Library Roundup

By Taylor Larsen

Clearfield Library Takes Off

Close proximity to the aerospace industry inspired many facets of Clearfield’s new library.

At the north end of Davis County sits Clearfield, a city of over 30,000 that butts against the sprawling Hill Air Force Base. Given that, the aerospace industry has flourished in that location, permeating much of Clearfield’s character.


The city has been taking off in its municipal district lately, and its new public library, designed by ajc architects and built by Spindler Construction, is the new sight to see at the corner of Center Street and Main Street. The first year has been a brilliant success, even if the initial takeoff was a little bumpy.


According to Darrel Hansen, Project Manager with Logan-based Spindler Construction, the site position made for an early challenge. “Apartments on the north and west, a bridge to the south, and a busy Main Street to the east,” said Hansen of the different buildings enclosing the locale. “Yes, things were pretty tight.”


But the construction team brought the site together to allow design from Steve Simmons to shine through. Simmons, Director of Design with ajc architects and lead architect on the project, said that the north-south span of the building massing would be the starting point on the flight-centric design of the new library. 


The winged, elongated façade tells arriving visitors “welcome to the fly zone.” With not just the air base, but so many players in the aerospace industry close by, its design has many an airplane quality. The major foil massing on the east greets those arriving on Main Street while a smaller fin ushers in visitors into the library interior.


"The whole east wall had to be specially engineered because of all the beautiful windows,” Hansen said of the construction process to bring the design to fruition. He complemented the masonry and glazing teams, who precisely followed the schematics and brought about the welcoming exterior.


The gorgeous grey brick combines well with the black steel, wood paneling, and curtain wall for, Simmons said, an “understated yet timeless” look. For the library’s price tag, the building is anything but modest—it’s stunning.


The architect described designing the library to embody a “retail feel,” where the glazing invites outside travelers to come in and savor the joys of the public library. That retail feel extends inside as well, something owners from the Davis County Library System wanted in the design to assist in the library programming.


“Davis County isn’t the stereotypical librarian,” said Simmons. “They aren’t shushing anybody. They want movement.”


With a children’s area and an elegant community room on the first floor, movement is a given. Thanks to building design, the library is ready for any and all of it—including sound movement. One librarian even mentioned how the acoustics are so good in the community room that it has never required a microphone for programming since the library opened last year—not even for a recent activity with 63 participants.


The exterior courtyard just outside the children’s area has a metal grate fence that nods to Clearfield’s native son, Nolan Bushnell, the creator of Atari. The library staff liked the design so much that they created additional programming and branding pieces that mimic the grate design with the library’s 3D printer. 


Library Evolved


That 3D printer is part of the accelerating shift in library programming still underway, said Simmons. Knowledge and resources are still essential to the library function but are seen in different ways than those of libraries from decades prior. Tech, creator-centric programming, and other new staples of the modern library are available for use on the building’s second floor.


But creating stairs up to those “maker space” pods, teen reading area, and conference room was a bit tricky, Hansen said. “The owner wanted it to look like [the stairs] were suspended by cables. We had to come up with a special design to make all the stairs and cables come together nicely.”


“I’m glad they went for it,” said Simmons. A look up the feature stair is anything but understated. The woodwork may be clean and simple, but the combination between it and the metal cabling make for breathtaking safety and utility.


The celestial feel of the interior is very much complemented by those same metal cables, drawing the eyes up to the beautiful wood slats that straddle the interior and exterior of the building. Sloped ceilings, a favorite design feature from Simmons, hang dappled “clouds” that further aid in the inspiration that looks skyward.


  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

Grounded and Ready


Design and construction have the library primed for enjoyment for residents and visitors alike. As a public building, Clearfield Library is firmly rooted in place, with Simmons and Hansen both mentioning how that phrase isn’t just metaphorical.


Despite our flight puns, “this building isn’t going anywhere,” said Hansen of the structural steel and other components supporting the building. Moment connections within the structure help answer seismic concerns and will keep the building in place during any earth-shaking event. But another win from the moment frame structural skeleton is how it allowed the design to be almost entirely open, showcasing its wonderful books and resources along with breathtaking views to the east. Simmons mentioned that the open space provides a safe design and allows every patron to enjoy such a powerful building that will benefit Clearfield, its growing municipal district, and visitors from all over.


Mission accomplished, indeed.


Davis County Clearfield Branch Library

Owner: Davis County

Architect: ajc architects

General Contractor: Spindler Construction

Civil Engineer: Great Basin Engineering

Electrical Engineer: Envision Engineering

Mechanical Engineer: VBFA

Structural Engineer: Reaveley Engineers

Landscape Architect: Great Basin Engineering

Plumbing: Advanced Plumbing

HVAC: United Team Mechanical

Electrical: JC Electric

Concrete: Intermountain Concrete Specialties

Steel Fabrication: Steel Encounters / All Metal Fabrication

Tile/Stone: Rocky Mountain Masonry / Larry Anderson Tile, LLC

Steel Erection: Paul Higley Welding & Erection

Glass/Curtain Wall: NGI Glass

Masonry: Rocky Mountain Masonry

Drywall/Acoustics: Royal Drywall, Inc. / Golder Acoustics

Painting: Nicholls Brothers Painting

Carpentry: Champion Fabricating

Flooring: Wall 2 Wall Flooring

Roofing: Midwest Roofing / Mountain Peak Builders

Waterproofing: Contractors Waterproofing Systems

Excavation: D&J Grading / Granite Mill

Precast: Reliance Precast

Landscaping: Landscape Specialties, Inc.

Grounded and Growing

Daybreak Library is the perfect fit for its growing community, showcasing high design and innovative construction methods for the many amenities on site.

Positive community impact is often the goal for architects and contractors, but it needs a community that cares—one fully invested in their public spaces. With the Daybreak Library, outreach helped make for a space perfect for the location and the young neighborhood’s future.


Location, Location, Location


Robb Harrop, President of Architectural Nexus and the project’s lead designer, mentioned how the history of place is an important aspect to any project. “While [this] community itself may be young, the rich history of mining has played an important role in its identity.”


He explained how Daybreak is rooted in a type of “community well,” where people may gather to access a precious resource that comes from the earth. “In the case of the library, the resource is knowledge,” he said. That, combined with the mining history, “lent itself to the idea that the library was a resource that grows out of the earth naturally, as opposed to something that was placed there.”


Massive ceiling clouds function as a typic of acoustic panel, and even help to continue that theme of emerging in its own way. Those panels work together with the different ceiling heights to create unique volumes for the different reading areas, study rooms, a maker space, and an inviting lobby.


Another way this emerging nature manifested, and one of Brady Stallings’ favorite features, was how, in one space, the building interior alternates views with the outside. The Stallings Construction Principal and Project Manager for the library described the unique feature where, just past the circulation desk, the view travels through the interior courtyard, into a hallway that wraps around the courtyard, and then back out to the exterior courtyard and amphitheater area—all in one glance.


