A More Humane Prison

The massive new $1.05 billion Utah State Correctional Facility was designed and constructed with an eye towards turning the corner on recidivism rates, and genuinely providing a better atmosphere for offenders and officers alike.
By Brad Fullmer

As he reflected recently upon the design of the new $1.05 billion ($825 million construction cost), 37-building Utah State Correctional Facility (USCF) compound west of the Salt Lake International Airport off I-80—built to house up to 3,600 offenders but with a current population just under 2,500—Kevin Miller recalled a trip he took to Grand Junction, Colorado, in 1992 to tour the newly completed Mesa County Jail, which was designed as a direct supervision facility. 

Miller, who was only four years into his career at Salt Lake-based GSBS Architects, was riding in the back of a state-owned Ford Econoline van and chatting up then Utah County Jail Commander, Owen Quarnberg, about his decision to push for a similar design type, despite it requiring more staff to operate than an indirect supervision model, which meant increased operational costs. 

“It was a significant outlier because of its direct supervision model—I had never been exposed to anything other than indirect supervision [design],” recalled Miller of local correctional facilities at the time. “I said to him, ‘Owen, why on earth do you want to go for this direct supervision model, which requires more money for staffing, putting officers on the floor in the middle of dangerous people […] everything I had in my head about jail design at the time. Why make this seemingly preposterous decision? He said to me, ‘If I can change one person, I’ve done good’.”

“That moved me,” said Miller, who is one of the foremost authorities in Utah on correctional facility design, having contributed his expertise to 20-plus projects of significance and another dozen minor remodels in Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, plus a project for Navajo nation in Arizona. “That was the essence of it. It’s not about how cheaply to house 3,600 [offenders]. It’s out of those 3,600, can we fix one, or two, or ten. Or all of them. That’s what moves the needle. At this juncture, I’ve housed—by virtue of my designs—thousands of (offenders). I want to fix some—I don’t want to just house them.” 

The enormous new correctional facility compound—which replaces the long-outdated Utah State Prison (opened in 1951, replacing the Sugar House Prison) previously located at the south end of the Salt Lake Valley—was designed not only as a more occupant-friendly, direct supervision facility, but one that hopefully reduces recidivism rates and provides a better day-to-day environment for offenders and the officers that oversee them. 

“It was a monster of a project,” said Mike Ambre of the combined 1.3 million SF compound. Ambre, Assistant Director of Special Projects for the State of Utah Division of Facilities Construction and Management (DFCM), carried perhaps the heaviest load out of the hundreds of people involved with this facility over the past six-plus years. 


Most people, he says, simply call him “hombre" (Spanish for “man”), a playful twist on his last name, one that was strikingly accurate on this project—Ambre was “the man.” 

“He was the boss out there,” said John Branson, former Principal of GSBS Architects (now a Principal at Salt Lake-based Babcock Design) and one of the main USCF designers, of Ambre. “Mike’s direct responsibility was the entire prison—he had an immense load on his shoulders.”

(Lead Photo) The sprawling 37-building complex sits on nearly 200 acres in the Northwest Quadrant area west of Salt Lake International Airport off I-80 (aerial photo by Don Green Photography).  Incorporating natural daylighting into every housing unit was among the most important design considerations of the entire project (photo courtesy Layton Construction).

Indirect vs. Direct Supervision Models

According to a 2006 report by the Worcester Polytechnic Institute titled Correctional Facility Analysis and Design, a modern-day correctional facility compound (prison) has five primary purposes: 

1) Housing people who cannot function within the boundaries of a law-abiding society.

2) Protecting the general public from dangerous, potentially life-altering/threatening situations.

3) Reformation of offenders (prisoners), which translates into the structure having space allocated for education, social training, religious studies, solitary confinement, etc. 

4) Attempt to “cure” offenders of addictions and other mental health challenges through therapy, group activities.

5) Stand as a public symbol of moral, political, and social virtue. 

Correctional facility design in the U.S. has morphed considerably during this country’s 246-year history, but outside of modern technological advances, many facilities—particularly those that employ the indirect supervision model—are strikingly similar to those built during the country’s early days. 

