EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Post District delivers big with its full city block dedicated to meeting varied resident needs and creating a true "Live, Work, Play" environment.

“It’s not often that you get to build an entire neighborhood,” said Brandon Blaser at Post District’s ribbon-cutting in early May 2024.

Utah’s major opportunities to develop community emanate from The Pointe and Daybreak, the giant master-planned developments in the South Valley. But urban renewal at the neighborhood scale happens much less frequently.  

Blaser, the Founder and President of Blaser Ventures, Alex and Ben Lowe of Lowe Property Group, and other investors and stakeholders took the chance with what is now Post District—an entire Salt Lake City block of mixed-use development. 

But taking an area suffering from urban decay and giving it a new lease on life with new builds and adaptive reuse structures would be a process that required everyone reading from the same page. 

Plans Coalesce

Expanding Salt Lake’s urban core south and west via the Post District started with financial stakeholders and their design partners walking around the area in 2018 as they looked to build an almost self-contained neighborhood out of a dilapidated area of Salt Lake City.


What was once a publishing powerhouse that printed and distributed the Salt Lake Tribune, Deseret News, and USA Today in years prior had gone the way of many print media and left for dead. Graffiti-covered and abandoned warehouses wouldn’t cut it in a city looking to strike while the iron of renewed urbanism was still hot.


Pieter Berger, Director of Design, and Principal for project architects MVE + Partners, aligned with stakeholders and their preliminary vision early. Their collective goal was to create a remarkable product that would bring renters of many income types together into a cohesive, in-demand neighborhood.


“Controlling the entire block allowed us to break down the scale of the block into a more walkable environment,” he said. No easy feat with the largest urban grid in the country, where one Salt Lake block holds the same area as multiple blocks in a walkable city like Portland. Even harder, he continued, considering the project would leave rentable units and square footage on the table to establish a better environment for future residents. But ownership trusted that breaking down the scale through multiple buildings would create a new community capable of lifting the entire block.


Nitty Gritty Start

“Sophisticated Grit,” Berger said, was an oft-used term in the design process to center the narrative around a modern, sophisticated neighborhood juxtaposed against the existing grit of the surroundings. And what better material to bring sophisticated grit to the forefront than concrete?


Leaders from general contractor Big-D Construction suggested a mat foundation under the building footprint to serve dual roles as structural support and a driving surface. Doing so would eliminate the need for traditional aggregate piers in Post House North and Post House South. The use of drop caps where columns connect to the ceiling slab also reduced its thickness while maintaining structural integrity and cost-efficiency.


As plans moved to implementation, grit came in the form of well over one thousand concrete trucks’ worth of slurry for the massive, 138,000-SF mat footing foundation. Self-performed by Big-D Construction, this foundation would be the starting point for two of the buildings, Post House North and Post House South.


Construction logistics and intricate planning helped to bring the process forward and allowed the team to pull off such massive, record-setting pours. Each concrete truck followed the same sequence by receiving a specific-colored flag to help identify the pump to use during that pour. Because the top six inches of the foundations contained a corrosion inhibitor, it was crucial that the trucks filled up at the correct pumps and poured in the precise order they were assigned.


Traffic control was paramount since the project took place between the busiest entrance and exit to the city, between 600 South and 500 South, respectively, especially with the quantity of stationed concrete pump trucks and concrete trucks buzzing to and from the pour. As concrete trucks filled, poured, washed, and repeated the cycle, Gardner said there were upwards of 20-plus concrete trucks onsite at any given time.


The herculean effort from the 80 Big-D concrete team members meant taking spells pouring and finishing concrete across the site over 28- and 30-hour pours— resulting in 1,000-CY of concrete in place. 


Measuring in at a whopping 30 inches thick, the work to take these two time-intensive pours from start to finish is a testament to quality design and construction from the project team.

Polished Grit

While the mat foundation caught so much attention for depth and breadth of logistical complexity, concrete features deserve a second glance throughout the entirety of Post District. Architectural concrete columns were designed so the forms would be expressive of the tectonic nature of the building, earning the name “coffin columns” due to their coffin-like appearance.


The columns are visible at the main entrance of Post House South and throughout the fitness center. Concrete is prominent elsewhere, including the 17,200 SF of architectural concrete and board-formed walls visible on planters, decorative walls, and accent wall facing the project’s western edge.


Coordinated Success

As work progressed with the multiple mixed-use and residential buildings under Big-D’s purview, Layton/ICS worked simultaneously nearby on Traeger Grills’ new headquarters. Their work with designers Method Studio on an adaptive reuse of the former Newspaper Agency Corporation building and others into Class-A office required the most precise communication between all project teams. Since multiple general contractors were constructing facets of the neighborhood within one city block, maintaining continuous coordination was essential, especially when as many as 400 trade partners completed their activities on site.