A Space of Many Uses


The space’s variability was a major design focus inspired by Architectural Nexus's extensive outreach.


“We are always looking for opportunities to get input from the community for our place-based designs,” said Holli Adams, Principal-in-Charge of the project. For everyone, lending an ear has been a great way to design places universally beloved by their respective communities.


Listening closely to the Daybreak community and Salt Lake County library wishes and needs resulted in not just a beautiful building but a stunning rooftop garden. Combined with the work that was put in to integrate the library with Daybreak’s trail and pedestrian travel system.


“During the design,” she began, “we often talked about how this community would be likely to access the building by foot, or bike, or TRAX, and the rooftop amenity was a continuation of the trail system.” 


Instead of making it only available for use through the library, it sits accessibly to the community at all times. But it isn’t just benches—the rooftop garden serves as an integrated space, its walking trail providing inspiring views east to the valley and west to the Oquirrhs. 


Building on a Building


The rarity of this rooftop garden made it a first for Stallings Construction, who were up for all steps of the complicated challenge.


Jed Stallings mentioned additional scheduling and integration challenges that differentiated the library from a traditional building. The Principal and Project Engineer told of how the library and rooftop garden required significantly more than a simple drying process to weatherize it.


Brady Stallings further explained: “We had 12 layers of waterproofing, drainage, detection system, and more to weatherize the building.” More than 18 inches of material went in before the lightweight grow medium and lava rock that provided spots for the garden landscaping. The vegetation remains thick and lush, with actual trees growing on top of the building.


With the design concept based off the access to precious natural resources, Harrop said, “We felt it important to speak to the need to save those natural resources, therefore the building was designed to be Zero net energy and recently received LEED Gold Status.”


  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

Sustainability Reigns Supreme


With the unique “roof access” from the park, library patrons can fully appreciate a beautiful simplicity in the solatube system. It helps to make daylighting the main source of lighting throughout the space.


Not only does the building support a park, but stretching even higher is the solar array that generates all of the energy needs for the building.


“The use of photovoltaic panels are not treated like simple appendages to the roof but as an important architectural expression and canopy,” said Harrop. The array functions so well as a sun catcher that its shade becomes a nice reprieve from the lingering afternoon heat.


Sustainability is a highlight throughout the project, imbued by multiple facets that only make the library more of a treasure. Hidden under the parking lot sit 48 ground source geothermal loops, each one going 300 feet in depth as it pulls and pushes air to heat and cool the building. On-site water retention helps to alleviate storm drain systems while operable windows can bring in fresh air, one of many ways the building seeks to work with nature to create a choice public space.


Scheduling and getting the material up to the rooftop garden was one challenge, but far more challenging for the library as a whole was maintaining schedule amidst limited materials availability. 


“That’s the part I’m most proud of,” said Brady. Everything came through on time as books, furniture, and programming elements readied the building to open its doors in April 2022. Work between Brady and Superintendent Vaughn Huffman was essential to keeping things on track.


“Brady and Vaughn were critical,” said Jed of the teamwork he witnessed on the project. “It required creativity, flexibility, and constant adjustments to the schedule to keep the project on-time, which we were able to do.”


Metal Fabulous


Brady spoke of how their contracted metal fabrication shop shut down three times. The construction team pivoted and reached out to other trade partners to bring the needed materials and help the other shop stay on schedule and get the job done right.


Their hard work paid off. 


Metal, as one of those natural resources referenced by Harrop, functions as an aesthetic and a visually appealing utility in the building. Corten metal panel originally came in as a silver color and then was allowed to patina to achieve the color visible now—a rusty orange. That same coloring is also seen in the massive, metallic public art piece that greats patrons on arrival.


The use of those corten panels and steel beams are in reference to the area’s mining history, with Adams noting the inherent beauty of the copper-colored panels. But its utility provides a different type of beauty, the beauty of support. Buckling restrained bracing, expansion joints, and stiffeners, explained Brady before a pause and a laugh: “It’s a lot of metal.” All of it goes to help carry the concrete roof, garden, solar array, and a gorgeous, resource-rich library. 


The entire space—inside and out—allows for large and small groups to have many different types of events and experiences. 


Adams said it best, “It was important that the project include something that brought delight to everyone.”


Daybreak Library

Owner: Salt Lake County

Architect: Architectural Nexus

General Contractor: Stallings Construction, Inc.

Civil Engineer: Meridian Engineering, Inc.

Electrical Engineer: EELD

Mechanical Engineer: VBFA

Structural Engineer: Dunn Associates, Inc.

Geotech: Terracon

Landscape Architect: Architectural Nexus

Concrete: LG Concrete

Plumbing & HVAC: KK Mechanical

Electrical: IES Residential, Inc.

Drywall/Acoustics: K&K Drywall

Painting: DR Paint

Tile/Stone: Lee Barney & Associates

Carpentry (Millwork): Granite Mill & Fixture

Flooring (Carpet/Vinyl): Red Canyon Flooring

Flooring (Terrazo): FW Specialties

Roofing: Utah Tile & Roofing

Glass/Curtain Wall: Flynn-Noorda BEC

Waterproofing: Utah Tile & Roofing

Steel Fabrication: Northwest Welding & Mechanical

Steel Erection: JD Steel Construction, Inc.

Excavation: T&T Construction

Landscaping: Western Meadows Landscape



Old School, New Library

Blending elements of the old Granite High School into the new Granite Library provides a fitting tribute throughout the timeless building.

Standing on the corner of 3300 South and 500 East in South Salt Lake, the new Granite library is a modern reminder of the former Granite High School, which was constructed in 1906. Two bond votes, decades of contention in the local community, and over 100 years of passing architectural styles later, the school was demolished in 2017. Destruction, however, is often the first step of rebirth. 


The site the library was built upon is the same as that old high school. It is less a phoenix rising from the ashes and more a farmer (Granite High’s mascot) tilling, making room for a bountiful harvest on long-forgotten land. 


The preparation started with a stellar project team led by designers at Method Studio and construction experts at Hughes General Contractors. Their assignment: “Create something where the past and future don’t stand separately as relics and icons, but are woven together in a more nuanced way,” said Rob Beischline, Associate Principal with Method Studio and architect on this project.


Honoring the past began in earnest with the Hughes team and their work on nearby vegetation. Project Manager Ben Stringham said construction started by carefully preserving the century-old trees that had been struggling from years of neglect. Protecting the roots with structural soil under the newly-raised sidewalks was crucial—and endeared the project team to local residents as a result.


Another endearing feature is the site topography. The undulating heights of different design features around the site—benches, amphitheater, parking lot, play areas, and trails—point to this resource mecca in South Salt Lake.


