftop patio. “Pretty amazing, isn’t it?” mused Shields, a Principal with Salt Lake-based HKS Architects and one of a half-dozen architects on HKS’ team who contributed to the design of Astra Tower, which features 377 total units, two levels of penthouse suites, and more than 40,000-SF of top-shelf amenity space. Peering southeast to majestic views of the Wasatch Mountains, Shields referenced the striking cantilever structure gracing the building’s southeast corner—a concession that preserved the breathtaking view by eliminating what would have been a structural column. Adding this approximately $2 million change to the bottom line only further illustrated the owner’s desire for a world-class luxury apartment tower. “The uninterrupted views of the valley are really breathtaking at the top floor and is the one thing that visitors I have taken through the project consistently comment on as the best experience they have had,” said Shields, adding that it would have been easy to justify a column in that corner. “I have to hand it to the vision of our team and the owner to see the value of the views and taking steps to preserve it.” Indeed, Boston-headquartered Kensington Investment Company (KIC) had been eyeing the Salt Lake market since 2017, ready to make a splash. In 2018, it purchased the site once home to Carl’s Jr. and hired HKS in 2019 to get the ball rolling on the design side. The pandemic forced KIC to pause its timeline, with construction formally kicking off in January 2022, led by Salt Lake-based Jacobsen Construction. “We were taking an enormous risk and writing a massive check while making sure we had as many people with experience on our team as we practically could,” said Ed Lewis, CEO of KIC. “We asked ourselves if Salt Lake City was ready for this kind of product—with no [like-building comparisons] to look to—while making the project financially successful. Putting together the capital stack with no comps in the state, and ensuring the team knew what they were doing, was challenging.” Engagement with the community was a priority from the start, said Shane Rensmon, President of Real Estate Development for KIC, as was finding local A/E/C firms with the moxie to take on a unique hybrid design-build project of this magnitude, a delivery method “not common in Salt Lake City, but common across major markets,” he said. “Ownership wanted to utilize local consultants and vendors as much as possible to get the community involved and engaged with the project, which presented new challenges in designing and constructing Astra Tower,” said Rensmon. “We leveraged [KIC’s] skills and experiences to help guide the design and construction teams on issues that they have not seen before or had little to no experience in.” Hotel-like Vibe with Unmatched Amenities Emir Tursic is no stranger to massive projects, having cut his teeth in the hospitality realm as a draftsman-turned-project architect for HKS on Block A of the enormous $10 billion MGM City Center project in Las Vegas from 2007-2008, which included the 61-story, 600,000-SF Aria Hotel. “It was a project I grew up very quickly with,” recalled Tursic, Office Director for HKS’ Salt Lake office, who ended up managing part of the project before it ended. “After this, I could go to the moon and not be scared of anything.” Even amidst the challenges for Tursic and his team, Astra Tower proved to be one of the most exciting, generational opportunities in the realm of world-class residential high-rise design that—ho-hum—also sets a record as the state’s tallest-ever building. “We wanted to create a sustainable urban community that focuses on wellness and sustainability,” said Tursic. “Sustainability is not just about energy and carbon footprint, it’s also [about] health and wellness and the environment. We have this huge amenity program—40,000 SF of indoor and outdoor amenities space focused on physical and mental health.” Tursic said dispersing major amenities across three building levels was a key functional design consideration. Level 8 kicks things off with an expansive club lounge that includes a demonstration kitchen and entertainment area, a state-of-the-art fitness center where views overlook Gallivan Plaza, a remote office space with a conference room and meeting rooms, and what Tursic calls “The bonus space”—an expansive 10,000 SF outdoor urban park. “Instead of a roof on top of the eight-story parking structure, we created a space with an outdoor lawn, hammocks, fire pits, grills—it’s a great social space for Astra’s residential community,” he said. Level 23 includes the outdoor pool and indoor spa, highlighted by a wellness center, steam room, sauna, recovery spas, treatment rooms, and private locker rooms. The pool deck overlook offers excellent views of the Oquirrh Mountains to the west. Level 41 tops the amenity spaces—literally—with an outdoor kitchen, entertainment area, and a spacious outdoor viewing deck that looks down on Salt Lake’s adjacent tallest buildings. “We wanted to provide a variety of experiences,” said Tursic. “The 41st floor is meant for quiet and solitude.” ROAM Interior Design of Los Angeles provided interior design on every level. "With Astra Tower, we set out to design interiors that reflect both the soul and natural beauty of Utah, infused with the energy of modern city living," said Deanne Teeter, Design Director at ROAM. “Every amenity—from the tranquil spa on the 23rd floor to the rooftop lounge with panoramic views—is intentionally crafted to foster wellness through biophilic connection and a true sense of home in the sky." “Astra Tower was purposefully designed to exemplify KIC's commitment to o perating market-leading apartment buildings, featuring state-of-the-art amenities and an unwavering dedication to service excellence,” said Joe Bird, Vice President of Real Estate Development for KIC. “This intentional design ensures an unparalleled living experience, blending sophisticated facilities with exceptional resident-focused service to set a new standard for urban residential excellence in Utah.”