Gardner said the teams on each building under their purview held daily planning and coordination meetings. This, he said, ensured that each team knew their tasks for the day and that each team could complete their work without encroaching on the workspace of other teams on site.


He said that owner coordination meetings, block-wide coordination meetings for GCs and others, weekly subcontractor meetings, and even daily meetings for specific teams helped to get everyone on the same page to build the project in a safe and efficient manner.


That came through specifically in areas like crane safety, where multiple cranes worked on site simultaneously, requiring swing radius coordination and dialed in team members and safety orientations.


Berger praised the field work done to implement the design vision at scale, saying: “this type of work is the ultimate team sport. Our team can set the vision and create great working drawings for construction; however it is the collective whole from our team, ownership, and GC all the way down to framers and skilled labor on site that make this a success.”  

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“Plane” to See

Since there is no “easy button” to facilitate the relationship between designer and contractor, Berger said that Big-D expertise was critical to bringing every one of the five buildings to delivery, specifically with Post House South’s unique massing.


Staggered windows and four slope roof systems required a precise mix of wood and steel columns while framing the building. Because it was designed to have a cohesive look where the wall panels blended seamlessly into the roof, Gardner said the Big-D team had to figure out how to keep the aesthetic without sacrificing functionality.


“Any time you are going from one plane to another, it takes detail to make it work. And we were working within three planes,” he said.


The Big-D team created eight mockups for the roof structure before landing on an acceptable design. First, the team installed a full-standing seam roof, then they clamped the wall panels on top and perforated each one of them, allowing water to transfer from the first roof to the second, where the water could drain away.


Conundrum Turned Solution

The billboards around the site have earned plenty of double-takes for how buildings were seemingly (and actually) constructed around them.


With the billboard owners unwilling to part with their signs, the project team got creative to find a solution to work around four billboards, with one near the standalone restaurant space, and another near Post House South, needing the most planning to bring about project success.


The solutions-oriented approach started in design. Berger said that the billboards became part of the project DNA as easements became form givers and massing elements were created where there would have been an urge to build more, specifically around the restaurant space to the north that will soon house Sunday’s Best. 


With the billboard near Post House South, the team designed a notch in the building to give the outdoor advertisement 30 inches of clearance on each side. While it solved the one problem of building around the billboard, another challenge arose—installing windows and applying stucco to the areas in that tight space.


But, as one of the project owners Alex Lowe said during the ribbon cutting, “When there was every opportunity to look for excuses, Big-D Construction only looked for solutions.”


The construction team utilized cranes to lift windows and put people in a man basket to install the windows behind the billboard.


Diverse Rental Types

All that work brought about the 580 residences across Post District that show up in multiple rental categories and sizes. The Register, 801 Flats, Post House North, and Post House South share amenities on site, especially with elevated skyways linking certain buildings together. While the unity of purpose is apparent, Berger said that each building was designed to hold its own personality both architecturally and from a product standpoint.


“The idea was to have the block feel like it was built by several owners and several architects in order to establish a more authentic urban grid,” he said. “Each building represents a different renter profile with the goal of creating the ‘complete neighborhood.’”


But what would a neighborhood be without walkability? Berger and fellow architects pushed the concept of creating a network of Woonerfs, or Dutch-style living streets, where pedestrians walk in the middle of the road versus driving a car.

The architect detailed how prioritizing a truly livable experience shifted vehicular access to perimeter streets, keeping the core of the project from experiencing trash pick-up, emergency vehicle access, move-ins, etc., like other urban neighborhoods.


Simply put, Berger said, “This allows the streets to feel safe, accessible, and livable.” 


Restaurant and Amenities Add Coveted Layers

And who doesn’t love visiting the neighborhood haunt?


From early morning coffee to a late night out, Post District has plenty of dining for residents and visitors. Urban Sailor Coffee Co. has been open since fall of last year, while Sunday’s Best, in all of its wild pink glory, will be opening soon to the delight of social media influences and brunch connoisseurs alike. Level Crossing Brewing Company’s presence provides the crisp and sudsy presence necessary to go with delicious lunch and dinner options, while Urban Hill’s upscale dinner and after-hours experience is another welcome addition to the block.


The 22,000 SF of combined restaurant spaces were intended to be an extension of the overall design narrative for the block. MVE worked very closely with ownership on the review of tenant build outs, not only to align building systems, but also to align aesthetics. Thoughtful exterior dining locations were contemplated with each retail space. The idea, Berger said, was always “How do we get people to live on the streets?” The Woonerf concept, combined with the building scale and the accessibility of the restaurant spaces, all combined to be a major feature of that dialogue. 


Residential amenities include a 7,000-square-foot fitness center, club room, rooftop decks and multiple swimming pools. Each rooftop has its own unique flavor, corresponding to the unique architecture of each building. The podium level deck at Post House North has a park-like setting, while the podium level deck at Post House South offers a pool experience rivaling a luxury resort.