“This is the only library in the Salt Lake County system with a play area on site,” said Stringham. It’s another exciting part of the community-centric design. Trails around the building and through the play area have already seen hundreds of families, dogs, runners, walkers, and more enjoying the area. Lush prairie grasses are a major landscape feature while wild strawberries are planted generously around the building. 


Walking around the site two times, from both the architectural and construction perspectives, added a coincidental nature to the story. Beishline used the word “lenticular” to describe how the very static building seemingly transforms as it’s viewed from different angles. The lenticular lens here, what blends past and present, is the collection of masonry-like concrete fins adorning the massive windows that look into a modern and accessible building. The result is that, as the viewer’s position changes in front of the windows, their view transforms as well.


“I love the feel of the vertical sun shades,” Beishline said. These red fins of concrete rhythmically appear on the rounded glass areas—a symbol of how they carry portions of the past through the present and into the future. “From certain angles, the brick-colored cladding appears to be woven into the glass volume.”


It was the first of many callbacks to the former masonry-clad Granite High School. 


Stringham explained how every red panel is the same color. The difference in the panels comes from how much sandblasting they received.


“All of them arrived on site with either a smooth, medium, or heavy sandblast,” he said. 


Why not just go with masonry or an approximation of the classical design choices made over 100 years ago with the school?


Beishline explained, “It would have missed the opportunity to speak to future generations. […] We felt it was important to us to honor the past, but also look to the future.”


As it looks forward, Granite Library is firmly set in the present with shear walls on the building circumference—and a few more on the interior to keep the building upright and safe in case of a future seismic event. The structural system allows for an open space where patrons can take in the majesty that is the Granite Library in any area. 


“There’s hardly a straight line in this building,” Stringham said. Rooms without 90 degree walls can be difficult to make efficient, that much is a given, but it was a challenge that the Hughes team reveled in as they went to task. Beishline explained the design as such: "We treated many of the interior spaces like lumps of clay—we could push and pull them, and mold them into forms based on their functional needs and the spaces around them.”


One of the most notable curves in the library comes via the cantilevered roof. Sticking out 20 feet from its deepest point, Beishline explained that the roof is a passive solar response.


Getting something so heavy to cantilever as far as it does was a challenge for Stringham and his team. The structural engineers at BHB Structural helped to create a 70-foot steel beam that curves in two to create a type of spiral. Stringham said they could not find someone to fabricate the beam, so they did what they do best and made it themselves by field welding together two beams. 


So 70 feet of curved steel supports the roof, and the roof supports visitors by reducing energy consumption—all while still allowing for year-round natural light through the two story glass wall via its lovely architectural feature.


Swoon. 


The interior view out to the fins is just as good, albeit in a different way, as those inside look out to a community rapidly shifting in density and their own expectations changing as well, specifically toward their new library.


“You used to only go to libraries because knowledge was inaccessible and books were expensive,” said Beishline of an era that feels distant to the millennial writer. The Granite Library and owners Salt Lake County Library System are fully aware of what the digital age has meant. 


Bookshelves are still present but so are laser engravers, VR headsets, a podcast studio, dedicated study rooms, freshly built nooks—the kind with the weird, uncomfortable shapes that only kids will use. 


On second thought, maybe nothing has truly “changed" in today’s libraries. The sense of wonder is certainly present, and it is most evident in one spot that will get the most attention: the entrance.


Beishline explained, “Curvilinear open space at the entry was one of the most dramatic features of the project. We intentionally created an entry canopy that was long and low so that you feel a sense of compression right before revealing the grand lobby.”


The ceiling, barring the sprinkler systems and smoke detectors, doubles as a blank canvas. 


Beishline explained how the Salt Lake County Library system utilizes raised floors under main collections for future flexibility. To accomplish this, the project team utilized the floor cavity as a bridge between the two lower volumes of the building. Wiring, plumbing, and infrastructure could be routed. This kept high ceilings free from mechanical diffusers and other devices that are seen in a typical building.


  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

While it is certainly a modern library, this one stands as a bit of a museum, too. History is visible in the Granite High fight song and high-quality historical images of students branded on study rooms. A trophy case on the building’s east side is full of 100 years of memorabilia—pins, basketball, pictures, and more. The wood floor that once heard the squeaks of basketball shoes now functions as a community room.


Don’t forget the school’s former insignia, now perfectly engineered into the library wall. The hundreds of pounds of concrete that make up the Granite High seal were carefully preserved before the construction crew built its heavy-duty display case. Prominently displayed on the east side hallway, it is a fitting tribute to the history that once stood in its place.


Today, the building stands in South Salt Lake, a dynamic example of a building that honors the past, lives in the present, and embraces the future. 



Granite Library

Owner: Salt Lake County

Architect: Method Studio

General Contractor: Hughes General Contractors

Civil Engineer: Forsgren Associates inc.

Electrical Engineer: VBFA

Mechanical Engineer: VBFA

Structural Engineer: BHB Structural

Geotech: Klienfelder inc.