The massive Eastern State Penitentiary (ESP, also called Cherry Hill) in Philadelphia operated from 1829 to 1971 and is one of the first notable examples of an indirect supervision correctional facility. Widely considered the world’s first true penitentiary, at the time it was the largest and most expensive public building in the U.S. 

Designed by British architect John Haviland, ESP (original capacity 450) became known for its “hub and spoke” design—an octagonal tower in the center connected via corridors to radiating cell blocks, which Haviland said offered watching, convenience, economy, and ventilation.

In 1930s and 40s ‘telephone pole’ design became popular. This design has a central corridor with housing wings built at 90 degrees from the corridor. The Utah State Prison was built in this manner. 

The first direct supervision correctional facility opened in 1981 in Contra Costa, California, the result of a competition by the Federal Bureau of Prisons between three firms, each of which came up with similar designs. The “podular remote” cellblock design of direct supervision models places officers in direct, constant contact with offenders, allowing them to interact on a more personal level and respond to trouble before it escalates. Officers have more responsibility for the organization, supervision and control of the daily operation of a direct supervision housing unit. Direct supervision has been credited with reducing vandalism, enhancing safety, and creating a more positive environment for offenders and officers. By 1983, direct supervision was formally recognized by the National Institute of Corrections.

In Utah and much of the surrounding Intermountain region, Miller said indirect supervision has been the predominant design model chosen by state and local government entities, primarily because of a more cost-effective staff-to-offender ratio of 1 to 244 (one officer can “supervise” 244 offenders) vs. 1 to 64 for direct supervision. The result? Indirect supervision has posted horrible long-term results in reducing recidivism and reforming offenders, according to several correctional facility studies over the past two decades. 

Miller, frankly, had little appetite to be involved with the design of USCF if the Utah Department of Corrections (DOC) and DFCM had chosen the indirect supervision model, despite his lengthy experience and interest with the building type. 

“If it was an indirect supervision jail, I knew what to do—there’s not a lot of mystery, not a lot of ground to explore,” said Miller. The idea of ‘how many bodies can I squeeze into as little square footage as I can?’,” was unappealing. He had a realization of the ineffectiveness of that model in accomplishing any good, other than simply housing “bad people”. 

“Hey, I can keep doing this, but to what purpose? “ he said. “You get to a certain point in your career that you start to treasure the opportunities you can make.”

Miller continued, “Our Department of Corrections, our state, had a more progressive vision, an idea that maybe we can do something different, was intriguing to me and, ultimately, it inspired me to really throw myself into the design of the facility and in trying to solve the problem in a way that really hunted towards those goals. That is rewarding.”

Once leaders from the DOC and DFCM determined the new USCF would be a direct supervision model, architects pursued every avenue to make the sprawling compound more humane. 

Miller specifically mentioned natural daylighting as a major design driver, along with creating spaces that offer a more “normal” existence. There was a lot of give and take between designers and the DOC; not every proposed design idea was accepted, but enough were to tip the scales. 

“It’s prison—let’s be clear,” said Miller. “We have a fundamental obligation to make it safe and secure for offenders and for the officers. You cannot sacrifice safety and security—that is job one.”  For both groups “the humanity of the facility is really important,” Miller said. “For 12 hours a day, [officers] are locked inside the facility in the same way as offenders. When the public thinks about the prison costs and the design attributes we desire to include—they get upset about how ‘nice’ they are—they are overlooking the circumstances of the offenders and the officers.”

He continued, “Daylight was a huge deal for us from the get-go. One of the real breakthroughs in the design was shifting to what everybody refers to as the linear model of housing—cells are arranged on either side of a rectangle around a dayroom. And at one end of the dayroom is a large window that looks out at the world—that’s true from the highest security housing sections to the lowest security housing sections. Every [section] is organized around the same premise. They have unique characteristics, but they all have that fundamental premise of being able to connect to the outside world. That is very, very unique. Everybody who has seen it has loved it.”

Each building unit features different housing styles: eight-person cells, two-person cells, and dormitory style—which offers an increased measure of privacy. 

 
Daylighting is widely considered a top design consideration for most projects, but “when it comes to detention, we consider other things more important,” Miller added. “[Daylighting] was on everybody’s mind from the very beginning. We were able to accomplish that in significant ways.”

