Engineering On Display

Weber State’s newest building is a tribute to engineering in its many forms, showcasing the various systems supporting the built environment.
By Taylor Larsen

The mountainside campus at Weber State University is especially vibrant on a rainy fall day, and standing nice and new is the 130,000-SF Noorda Engineering, Applied Science & Technology Building.


Finished in August 2022, this was the quintessential Covid project. From beginning to end, it was full of mountainous peaks and valleys of supply chain issues, designing during the uncertainty of remote work, and Covid shutdowns.


But finishing the project was a testament to resiliency. It now stands as a stellar reminder of the engineering work that goes into the built environment.


Steep Challenge


According to Bryan Utley, VP of Big-D Construction’s Salt Lake office, earthworks and building up the concrete retaining walls were the first major steps in the process to situate the building directly into the Ogden foothills.


Site challenges like these are a common occurrence with many university campuses across the state nestled into the Wasatch Front, said Celestia Carson, Principal in Charge of the project for VCBO Architecture. These challenges, however, provided a unique way for the design team to incorporate natural grey sandstone features to highlight the six building entries across three of the building’s four levels. While the features may be aesthetic, they provide plenty of function to the building.


“Engineering labs benefit from on-grade access in which classrooms can open directly to the exterior, allowing easy movement of projects, equipment, and supplies,” said Carson.


It was one part of a slew of challenges that made up the project. Other demands of the project would be creating an engineering and sciences building that engages students in every available discipline while dealing with the fallout of an ongoing pandemic.


Answering with Delivery Method


Utley said the project success came early through the CMGC contract delivery method which brought VCBO and Big-D together again.


“I think it’s the way to go,” said Utley of CMGC and working with Carson and Mallory Platt, Project Manager for VCBO. He said they were incredibly helpful in navigating the challenges brought about by a project fully immersed in the Covid timeline.


Rob Moore, CEO of Big-D Construction, said that the goodwill fostered within these projects comes from respect between the various members.


“It’s the folks we work with,” he said of not just the VCBO team, but the Weber State University leadership on the project. “We’ve got a relationship where we made a promise and we’re going to keep it.”


Progressive estimates and drawings helped to keep the project steady and prevent the Covid chaos from enveloping the project. No alarms, no surprises.


“Having a CMGC on board through this uncertain and volatile time was essential,” said Carson. She praised the Big-D team for shepherding the project forward as “essential workers” and ensuring the project stayed on schedule. With labor shortages and material delays, the project “put a lot of pressure on Big-D and their subcontractors. It was a very difficult time to be a CMGC, and they expertly managed the project with a commitment to the university and DFCM to open the building on time."


The contract delivery method, Utley said, allowed for different bid packages to come in to support the university’s various needs and goals, like utility tunnels, crucial parts of the university’s sustainability efforts.


According to Platt, “[Weber State] is the most sustainable campus this side of the Mississippi.” Everything on campus is electric, with localized geothermal power and highly efficient VRF systems keeping buildings regulated.

The waves here come from mullion caps of varying depths on the exterior glazing. Branding (right) ties the building to WSU and to the various engineering technologies on display in the building.

University Needs


The progressive phasing of the design helped the project team fully understand the university’s priorities, too. 


One of those components was the high bay project building that was once added to the old Technical Education Building years before and still held a special place in Weber State’s engineering trajectory. As such, the high bay project building was kept and planned around accordingly with the new building design.


“They are proud of this [high bay project building],” Utley said of the part laboratory, part warehouse space that allows students to work on projects at the highest levels of university engineering. “Whatever we could do to protect that [building] was important.” 


He complimented the design work done by the VCBO team. “Celestia [Carson] did an amazing job incorporating it into the new building,” he said of how, while separate, the two buildings function as part of a greater whole. “The courtyard in between the two [buildings] ties it together.”


Overlooking that courtyard is a grey brick overhang supported by concrete pillars. This portion of the new building houses the Northern Utah Academy of Math Engineering and Science (NUAMES), an academy that educates high school students seeking a rigorous, supportive, early college experience on a university campus. 

 

Regarding the students at NUAMES, Utley said that this building and everything inside will provide inspiration to pursue STEM, but specifically engineering fields. “If you see these labs and workshops, it’ll get you excited to be a college student and being in engineering.”


Tying the new building together with the campus was another integral part of design. Carson explained how the ochre buff brick—Weber State’s ever-present, orange-colored masonry façade—is a central feature that links the building to the rest of campus.


Carson and Platt noted another prominent exterior feature, the three waveforms on the building. These, according to the building website, are plots of three responses to a closed-loop control system—underdamped system, overdamped system, and critically damped system.


Carson said that creating the design in the building was a response to solar heat gain on the westward elevation of the building. “The design team leveraged this opportunity by using varying depths of mullion caps to create the image of a wave, demonstrating a concept of engineering that can be utilized as a teaching tool.”