Landscape Architect: Loft Six Four

Concrete: Hughes General Contractors

Plumbing: KK Mechanical

HVAC: KK Mechanical

Electrical: Arco Electric

Drywall/Acoustics: Commercial Interiors

Painting: Keith Pulham Painting

Tile/Stone: Millcreek Tile 

Carpentry: Boswell Wasatch Mill

Flooring: Certified Sales & Service

Roofing: Flynn-Noorda BEC

Glass/Curtain Wall: LCG  Facades

Waterproofing: LCG Facades 

Steel Fabrication: Utah Ornamental Iron

Steel Erection: Elevated Steel

Excavation: Hughes General Contractors

Landscaping: A.C.E. Landscape

Latest Shifts in Structural Engineering

By By B. Garn • May 2, 2025
The continued spread of and improvements to BIM, new fuse plate technology, and the rise of mass timber are a few of the topics shaking up structural engineering in the Beehive State. Utah Construction + Design reached out to some Utah’s leading structural engineering firms to find out about current trends, technologies, and with five years of reflection, how are owners and designers looking at and learning from the 5.7 magnitude earthquake that shook the Wasatch Front in spring 2020. Jerod Johnson, Senior Principal at Reaveley Engineers, wrote a detailed retrospective of the event in 2023 and says researchers and engineers learned a few things from the quake from how different building types responded to insights into the geology of our region. “Research has revealed that the shape of the Wasatch Fault is different from what was previously believed. The Magna earthquake, initially thought to have occurred on a fault in the western part of the Salt Lake Valley, actually took place on the Wasatch Fault. The fault extends into the valley at a much shallower angle than expected, rather than descending steeply from the toe of the mountain. This new understanding of the fault's geometry has significant implications for seismic design and building codes. We anticipate changes to the spectral acceleration maps used in structural design. The lateral shaking observed during the 5.7 magnitude earthquake was much higher than expected,” says Johnson. “It highlighted the need for updated design practices that account for this amplification. These findings will influence future building codes and practices in Utah, ensuring that structures are better equipped to withstand such events.” But Chris Hofheins, a Senior Principal at BHB Structural, is concerned the wider public may not have learned enough from the event. “Most structural engineers thought the earthquake would be a wakeup call but to a large degree I think it had the opposite effect,” said Hofheins. “People looked around and felt like it wasn’t so bad and we’ll be alright if something bigger hits. We’ve seen a few owners who decided to increase the seismic safety of their buildings but we’re also seeing the opposite where I think some people are overconfident.” Blowing a Fuse Structural resilience, designing buildings that not only protect those inside during a seismic event but can be quickly reoccupied, continues to be of great interest to structural engineers. Replaceable fuses, or structural sections that can be sacrificed dissipating energy during a seismic event and then replaced, have continued to gain popularity with designers and improve the resilience of buildings. “This innovation represents a significant shift from traditional methods of enhancing ductility in earthquake design. Instead of merely adapting existing practices, replaceable fuses offer a new paradigm for building resilience,” said Dorian Adams, Senior principal and President with Reaveley Engineers. Adams said fuse technology like buckling restrained braces (BRBs) have been available and widely adopted for several decades. Newer proprietary systems like Durafuse, among others, for moment frames have been gaining popularity. “New technologies are emerging that offer exciting possibilities. One such innovation is the SpeedCore steel shear wall with a concrete core, which is included in the new AISC seismic provisions, the 2022 edition. This technology represents a significant advancement in seismic design,” said Adams. Replaceable fuse technology is also being employed with mass timber construction as interest in and use of the material around the world continues to grow. Jordan Terry, Principal at KPFF Consulting Engineers has designed structural systems for several mass timber and mass timber hybrid projects such as the ICCU Arena at the University of Idaho in Moscow and the recently completed Portland International Airport Terminal Core Redevelopment with its 400,000 sq ft mass Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) roof. He said there have been important advances recently in seismic systems for mass timber structures. “Typically, when you get a mass timber building over five stories you have to look at the seismic reinforcing and that is where you introduce something other than just timber. You might have a concrete core with the elevator shafts or use BRBs,” Terry said. “We had a client in Portland that absolutely wanted to use as much timber as possible. We helped develop a new system called a rocking CLT core wall. The base of the shear wall panels isn’t connected to the ground and it can rock back and forth but there are energy-dissipating sections or fuses, between the panels. They are very ductile. You swap them out and it’s as good as new.” David Dunn, CEO and principal at Dunn Associates, said the firm had utilized a rocking CLT shear panel in their design for a new all mass timber building currently under construction for the Zion National Park Discovery Center at the national park’s east entrance. Terry also said the firm was assisting researchers at the University of California San Diego in developing more all-timber lateral systems but noted like all materials, it should be used for its strengths. “CLT is really strong and stiff so you’d think it would be great for seismic reinforcement, but it is not very ductile,” he said. “We have a project in Spokane [Washington] where we used BRBs. We are letting the wood be stiff and strong like it wants to be and letting the BRBs deal with dissipation.” Hofheins noted mass timber research is going on here at the University of Utah as well. Dr. Chris Pantelides and the U of U’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering are developing a BRB encased in timber. Adams noted Dr. Pantelides’s project is not the only fuse research underway locally. “One such project involved a device placed in the middle of an X brace, with elastic braces and a fuse at the intersection of the diagonal braces. This device would compress and stretch, cycling through combined flexure and shear,” he said. “A University of Utah PhD candidate recently further enhanced this concept in his dissertation, adding curved plates of steel that cross one another and engage in tension only after reaching a certain threshold of displacement. This supplemental strength activates only when needed, providing a dual-level design solution that accommodates different magnitudes of earthquakes. The idea of replaceable fuses holds significant potential for the future of structural design. These innovations will become an integral part of performance-based seismic design, offering tailored solutions for varying seismic events. Simpson's Yield-Link connection is another example of this technology, although it is currently more suited for smaller applications.” Dunn said making buildings resilient and potentially reusable quickly after a seismic event not only has implications for safety but for sustainability as well. “Designing resilient structures is really an environmental consideration that is undervalued in my view,” said Dunn. “Code-based buildings will undergo massive deformations and damage after an earthquake. Sometimes small, incremental increases in first-costs can make huge differences in anticipated building performance, salvaging buildings that would otherwise be landfilled. That is a huge environmental impact, but not as buzzy as bike racks, low-water urinals, solar panels, etc.”

No Waterway? No Problem for the Utah Inland Port Authority

By Taylor Larsen • May 2, 2025
Ports? In landlocked Utah? Sure, the traditional idea of a port in Utah, with cargo ships, cruise liners, container cranes, dockworkers, barges—not to mention coastal water—is farfetched. But the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA) has broadened the meaning of a port since its formation in 2018. Even without a coast, UIPA has worked to strengthen rail, air, and road cargo infrastructure to turn Utah into a 21st century logistics hub and changing the economic trajectory of the Beehive State in the process. It’s been seven years of increased industrial development that has been a boon for the A/E/C community, but more importantly the logistics and manufacturing network to build for an ever-growing consumer demand. There have been plenty of detractors to UIPA, especially as it relates to ecological conservation. Ben Hart, Executive Director of UIPA, has heard it loud and clear as he sets the organization on a path to aid in development goals that benefit the entire state and the values Utahns hold dear. Origin Story + Coordinated Efforts UIPA was created to pioneer and implement strategic and sustainable logistics-backed economic solutions that enhance the lives of Utahns and establish Utah as a global industry connector. While UIPA began its journey overseeing 16,000 acres in the northwest portion of Salt Lake County, the Northwest Quadrant, it has grown in area and emphases since 2018. Today, UIPA is associated with 110,000 acres in 12 project areas across the state. Most importantly for the organization, Hart said, is how developments within UIPA project areas create high-paying jobs to strengthen Utah communities. Where regional logistics infrastructure does not exist, UIPA can make strategic investments to unlock regional economic growth. “Part of the [UIPA] charter is developing projects that provide economic strength for their entire region. Regional projects need regional infrastructure, which most importantly includes transportation infrastructure,” said Hart, detailing UIPA tools to build out transportation infrastructure intended “to help grow the entire regional economy. Hart said that UIPA has grown its overall area scope to help meet statewide initiatives from current Governor Spencer Cox and regional initiatives from municipal leaders around the Beehive State. Speaking specifically of many of Utah’s rural counties, “There is more commerce going on in those areas than what people recognize,” Hart said, “and you still have a really good workforce in those areas as well.” Municipalities and counties of all levels (see project area map) have been willing to go through a four-step process to access UIPA capabilities in route to industrial development and the high-wage jobs that come with it.