The second main design initiative, Miller said, “was to the greatest extent possible, normalize behavior. Prison is an abnormal environment and the further down the rabbit hole of prison design you get, the more abnormal it becomes.”
Miller continued, “The folks in our prison system, on average, are back on the streets (or reincarcerated) after 2.5 years. They have not been given skills to manage life on the outside. We wanted to normalize behavior. Even though you’re in prison, we want you to be responsible for as much of your actions and behavior as possible.”

With the indirect supervision model, the overriding principle is that services are taken to the offenders in their cells—food, medications, even visitation is done via video monitors, so offenders don’t ever leave the main unit they’re housed in. 

With the new USCF, everything is a “go-to” destination for offenders in the general population. “You leave your housing unit, walk to the dining hall, and walk back,” said Miller. “Food, medical (treatment), visitations, education, programming, religious studies—all of these aspects are designed to be as normalized behavior as we can make them, while maintaining safety and security inside the cell.” 


Challenging Site Required Extensive Infrastructure Design

Because of USCF’s location near the Great Salt Lake, soil conditions offered huge initial challenges in getting the site stabilized before infrastructure and vertical construction could even happen. Because of the complexity of each utility system, civil engineers determined it was necessary to 3D model each system to minimize conflicts during construction. Infrastructure included 10+ miles of roadway split between seven miles of new vehicular roadways and another four miles of pedestrian corridors, seven miles of sanitary sewer force main in the Northwest Quadrant to service the new facility, as well as anticipated future development in the Northwest Quadrant. On-site storm drain infrastructure included a pre- vs. post-storm drain analysis, factoring in various Great Salt Lake elevations. Five acre-feet of detention was incorporated into the site to reduce the discharge to the pre-developed flow. Engineers also completed the design and modeling of separate culinary and fire distribution systems. The modeling included culinary service for a population of 5,000 individuals (offenders, officers, staff, and visitors) distributed through approximately 180 developed acres and 31 buildings.

Environmental services included Wetland and Waters of the U.S. Delineations, Class I and Class III Cultural Resource Inventories, and coordination with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). The compound includes a 2MG water tank with an associated pump station, a regional gas meter farm, a regional power substation, and a sanitary sewer screening facility on site. 

Because of the location so close to the shores of the Great Salt Lake, and the high corrosivity of the soils, the site required extensive protection for all the underground utilities. This included 7.5 miles of new 24-in. waterline along the roadway, 13 miles of 16-in. and 18-in. sewer force main, and 1,800 ft. of gravity sewer line. Nearly one million cubic yds of fill was required just to bring the site to grade.

Electrical infrastructure was also substantial and included a wide array of design aspects, including a new electrical substation, a large central plant, a highly redundant power system from the substation to each critical on-site building, underground 15kV distribution in looped configuration, and complex power, lighting, fire alarm, and AV/IT systems. The system includes over 25,000 LF of two-way, four-way, and six-way underground duct banks, multiple substation transformers, a 10 MW medium voltage backup generator plant, and a campus wide SCADA load management system, all of which is vital to ensure continuous power availability for this critical facility.

The complex CM/GC joint venture involved coordination between multiple electrical contractors, dozens of phased bid packages, and coordination with half a dozen or more building engineers. 

The schedule was aided by the utilization of precast concrete cells which were prefabricated at an off-site casting yard by Ogden-based Oldcastle Precast. Once on-site, the cells were finished with fixture installation and other aesthetic finishes. Electrical and mechanical stubouts were provided for final connection to the building systems.


Lower security housing units feature dorm-style beds for increased privacy (photo by Sohm Photografx).  Mike Ambre (Photo above)—everyone calls him ‘hombre’—was indeed ‘the man’ for DFCM Utah on this project, investing six-plus years of his career and interacting with literally hundreds of people from the Utah Department of Corrections, the Utah legislature, and the local A/E/C community. Highly complex systems  like this massive mechanical room are a hallmark throughout the complex and required the expertise of dozens of reliable, skilled trade partners

Getting Real About Final Cost; Construction Teams Overcome Myriad Challenges

The Utah State Legislature originally approved plans for the new USCF in August 2015, with a budget of $550 million, which quickly grew to $690 million, and ultimately topped the billion-dollar mark by the time of final completion in May 2022. 