She continued, “What is particularly exciting about this installation is how dynamic it is,” noting how the wave forms appear more prominently as you move around the building and throughout the day as the shadows change.


Visible Engineering


It is one of many design pieces that exhibit Weber State University’s ongoing commitment to STEM education. The systems of the building are consistently prominent—engineering on display.


Utley continued the sentiment. “If you’re a mechanical engineering student, there is a high chance you have probably never seen any of this in a building before.” In this building, the engineering on display is a work of art. Level 0 has all the pumps and all the chillers readily accessible to view—a point of pride for the work done by engineers (including Envision Engineering and Colvin Engineering), and a point of pride for the trade partners that helped create these spaces.


“These are the cleanest mechanical and electrical rooms you will ever see,” said Platt. The “clean” moniker takes on another meaning, she continued, as “their conduit runs are so beautiful.”


These features came through perfectly due from architectural programming and that focused relationship that Moore mentioned earlier.


“It’s great for them to have a building where all of it is on display,” said Utley. All of these exposed systems, especially the giant air intake duct and adjoining distribution ducts showcase the great work these trades accomplish in the built environment.


“It’s the heartbeat of the building,” said Moore of the visible mechanical, electrical, and structural systems. “You can actually see how the building lives and functions.”


The structural systems are visible, too. The VCBO team praised the work done by ARW Engineers and point man Jeremy Achter, Principal, and how their collaboration resulted in a special design feature. The stairs follow the buckling-restrained bracing follows the, requiring a bit of design fluctuation. “We lowered our typical rise to run of the stairs so that the slope of the stair followed the brace,” she said.


Student-Centered


The main floor bustles with students moving in and out of classrooms and through the interior forum. Balconies on the upper floors add a kinetic feel to the interior, a sea change from the stuffy engineering buildings of decades prior. Labs on both sides are separated from the forum by hallway runs with “finished,” wood slat ceilings framed by black steel.


Carson showed how, as one moves away from the forum, the wood slats in the hallways grow further apart until the systems are totally exposed. These exposed hallways allow a class to follow the systems through to their beginning or end, both aesthetically pleasing and a teaching tool.


Flex labs, computer labs, maker spaces, and professor offices are all present, along with rare spaces like a microscopy suite, with its ISO 8 cleanroom filtration system. Top floor classrooms for computer science and sales come with conference rooms and interview rooms, which allow every department in the building to function at the highest level. Classrooms and lab spaces throughout the building are geared for flexibility, with even computer labs opening up via removable walls to create bigger classrooms.


Clerestory windows drop in hefty amounts of passive daylight from high above the forum and dapple light on the “Between the Currents” art installation hanging from the ceiling. The 7-foot by 17-foot installation is inspired by the invisible forces of nature, the hidden math behind them, and how unexpected beauty emerges when diverse sets of information converge. It consists of 119 moving origami elements hung from a floating frame, cycling through animations showcasing the underlying mathematics of wave forces in nature. 


The installation is yet another form of engineering on display on the Weber State campus. The Noorda Engineering, Applied Science & Technology Building is sure to get students, staff, and the industry excited about the possibilities in the various engineering fields. It is a testament to the awesome power of mechanical, electrical, and structural engineering work, and further evidence of the awesome power of a dedicated team.


Classrooms look out to the Ogden foothills, which provided the unique site for the building. On grade access, visible via grey sandstone features, happens across three levels of the site (bottom right). “Between the Currents” art installation (visible bottom left and top right) hangs from the ceiling over the building’s interior forum.

Weber State University Noorda Engineering, Applied Science & Technology Building

Location: Ogden, UT
Delivery Method: CMGC
Square Feet: 130,417 SF over four stories


Project Team
Owner: Weber State University
Client: Utah DFCM

Design Team
Architect: VCBO Architecture
Civil: Meridian Engineering
Electrical: Envision Engineering
Mechanical: Colvin Engineering Associates
Structural: ARW Engineers
Geotech: GSH Geotechnical
Landscape: G Brown Design Inc.
Interior Design: VCBO Architecture
Furniture: Weber State University & Midwest D-Vision Solutions

Construction Team
General Contractor: Big-D Construction
Plumbing: Halverson Mechanical
HVAC: Halverson Mechanical
Electrical: Taylor Electric
Concrete: Big-D Construction
Steel Fabrication: Boman & Kemp Manufacturing
Steel Erection: Highmark Steel
Glass/Curtain Wall: LCG Facades
Masonry: Allen’s Masonry Company
Drywall/Acoustics: Muddy Boys, Inc.
Painting: R.P. Painting
Tile/Stone: Metro Tile
Carpentry: Big-D Construction
Flooring: CP Build
Roofing: Perkes Roofing
Waterproofing: Lotz Construction
Excavation: Sunroc
Demolition: Grant Mackay Demolition
Precast: (if applicable): N/A
Landscaping: Kevin Hull Landscaping

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)