The purpose, according to the design team, was to create gathering spaces that build community among residents, while offering an experience that feels unique in the Utah apartment market. Large hinged canopy doors open over an indoor/outdoor pool and spa. At the center of the pool deck, walkover steppers traverse the oversized pool. They pass beneath the shade of a truly one-of-a-kind steel art tree that was custom designed and fabricated for this project.


“The pools in the project are not only an amenity to be a part of but also a great amenity to look at,” said Berger, complimenting the work of landscape architects Loft Six Four for helping the pools come to life.


The large outdoor spa features an acrylic window to the street below, to which Berger said was intended to make a passerby say “How can I be a part of that!?”


As the project team detailed, that feeling of wanting to be part of a sophisticated, gritty neighborhood is present throughout Post District. Whether in the form of tasty dining, a comfortable residence, or enjoyable amenity, the entire development begs the same question that Alex Lowe of the ownership team said at the ribbon cutting:


“Won’t you be our neighbor?”  

Post District Mixed-Use Development

Location: Salt Lake City, UT

Delivery Method: CM/GC

Square Feet: 918,830

Levels/Stories: 6/7

Owner: Blaser Ventures, Lowe Property Group, and Bridge Investment Group


Design Team

Architect: MVE + Partners

Civil: McNeil Engineering

Electrical: Hunt Electric

Mechanical: Gunthers

Plumbing: JTB/UMC

Structural: Dunn Associates

Geotech: AGEC

Landscape: Wenk Associates, Loft Six Four

Pool & Spa: Water Design Inc

Waterproofing: Morrison Hershfield


Construction Team

General Contractor: Big-D Construction

Concrete: Big-D Construction (Structural), Pikus (Deck Shoring and Deck Forming), BHI (Site), Architectural

Concrete and Design (Post House North and Post House South Decorative Podium), Knell Constuction

(Gypcrete)

Plumbing: UMC

HVAC: Gunthers

Electrical: R.C. Hunt

Masonry: RAM Exteriors

Metal Paneling: Southam Associates

Drywall/Acoustics: SDI (Drywall), Mitchell Acoustics (Decorative Ceiling Systems)

Painting: Allied Painters (The Register, Post House North, 801 Flats), Keith Pulham Painting (Post House

South)

Tile/Stone: CP Build (The Register, Post House North, 801 Flats), Spectra (All Buildings), Dowland Tile and

Stone (The Register, Post House South)

Carpentry: Turnkey Interiors (Base, Doors and Hardware), Ron J Peterson (Sunday’s Best/Restaurant Space

Framing), Avant Garde (Post House South Framing), CP Build (Cabinets The Register, Post House North,

801 Flats), Dowland (Post House South), Finisher Construction (Post House South Supplemental Help

W/Cabinet Install)

Flooring: CP Build (The Register, Post House North, 801 Flats); Spectra Contract Flooring (Post House

North, Post House South), Stewart Specialty Systems (Polished Concrete)

Roofing: Flynn (TPO Systems), Southam and Associates (Standing Seam/Metal Roofing)

Glass/Curtain Wall: B&D Glass (Storefront), Pella (Window Provider), Total Window (Window Installer),

Allied Industries (Skylights), All Metals Fabrication (Glass Railings, Post House South), Crawford Doors

(Pool Doors), Bountiful Glass (Shower Doors), Scottco Blinds (Window Coverings)

Waterproofing: Waterproofing West

Steel Fabrication: Boman and Kemp (Structural Steel Common Area Stairs), Pine River Partners

(Decorative Railing and Unit Stairs), Harris Rebar, SN Custom Railing (Spiral Stair in Unit)

Steel Erection: Rise Construction (Structural), Pine River Partners (Decorative Railings and Unit Stairs),

Iron Mountain Construction (Rebar)

Excavation: Cazier, Geopier Northwest (Aggregate Piers), Keller North America (Post House North, Post

House South Excavation Shoring)

Demolition: Grantt Mackay

Landscaping: Brightview Landscape (Ongrade), Waterscape Landscaping (Podium and Amenities Decks)

Other Specialty Contractors: Kone (The Register, Post House North, Post House South, 801 Flats), Able

Access (Sunday’s Best/Restaurant Space), Alpine Gas Fireplaces, B&B Specialties, Ranger Fire, Builder

Services Group, Cannon Sales (Actual Trash Chutes), B&B Specialties (Containers and Compactors),

Crawford Doors (Overhead Coiling Doors), CEM Aquatics, Thermal Engineering, Mountain West Pavers,

Flash Parking, Peck Striping, Rocky Mountain Wall Cover, Salt Studio (Benches, Bike Racks and Cabanas),

CMI

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)