Ambre said the project—which broke ground in December 2017—started slowly, with the schedule bogged down somewhat due to funding challenges and procurement timelines. Eventually, the state legislature recognized the need to provide more funding for the project to prevent schedule delays. 

“The legislature and everybody else saw the writing on the wall and when they came to grips with the real cost there was a pendulum swing overnight,” said Ambre about receiving adequate funding. “That helped a lot with morale.” 

The state hired the joint venture team of Big-D Construction of Salt Lake and Phoenix-based Kitchell Corp. to review designs, track cost estimates, evaluate bids, and help with overall project management. while a second joint venture team of Salt Lake-based Okland Construction and Sandy-based Layton Construction served as CM/GC. 

Joint venture projects are typically challenging due to sheer size and scope factors, in addition to trying to meld diverse company cultures between firms that are typically fierce competitors. On USCF, top project executives from both Okland and Layton said there was an emphasis from the beginning to get all team members working together so as to mitigate schedule delays while maintaining premium quality. 

“We knew it was important to integrate and act as a single team,” said Shauna Deskins, Sr. Project Manager for Okland. “We knew we would be asking people to get uncomfortable and work in uncharted territory. 

“A joint venture is always a challenge bringing cultures together and getting everybody on the same page,” added Dave Whimpey, Construction Manager for Layton. “Our management teams were integrated and worked together. A bid package team may consist of a Layton project manager and an Okland superintendent, with a project engineer from each company. I believe the way we integrated our teams created a spirit of teamwork. We tried to focus on our similarities. We realized we’re more alike than we are different.” 

The scope of the project was unlike anything the state and even some of the contractors had built previously.

“It is a one-of-a-kind facility with a lot of firsts on this project,” said Deskins of the complex infrastructure and massive scope. “It’s like a little city.”

The construction team broke the entire complex down into individual projects, which was critical to keep it on schedule. 

“In trying to manage a project of this size you have to break it down into pieces,” said Whimpey. “With 30-plus buildings on a 200-acre site, each building had its own set of plans and documents and we had individual teams to manage each project. In some cases, we had multiple buildings in one package. It was figuring out what makes the most sense in trying to eat it one slice at a time.” 

The project was in full-swing when the Covid-19 pandemic struck in March 2020, sending initial shockwaves that caused significant concern among leaders on how to keep the project moving forward, while ensuring the health and safety of a workforce that reached 1,500 during peak construction times. Complex electrical and mechanical systems (plumbing and HVAC) required seven different contractors per trade, illustrating the massive scope of this project. Virtually every trade required at least four different companies just to meet the schedule. 

“The very beginning of Covid, it was like the world shut down,” said Ambre. “The biggest thing was the fear of the unknown and how contagious it was. We were almost peaking with 1,200 in manpower at that time. It was interesting how we strategize on how to keep people safe on site and keep the project running. I don’t think we lost any time [with the schedule]. We had procured 95% of items and were in front of supply chain issues.”

The strictest of protocols were put into place, not the easiest undertaking when dealing with literally thousands of workers from more than 450 subcontractor firms. 

“Covid shook us, but there was some good that came out of it,” said Deskins. “There was initially a huge fear with every craft worker regarding how quickly [an outbreak] could shut the work down. There was a huge need to pull together and take care of each other—our trade partners embody that. All protocols were met—they rose to the challenge.”

“Just keeping the job going was a unique success, and without any large outbreaks,” added Whimpey.

Ambre said once the facility was completed and turned over to the Department of Corrections, very few major construction punch-list items. 

Ambre praised the design team of GSBS and HOK for pushing the envelope on making the facility more humane and hospitable. 

“To Kevin and his team, HOK, John Branson, I give them a lot of credit. This was such a monster, and to keep consistency and to have the horsepower to pump out that many drawings—it’s remarkable what they achieved,” said Ambre. “Kevin was hoping to swing the pendulum a little more towards the European model—a less hardened version of [correctional facilities]—which gives more respect, more freedoms, opportunities, and learning experiences from where the Department of Corrections has been the past 60 years. It was tricky to convince them to go in that direction. We understand we’re not here to warehouse [offenders]. We’re here to help with recidivism.” 