Steely Resolve

By Taylor Larsen • May 1, 2025
Tariff talk is loud. But don’t let that be the only thing that garners attention in steel fabrication trends. Leaders in this field said that they continue to innovate and build up their spot within the industry to ensure steel continues to be utilized in projects across the Beehive State. Tariffs Add Volatility On March 12th, 2025 the Trump administration announced 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports. With over 25% of steel imported, according to the US Dept. of Commerce, steel procurement is set to get even pricier. Matt Blaser, President of Price-based Intermark Steel, sees plenty of similarities with tariff policy and the pandemic effects on the supply chain. Much as supply chains needed reconfiguring during the pandemic, “The overarching goal [of tariffs] is to bring manufacturing back into the United States,” said Blaser. “Where we’re not dependent on a global supply chain.” It’s worked as intended before, when 2018 tariffs (25% on steel imports) helped increase domestic steel production by 6 million tons from 2017-2019. For Richard Wood, President of West Jordan-based Rightway Steel, the expected increase in domestic steel production, “It’s just getting started. Many new companies have plans to build steel producing plants in the US.” These incoming ‘minimills’ are bringing faster throughput in a smaller area via a much more efficient steelmaking process. According to a 2020 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency report, over half of the national steel output was produced in minimills. These mills use an electric arc furnace (EAF) to melt and refine steel scrap by passing an electric current from the electrodes through the materials to melt it at a scorching 3,000 degrees. It’s making blast furnaces and “rust belt” technology a thing of the past. But on-shoring production has still been a tough pill to swallow for fabricators as steel prices surge. “As of April 1st, steel material prices have increased upwards of 25%,” said Wood. “We’re unsure if or when the tariffs will be reduced.” Even as tariffs escalate, fabricators like Rightway Steel have sought a way forward even as Wood has seen demand and project starts slow down. Rightway has pivoted with new pricing, reduced quote hold times, and internal efficiencies to stay competitive. As developments in EAF take a greater share of steel production market toward stability—and hopefully lower prices—those internal efficiencies Wood mentioned will shape the future of steel fabrication. Innovating Internally “In any steel fabrication, or any type of production, there is a four letter word that makes all the difference: flow,” said Tyler Oliver, President of Centerville-based Fineline Steel Fabrication. Limiting the amount of movement required from the fabrication team in the shop is one internal efficiency keeping costs low. Inside Fineline’s shop, TV screens and tablets keep the team in the shop fully aware of what’s going on—and keep everyone in flow. Touring through the firm’s Centerville shop, one quickly notices how long the building is. Think arena football field, but five of them end to end to reach 1,000 feet long. If Fineline could have a facility twice as long and half as wide, Oliver said, it would help that flow even better. Oliver claimed that Fineline;s facility houses “One of the most state-of-the-art fabricators in the world.” Fineline’s Voortman Steel Fabricator has been a key part of the firm’s innovative flair. The fully-automated welding system starts with the VACAM system to determine the feasibility of assemblies, production times, etc—particularly helpful when determining the amount of automation required in the welding process. From there the magnetic handling robot grabs the steel pieces fed by the Fineline team, rotates the steel, and welds steel members in the right place. Rightway Steel has looked for similar internal efficiencies, with Wood saying the firm is improving year over year with new equipment and processes to improve quality, speed, and safety. “There’s always room for improvement,” he said before mentioning how it will be incumbent on fabricators to find or train workers capable of learning the ropes as the company invests in more robotic welding, improved machinery, and emerging technologies like wearable exoskeletons to keep production humming. Technological Infusion With lead times getting shorter for many of these projects, Oliver said, “[Owners] need their parts and members bigger, better, and faster. This is why we have innovated and are constantly working on adding automation.” Technological innovation reigns supreme. Construction software Stalwarts like Procore and Building Connected are combining with emerging technologies that incorporate in-field scanning from team members to improve accuracy. “We have also seen improvements in modeling and steel shop and erection drawings through Advanced Steel and Tekla,” said Wood. As modeling has improved, so has the final product created by fabricators. Blaser echoed Oliver’s comments on speed to delivery and Wood’s thoughts on digital collaboration, saying that the ability to fabricate from a digital file has been catalytic in today’s high-speed construction market. Blaser also reiterated points from the other fabricators regarding internal systems. Having a CNC machine isn’t enough—it’s the bare minimum. Instead, working in a “Henry Ford-esque” assembly line makes all the difference today, especially when combined with digital innovations and steel detailing software. But the future is one where those systems are bolstered by AI. “Larger companies will have machines interconnected via AI,” said Blaser. With enough capital to invest in interconnected machinery that needs less human help, AI adaptation within steel fabrication will “Consolidate the market and probably push smaller shops to the wayside.” For Oliver, “AI is the top of our list as it is with everyone else,” namely allowing the team to spend their time processing material for fabrication. “There are some major advancements with AI and how we can final QC some of our members.” While AI grows in importance on the shop floor, Wood said his teams have utilized AI as much as possible in the office for great efficiency in take-offs, proposals, RFI support, and meeting information.

Designing a Sustainable Future

By Taylor Larsen • May 1, 2025
“Our thinking needs to be challenged in our culture.” The words from Bill Reed came during his keynote address at the Intermountain Sustainability Summit held at Weber State University in late March. And the strength of his advocacy for a sea change in how our culture thinks about everything—especially sustainability—only continued. “There is no such thing as a sustainable building,” said Reed, Principal of Regenesis, a regenerative design and education organization based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Reed spoke from experience. He is a founding board member of the US Green Building Council (USGBC) and Co-Founder of the LEED Green Building Rating System. For him and many others, LEED won’t be the answer to the problems posed by the built environment. “LEED came along to tell us we could do things better,” he said. “But sustainability is a slower way to die.” “Places are living organisms,” he said. Everyone involved in development must realize, “Your project is not ‘The Project,’ but is part of a living system,” where the development in question is part of an expansive web of community priorities. “We have to make common ground in these communities,” he said, where alignment results in a project that fits within multiple contexts. Reed’s words were strong, and he challenged sustainability experts to find ways to create a regenerative built environment and all of its positive outcomes. UC+D looked to continue those thoughts and reached out to multiple design experts to see how to challenge our collective thinking and steer us to a sustainable future for the built environment. Value Alignment from the Start When Garth Shaw approaches a project, he starts with a fundamental question: "What does our client want and need, and what sustainable design strategies will help them get there?" Shaw, Principal and Director of Sustainability at Salt Lake-based GSBS Architects, said the goal is a high-performance, sustainable design that promotes, rather than dictates, client objectives. Efficient, resilient, and healthy buildings emerge from this process. “There is so much momentum in the industry to move faster and cheaper,” Shaw explained. Everyone in the A/E/C industry values efficiency, and private developers and owners are no exception. However, they also prioritize predictability. Even when a project starts with ambitious sustainability goals, compressed schedules and cost pressures can lead teams back to old methods. "It worked last time!” becomes the enemy of progress. Shaw argued that the industry must create space for innovation. "We need time to drive deep value into buildings that precisely meet client needs while protecting—and even enhancing—environmental performance." Overcoming this challenge begins with aligning values. “If you can tie people’s values into a practical approach to sustainability, that’s the magic,” Shaw said. He encourages his team to lead sustainability conversations without defaulting to LEED certification. Instead, successful sustainability strategies require tools tailored to each project. This kind of value-driven approach has broad appeal, transcending political divides. Shaw noted that leaders across the political spectrum recognize the importance of sustainability through air quality and water conservation efforts. Depoliticizing environmental stewardship is key—it’s not just a policy issue but a human issue that affects everyone. Government incentives, like the Inflation Reduction Act, have helped make sustainability more attractive to owners. The IRA provides substantial discounts for projects implementing energy-efficient systems, such as Utah’s on-site ground-source thermal exchange systems, which can now receive up to a 50% discount. When cost savings are clear and measurable, sustainability becomes an easier sell. Beyond energy systems, sustainable construction also hinges on material choices. "Manufacturers and contractors aren’t used to tracking carbon impacts," Shaw noted, but forward-thinking industry leaders continue pushing for better transparency. Tools from organizations like the Carbon Leadership Forum help architects, builders, and owners visualize the carbon footprint of materials, empowering them to make informed decisions. For the A/E/C industry, staying ahead requires continuous learning—keeping up with evolving grants, materials, supply chains, and building systems. Shaw concluded, “Change is required, and that change will ultimately benefit our clients. It may take more time, but the result is a high-value project—for people and the environment.”