One for the Ages

By Brad Fullmer • August 1, 2025
Ralph L. Wadsworth watches demolition activity on the I-80/1300 East Bridge Slide in August 2023 with granddaughter, Bradynn Wadsworth (Tod’s daughter), illustrating his genuine passion for construction. (all photos courtesy RLW Construction)

Community First

By Taylor Larsen • August 1, 2025
First. Best. Leader. These are some of the many positive ways people described the late Marshall White, the civic hero and namesake of Ogden's past and future community centers. Marshall White is remembered as the first black police officer in Utah killed in the line of duty after being fatally shot in 1963. Equally important was his dedication to other causes outside of police work: the loving father of seven children; veteran and military doctor who helped establish a clinic at Hill Air Force Base post-WWII; youth mentor who partnered with the Elk's Club to establish the Wall Avenue Recreation Center; President of the Ogden chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Marshall White embodied community, and the original Marshall White Community Center, constructed five years after he died in 1968, was its physical manifestation. The building became a safe haven for youth, especially those with darker skin and different ethnicities from those of Utah "pioneer" ancestry, to learn to swim, take art classes, and participate in sports. But as time passed, the building fell into disrepair as Ogden's population shrank from the 1970s through the 1980s. Structural issues in the building appeared before a crack in the pool grew into a metaphorical chasm as COVID and its effects further disconnected society. Ogden needed champions who would follow in White's footsteps to bring people together, and create a space that would continue his community-building legacy. New Center; Relit Community Beacon Salt Lake-based VCBO was hired in 2020 to evaluate the old facility and propose future alternatives. It began, as VCBO Principal Brent Tippets described, "to replace a failing pool and building. […] It quickly became apparent that this community revolved around the Marshall N. White Community Center as both a gathering space and a historical icon for all minorities and people of humble circumstances." "Budget is always a challenge, but perhaps meeting all the affected parties' expectations was more so," said Tippets. "What was originally a pool and gymnasium replacement became a versatile destination with a plethora of participation options. He and the VCBO team worked with an Ogden City-appointed steering committee of passionate residents who provided valuable input on the importance and utilization of recreation and community spaces. "The Mayor, City Council, and City administration were committed to funding the project at the required level to achieve the grander vision for the facility," said Tippets. The Ogden City Council initially set aside $18 million and later increased the budget to $32 million for a new, 68,900-SF community building, doubling the size of the previous structure. Construction Challenges But challenges arose as soon as excavation commenced. Construction teams led by Vernal-based BHI encountered a dark, organic-looking soil that was previously undiscovered in geotechnical test borings. The surprise soil raised immediate concerns due to its lack of stability and reliability in compaction. BHI's history as an industrial contractor, where safety and lightning-fast communication are treasured, escalated the soil problems immediately. They collaborated and aligned with ownership, geotechnical engineers, and designers amidst evolving conditions to create a plan. Instead of utilizing native soils as initially planned, excavation teams removed the unsuitable material and imported structural fill from Ogden and nearby Plain City to meet compaction and bearing requirements, all while maintaining oh-so-important project momentum. "Working with Ogden City involved a different set of communication and coordination protocols than our typical projects," said BHI Superintendent Scot Marrot. "There was a greater emphasis on public transparency and adherence to specific city regulations. However, it was incredibly fulfilling to collaborate with the city officials who were passionate about providing a valuable resource for their community. The partnership fostered a strong sense of shared purpose and pride in the final outcome."

Daybreak: Then and Now

By Taylor Larsen • August 1, 2025
Thoughtful consideration on Oquirrh Lake transformed the initial idea for the water feature into a community and ecological asset. The 67-acre lake weaves around the 130-acre recreation space, residential area, and wildlife habitat. (Main rendering and photo pictured courtesy LHM)