“It was a very complicated project,” said Branson. “I always equated it to building a small city. It has all the functions of a small city, plus it was a complicated site with major soil issues. It was a constant learning experience.” 

“I’m very proud of the work we did,” said Miller. “It’s not necessarily the type of architecture I imagined myself doing when I went to architecture school, but I think, for once, we might have moved the needle. It’s more humane, more normative, and hopefully a more purposeful facility than any other I’ve been involved with. I really hope it makes a difference.”

“I take huge pride in what we were able to accomplish,” said Branson. “I worked with great people in an intense environment. It’s part of my legacy but also for probably 75 architects and engineers. Everyone should be proud. It’s not glamorous, but the outcome is important. It serves a critical social function. No one wants to spend money on prisons—that’s understood. But it is part of our society. Until society changes, here we are.”

Ambre added, “One thing I take away from it, is there is always more than just one solution. This job taught me that you have to listen to everybody’s perspective. You can’t think that you have the [right] answer.”

“To have the safety record we did with the number of man hours we had was impressive,” said Whimpey. “Kudos to the entire team across the board. I would often be talking to our employees and say, ‘I don’t think any of us will realize how much we’ve grown until after it’s done.’ I recognize the growth we all had working together on this project, both our company and all individuals involved. To do a project of this size was very satisfying.”


Project Team

Owner: Utah DFCM

Management: Department of Corrections 


Design Team

Architect: GSBS Architects; HOK

Civil Engineer: Horrocks Engineers; Psomas 

Electrical Engineer: HOK; Spectrum Engineers; Envision Engineering

Mechanical Engineer: HOK; Colvin Engineering; Spectrum Engineers

Structural Engineer: HOK; Reaveley Engineers; Dunn Associates

Geotechnical Engineer: Gerhart Cole

Landscape Architect: GSBS Architects

Food Service: Faassen & Associates 

Building Code: Jensen Hughes, Inc.

Specialty Consultants: Corrosion Control Technologies; Sierra West Consulting; Trommer & Assoc.; MKK Consulting Engineers; Parametrix, Inc. 


Construction Team

General Contractor: Layton Construction/Okland Construction JV

Managing Consultant: Big-D Construction/Kitchell (BDK) JV 

Concrete: Layton, Okland, JRock, MG Green (site), Ralph L. Wadsworth

Plumbing: A&B Mechanical, Archer Mechanical, Harris Mechanical, J&S Mechanical, KHI Mechanical, Kozco Mechanical

HVAC: A&B Mechanical, Archer Mechanical, Harris Mechanical, J&S Mechanical, KHI Mechanical, MJ Mechanical 

Electrical: CVE, Grandstaff Electric, JP Electrical, Probst Electric, STF Electrical, Wilson Electric, Wasatch Electric

Masonry: IMS Masonry, JH Masonry, Child Enterprises, Allen’s Masonry

Drywall/Acoustics: K&L Acoustic & Drywall, Alpine Drywall, Golder Acoustics, CSI Drywall, DAW Construction, KCG Management 

Painting: Pacific Painting, Grow Painting, Cornerstone Painting, RP Painting

Tile/Stone: CP Build Enterprises, Millcreek Tile & Stone

Carpentry: ISEC, Anvil Construction, Artistic Mill, Boswell Wasatch, Contempo Cabinets

Flooring: Wall 2 Wall, Flooring Services, Spectra Contract Flooring

Roofing: Superior, Heritage, All Weather Waterproofing, Progressive, Noorda

Glass/Curtain Wall: Mollerup Glass, NGI, CML/Cornerstone, Capitol Commercial Glazing, Beacon Metals

Steel Fabrication: Glassey, Schuff Steel, Amfab, Intermark, Boman & Kemp, Ezarc Welding, Harris Rebar

Steel Erection: Glassey, Schuff Steel, Amfab, Intermark, Boman & Kemp, AP Welding

Precast: Olympus Precast, Oldcastle 

Landscaping: RBI 

Q&A with Nathan Goodrich

By UC&D • August 1, 2025
Nathan Goodrich

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)