Something New

By Doug Fox • May 1, 2025
The recently completed Duchesne High School (DHS) renovation is a textbook case of the old wedding adage: “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” Fittingly, the project resulted in an elegant marriage of design, construction, and community spirit. The old and new are carefully blended, with brand-new buildings and modernized spaces standing alongside preserved sections of renovations past. And to tie it all together? The commons area, a brand-new roof, and other key highlights are bathed in Duchesne’s signature blue color. Naturally, like any good marriage, this $62.9 million rebuild required commitment, collaboration, and a little bit of patience. Architects, builders, and school district officials worked hand in hand to ensure that the old and new came together in harmony—honoring the school’s legacy while preparing it for the future. “We strived to make a space that brings pride to the students, staff, and the community,” said Wes Christensen, Principal Architect at KMA Architects, the Spanish Fork firm that designed the rebuild. “Our approach and design philosophy were heavily influenced by the desire to create a cohesive and efficient addition that would seamlessly blend with the existing portions to remain. We feel that we were able to accomplish this successfully, working together as a design team, including our consulting engineers, the school district, school administration, and Westland Construction.” Save the Date The Duchesne High School rebuild has been on the drawing board for nearly seven years and in the construction phase for 33 months. KMA started the design process in 2018, but the project was put on hold by the Duchesne County School District due to COVID and faced additional delays because of supply chain issues and long lead times for equipment. Westland Construction of Orem eventually earned the CM/GC bid and broke ground in June 2022. The high school remained open during the course of construction, creating the need for innovative and meticulous planning to ensure safety while working around normal school activity. “The new addition at the school was built where there was a field, parking lot, old basketball gym, and shop classrooms,” said Aaron Kirkham, Project Manager at Westland Construction. “The remodel and construction in the existing school areas were done during the school summer breaks.” When school was in session, temporary construction fencing and gates around active working areas served to keep students safe, Kirkham said. Construction delineation kept workers and equipment separated from students and staff. According to Michael Weldon, Building and Grounds Supervisor with the Duchesne County School District (DCSD), the detached gym and locker rooms were built in 1965, the auditorium and shops built in 1974, and a newer building added to campus in 2005. “The parts of the school that were demolished did not meet current building codes,” Weldon said. “The original auditorium was extremely small and the shops were also small. You had to go outside and through a parking lot to get to the second gym. The new build project incorporated the shops, an auditorium, and gym attached to the 2005 building so that they feel and look like they were built at the same time.” Bridging the old and new construction is always a unique factor that is different for any remodel and addition project, Christensen said. “These previous additions were designed by another architect, so that also creates a challenge to overcome in blending styles and design choices.” One of the most significant hurdles revolved around the central placement of the auditorium within the new school structure. While beneficial in creating a focal point for the building, the new auditorium posed myriad logistical challenges during construction. According to Kirkham, a 28,000-pound steel beam needed to be placed to support the structure’s masonry walls, which were 35 feet tall. The beam placement required a 550-ton crane, which had to be strategically positioned where the future gym would be constructed. “As a result, we had to delay the construction of the masonry walls in the new gymnasium until the beam was in place,” Kirkham said. “This sequencing created a very compressed and demanding schedule to ensure the new basketball gym was completed in time for the start of the school year in August 2024.” Despite those constraints, Kirkham said, construction on the gym’s masonry walls and concrete slab began in January of 2024 and was completed within seven months.

The New SLC Rolls On

By Milton Harrison • May 1, 2025
The historic Salt Lake City Airport Redevelopment (the New SLC) project continues to roll on into its fourth—and final—phase, with a targeted finish in October 2026 and final delivery of 16 new gates in Concourse B that will allow it to serve 34 million passengers annually. At a whopping $5.135 billion, the New SLC marks the single largest project in Utah's history, with the Phase I grand opening in September 2020 the first of many project milestones. The New SLC also sports the distinction of being the first new hub airport in the U.S. built in the 21st century, making it one of the most modern, technologically advanced, and aesthetically pleasing airports in the world. Last October, the $458 million Phase III was delivered by the Holder/Big-D Construction Joint Venture (HDJV) team, highlighted by the dynamic new 1,175-foot Central Tunnel—dubbed the "River Tunnel" for its mesmerizing blue ceiling art installation that depicts a flowing river—along with the Concourse B Plaza. The new plaza features an extension of the popular canyon motif with new art installations and the remarkable preservation of the former airport’s iconic "World Map" terrazzo floor section originally installed in 1960. Mike Williams, Program Director for the New SLC, expressed his excitement at the completion of Phase III, saying it's the most significant project milestone since Phase I opened in 2020. "This is really what I call the second transformation of the airport. The first was when we opened Phase I in the fall of 2020," said Williams, the veritable maestro of this Herculean, once-in-a-lifetime project. “[Phase III] is the one that ties it all together and makes it function as one cohesive airport." Williams said it's been remarkable to see how this project has morphed since it was announced more than a dozen years ago. At that time, the scope called for constructing just a new Concourse A and landside facilities. When the pandemic hit in March 2020, a mere six months before the scheduled grand opening of Phase I, SLC Airport officials pivoted with the original program and called for Concourse B to be built as well, essentially adding Phase III and Phase IV and nearly doubling the program budget to exceed $5 billion. Having the same general contractor team (HDJV) and design team, led by San Francisco-based HOK, on all four phases allowed a more seamless expansion since the goal of building Concourse B was to have it look and function virtually the same as Concourse A. Bill Wyatt, Executive Director of Airports for Salt Lake City, has been involved since 2017 and praised all parties involved for the successful completion of three major phases thus far, and for continually trying to improve the construction process from phase to phase. "During Phase I, we had this constant barrage of issues," said Wyatt. "I'd go on these construction walks with Mike [Williams], and someone from [HDJV], and it was a constant series of decisions that had to be made. We fixed all of those little things so that almost none of those issues were in Phase III and Phase IV. It's kind of like rinse and repeat—they're going on 10 years of building gates, and they have it pretty well down by now." Wyatt agreed with Williams that Phase III is the essential functional piece tying the entire project together, with the Central Tunnel being a vital connector between the two new concourses. The Central Tunnel makes a strong statement with its unique aesthetics and general stress-free vibe—highlighted by a carefully curated music playlist designed to help visitors decompress from the stresses of traveling on their journey to Concourse B. "In some ways, other than the [Phase I] grand opening itself in 2020, the opening of Phase III is the most significant," said Wyatt. "It makes the airport flow and function so much more effectively. Prior to this, people had a hard time understanding how it was going to come together—the Central Tunnel and Plaza of Concourse B really bring that together. We're very happy with the end result, the art [...] everything about it is terrific." "There has been a ton of excitement seeing the public's reaction to the Central Tunnel opening," added Jordan Cammack, Construction Director for the past two years for HDJV, and a former Project Manager and Senior Project Manager who has been on the job since construction began in July 2014. He praised the cohesiveness of the design and construction teams over the past 11 years and the ability to make changes without disrupting the schedule or budget. "It's been impressive to see how the architect and design teams came together and worked with us throughout the project," Cammack added. "It's been a great job—it's been like a family out here with all our team members, owner reps, and architects. We've seen families grow up. It's a pleasure to come to work with such great people for an extended period of time."

New Life for the 200 South Transit Corridor

By Taylor Larsen • May 1, 2025
“What does this corridor want to be when it grows up?” The question posed by Kyle Cook was the impetus for the 200 South Reconstruction project. It helped usher in a new era for Salt Lake City’s bus corridor with the tagline: “200 South—A Place of Motion” Cook, PE and Transportation Engineer for Salt Lake City, said 200 South was discussed years before design and construction commenced, namely from the capital city’s 2017 Transit Master Plan. After evaluating 15 corridors, 200 South was deemed the most important. “A strategic corridor,” said Cook of the area from Salt Lake Central Station to the University of Utah. Working in tandem with UTA and multiple Salt Lake City departments, the design would condense the five lanes of the old street into three passenger vehicle lanes, two dedicated bus lanes, and two bike lanes. It would create a street that matches the urban character of the area, one that is much safer and better equipped to handle the multimodal traffic on 200 South. Building for Community Needs As the Salt Lake City team went from master plan to design in the early days of the pandemic, they turned to online workshops, surveys, and virtual town halls on Facebook Live to get feedback on what folks hoped to see from a reconstructed 200 South along an area between 900 East and 400 West. “At the time, that was pretty novel for us,” Cook said of that public involvement work from the city and AECOM consultants, who served as project prime. “But I think we got very good at it.” They took in nearly 1,000 survey responses plus online event insights to determine the street needed to accommodate not just buses and passenger vehicles, but pedestrians, cyclists, and the array of businesses housed along the corridor. Reconstruction of 200 South was a two-phase project, where Phase 1 would cover 900 East to 200 East, and Phase 2 would reconstruct the far busier part of the project between 200 East and 400 West. Working with the Business Community Road construction is the bane of many and grows more challenging for a project team attempting to accommodate businesses and travelers while building in an urban environment. “It’s as downtown as it gets,” said Brett Kearns of the project scope. “The amount of vehicular or foot traffic passing through, and knowing you have to re-do the entire street, remove curb, gutter, and flatwork—it’s a huge concern.” Kearns, Project Manager/Estimator for Acme Construction, said they worked hand in hand with Salt Lake City and the public engagement team at Avenue Consultants to address business needs as construction continued between each phase. “In order for 200 South to succeed, we have to have good contact within our team and good contact with businesses,” said Kearns. “The first thing we did was canvas on the corridor,” said Stacee Adams, Public Involvement Manager from Avenue Consultants, who managed public involvement from the end of design through project completion. Adams said the team “went business to business” to show them what would go in place, infrastructure amenities, and what to expect in construction. Beyond the initial meet-and-greet, the team hosted workshops at Gallivan Plaza, took daily phone calls, and met with businesses monthly to keep them in the know. They also provided information to event attendees at places like the Greek Fest (300 West) and the Salt Palace (West Temple - 200 West) to keep visitors aware of construction impacts. Working Around the Barriers Acme’s experience on other Salt Lake City projects, notably the successful 900 South Corridor reconstruction, gave the city confidence that the Acme team would build community trust in each phase. That proved especially critical with the Capitol Theatre (50 West). Uneven grades surrounding the building posed one challenge while accommodating Capitol Theatre’s busy schedule posed another. Beyond venue patrons, “[Capitol Theatre] has load-in for their stage equipment, performers and costuming coming in, plus students coming in on school days for plays,” said Adams of the complicated logistics plan required. “We found out the best time for them was for construction to work from the beginning of July to August 15th,” said Kearns, who noted the atypical nature of the project required a level of dedication matched by the construction team across both phases. Kearns especially praised Acme Superintendent Herman Sword, who coordinated across the project’s two phases and ongoing construction projects nearby to ensure good outcomes for everyone. The Acme team installed plenty of asphalt and concrete to give the road and sidewalk new life around a bevy of ongoing work. Enbridge Gas installed their pipeline along the same corridor, Royal Wood Plaza (230 West) underwent demolition, and construction progressed on Zephyr Lofts (370 West) and Astra Tower (State Street).

40 Years of Aiming High

By Brad Fullmer • April 30, 2025
Steel Encounters' Executive Leadership team consists of (Left to right): Brad Hardy, President; Brian Tlustosch, Executive VP: Tom Jackson, Chairman/CEO; Michael Rudge, CFO.

Economists Remain Optimistic about Utah

By Milt Harrison • February 28, 2025
Despite some minor economic headwinds, Utah is poised for another solid, if semi-unspectacular, year of construction and real estate development, according to top economists locally and nationally. Indeed, 2025 is shaping up to be much like 2024, a year where firms across the A/E/C spectrum completed dozens of life-enhancing, community-uplifting projects across every major building sector—in other words, a lot of projects were built outside of the still churning multi-family market. These firms thrived for the most part, posting positive revenue growth and maintaining momentum in the face of the usual challenges of shallow labor pools and volatile material costs. Utah continues to rank among the top states nationally on key economic drivers such as population growth, construction employment, a pro-business climate, and a legislative body that continues to be bullish on funding higher education and transportation projects. Prospects are good with a can-do mentality among developers, municipalities, and the firms designing and building the jobs. "Utah will continue to have above average growth and is in great position to continue its great track record with a growing population, and a strong economy and construction market," said Ken Simonson, Chief Economist for the Associated General Contractors of America (AGCA) in Washington, D.C. "Utah has been on a steady, strong upward path with 27% growth in construction employment—three times the national average of 9%—since 2020." Simonson said Utah's construction employment growth doubled last year, up 6%, which is twice the U.S. average. Growth would be even stronger, he added, if contractors could find workers, particularly skilled tradesmen. Simonson said a survey of 1,500 firms nationally stated 94% had openings for craft workers. "It's hard to fill (skilled) positions, more difficult than last year," he added. Utah's consistent population growth—the Beehive State ranked fourth according to the U.S. Census from 2023-24 with 1.8% growth (3.44 million to 3.50 million)—is a driver of demand for so many types of construction, as well as a course of construction labor. Simonson said the state has been more welcoming of immigrants, an important source of labor for contractors across the board. Utahns also have a reputation for being well-educated coupled with a strong work ethic and drive to succeed, making the state an attractive place for new businesses looking to expand. Developers Waiting Out Interest Rates; Hope for a Drop in '25 The Fed kept interest rates where they are in January—a decision not popular with many real estate developers simply itching to invest capital and have projects waiting to cut loose the minute rates become more favorable. That pent-up demand could heat up the market if rates drop by even half a point, particularly in the multi-family arena. Simonson said multi-family was down nationally 8% from September 2023-24, with Utah seeing an equivalent slowdown, despite a huge amount of inventory that hit the market in 2024, including attractive high-end downtown properties like Camber, The Worthington, and Astra Tower, and many others along the greater Wasatch Front. "Reductions in the [Fed]’s short-term interest rate target will make financing a bit less expensive but developers still can't get loans or want to proceed if rents aren't high enough to cover the financing and construction costs, including time to complete if there are extended delivery times for electrical equipment such as transformers and switchgear," Simonson added. "Utah isn't immune from these challenges, but if the underlying population growth will be supportive of rent increases, that may bring back multi-family construction sooner than in areas that aren't growing as fast, or at all." Spendlove Keynote at 2025 NAIOP Symposium Senior Economist for Zions Bank, Robert Spendlove, said Utah is well-positioned to maintain solid economic activity, with factors of low unemployment (hovering around 4%), solid wage growth (3.9% in December), and more than a quarter million jobs added at the end of last year. "Utah had unexpected, continued strength in the labor market," said Spendlove at NAIOP Utah's 2025 Symposium in January. "If we could pause the economy and stay where we're at now, we'd be in a perfect position." Consumer inflation, he said, remains sticky at nearly 3%, with the Fed targeting 2% before they can lower interest rates. "Until it's at 2%, they can't claim victory," he said. Overall, consumer prices are up a whopping 22% since 2020. "It's a struggle for people—those prices are never going back down. Inflation is just adding to those price increases. [Fed Chair Jerome] Powell said they will not make the same mistake as the 70s; they will not cut rates until inflation is down." In addition to strong 1.65% [WHAT TYPE OF] growth and 1.8% employment growth, Utah rebounded quickly from the pandemic. "That shows the strength of Utah's economy and labor market," said Spendlove. He added that Utah's GDP was up 4.6%, indicating the strongest economic growth in the U.S., with consumer sentiment improving and greater small business optimism. Utah Maintains Steady Growth, Says Eskic The Beehive State's remarkably consistent and steady growth remains a major reason why its economic outlook remains rosy, said Dejan Eskic, Senior Research Fellow at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. "Utah's population growth has never dropped below zero since 1950—we're still increasing with net migration," said Eskic at an event hosted by the Intermountain Chapter of the American Concrete Institute in January, with growth slowing by only .08 to 1.65% "There is so much demand in our economy that even in a down year for housing, construction employment is up 6.2%," he said. "The American household, on average, has never looked better on paper when looking at financial stability," with 70% of household debt tied to mortgages. Living in Utah is still expensive, even though the state is now listed as the 10th most expensive state to live in, down from 8th. "It doesn't mean Utah is more affordable, other states are just more expensive." The housing crisis will remain among the biggest challenges, both with affordable housing and overall number of units that need to be built. Governor Spencer Cox has made his intentions known that communities need to prioritize ways to address all housing issues, with a desire to see tens of thousands of single family homes built in the next decade. Way easier said than done, simply because developers cannot be expected to be altruistic when market conditions are competitive and profit margins potentially volatile and risky. He expects rents to increase once absorption is reached. Other items of note: —Consumer Price Index dipped to 2.6%, where it is expected to stay. —Expect growth in wages and employment. —Commercial construction will be primarily flat, similar to the last two years. —Office is flat, medical and industrial markets will continue to grow; industrial may be dictated by international trade. —Utah expects to add 500,000 people in the next decade, and will need a jaw-dropping 275,000 more housing units in that time, primarily along the Wasatch Front. "We need to change the dialogue if we're going to solve the housing crisis," said Eskic. "Currently, 92% of renters are priced out of the market. Construction must be optimized."

Waterworks in the Wilderness

By Taylor Larsen • February 28, 2025
July 23rd, 1847 was a pivotal day for the pioneers. Records from the time detailed how the advance party trekking into the Salt Lake Valley built a dam to convey water from City Creek to freshly plowed land. Years later, the city hired civil and hydraulic engineer Herman Schussler to design a system to bring water through laminated wood pipes to 20,000 Salt Lake City residents while preparing for future growth. Schussler said, in a presentation to Brigham Young in 1872, “I propose to construct the pipe system of the City of such dimensions as to be capable of supplying five million gallons per diem.” While those original pipes couldn’t make it to year two, the design was in place for cast iron pipes to go in their place in 1876. The 37 carloads of cast iron pipe, plumbing tools, water gates, and more came from multiple suppliers from eastern US industrial hubs of St. Louis, Boston, and Louisville, KY. Those collaborative efforts brought modern waterworks “in our lovely Deseret,” collecting water from 19.2 square miles of watershed that feeds the 14.5-mile-long City Creek stream. Modernity Fast forward nearly 150 years, past chlorination that arrived in the 1920s, past the first water treatment facility constructed in Utah, the City Creek Water Treatment Plant in 1953, past filter installation in 1966, and past the canyon reopening for recreational use in 1975—Salt Lake City needed a new treatment facility to keep clean water flowing. The Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCDPU) partnered with engineering firm Brown and Caldwell in design in 2018 to envision and engineer something new to ensure resiliency and reliable water service to its customers. While the plant escaped any critical damage in the March 2020 earthquake, it was a reminder of the urgent need to create a new facility. Design and construction would work around a coterie of barriers and challenges—keeping operations ongoing while building on a challenging site three miles into the wilderness—to produce the future of water treatment for Salt Lake City.
More Posts