Long Time Coming

The sparkling new 26-story Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City will have a multi-generational impact on the local hospitality market and gives downtown another inspiring landmark.
By Brad Fullmer

It’s been a long…time…comin’
It’s goin’ to be a long…time…gone
— Crosby, Stills & Nash; Long Time Gone (’69)

The wait is over.
Salt Lake City’s desire for a convention center hotel to fuel future economic growth in the state’s all-important hospitality and tourism markets has been fulfilled on a grand scale, with the recent completion of a generational hotel that without question raises the bar on luxury accommodations in Utah’s capital.
Indeed, the 25-story (plus one level of underground parking), nearly 700,000-SF Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City is already the talk of the (down)town with its dynamic all-glass façade that offers optimum reflectivity. The high-performance glass has high R-values and low solar heat gain coefficient numbers, to go along with its reflective properties. This character allows the façade to respond to and capture the surrounding atmosphere, creating ever-changing aesthetics of the building from sunny to rainy days and from day to night times.
Floor-to-ceiling windows in every space allow guests to enjoy dramatic views in all directions of downtown Salt Lake, while capturing the grand mountain scenery of the Wasatch and Oquirrh ranges. 
“Capturing the views of Salt Lake City was the most important [aspect],” for the design team, said Irene Sourbeer, Sr. Associate with Atlanta-based Portman Architects, who along with Gordon Beckman, Portman Architects Director of Design, came up with preliminary hotel design ideas that went through myriad conceptual reviews, up to 50+ iterations. 
Sourbeer, who moved from Atlanta to Silicon Valley right before the pandemic in 2020 (which greatly cut her weekly commute time to SLC for project team meetings), said much time was spent choosing a glass that would meet the most stringent building demands of form and function. The project includes other sustainable aspects that comply with the Commercial Property-Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) program. 
“The colors and reflectivity had a lot to do with the fact we wanted to be energy-conscious,” she said. “All-glass buildings typically are not environmentally friendly because of heat gain. We went through many glass types—this one is a high-performance glass with slight reflectivity which echoes the surrounding environment,” she said. “The façade changes every day. If you capture it at the right moment, it is complete transparency. Sometimes it’s clear, sometimes it’s a mirror ball.”
The Hyatt Regency marks the fifth hotel/hospitality project—all of them feature all-glass façades—completed by the four-headed entity of co-developers Portman Holdings of Atlanta and Colorado-based Hensel Phelps Development and the design and construction team of Portman Architects and Hensel Phelps Construction. That list includes the likes of Hilton San Diego Bayfront (2008), the Intercontinental San Diego (2018) and Hotel Indigo Denver (2017), and Lane Field North (2016). 
Glass buildings are nothing new for both Portman entities, said Ali Streetman, Vice President for Portman Holdings, a nod to the legacy of founder John C. Portman, Jr. 
Portman was a legendary architect from Atlanta who started Portman Architects in 1953 and was known for pioneering the role of architect as developer, allowing him more latitude in implementing design concepts into projects. He designed many prominent hospitality projects, including three iconic downtown Atlanta hotels—the Hyatt Regency, Marriott Marquis and Westin Peachtree Plaza—that anchor the bustling 14-block Peachtree Center, which began in 1960. The latter was designed/developed by Portman, a magnificent 73-story, 723-foot all-glass circular tower (187-foot-diameter) that opened in 1976 and is the 4th-tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere (30th tallest hotel in the world). 
“Design-wise, Portman loves to do full-height glass,” said Streetman, a 24-year veteran of the firm who also worked on the previous four hotel projects. “It takes it from a standard room to an amazing room. You get the views, the surround experience, it brings light into the space. It makes everything nicer on the interior. We do a lot of glass. It’s generally an office building façade look, but it’s nice to bring it to the hospitality side. It’s always a ‘wow’ moment when people come into the hotel.”
The façade, while brilliant as a design concept, was “challenging for a number of reasons” to execute, said Adam Noelck, Project Manager for Hensel Phelps. “Our team allowed us to do some incredible things—there were 4,125 pieces of glass on the job. [Steel Encounters] did an exceptional job on the installation, and it takes those types of partners to build these landmark buildings.” 
“This was right in our wheelhouse,” said Charlie Thomas, Project Manager for Steel Encounters, who said his crews installed a combined 333 units of unitized curtain wall sections and window wall units primarily from January 2021 to February 2022 on the main tower. 
According to Thomas, levels 1, 4 and 26 were particularly challenging to install as they feature oversized curtain wall units up to 23 ft. tall and loaded with steel, that made them heavy and difficult to maneuver as they were upwards of 2,000 pounds each. Thomas also cited overhead structural cantilever elements that required precise placement, tucking units into spaces not accessed by the tower crane. 

The Contribution Cocktail Lounge on the first floor just off the main lobby is highlighted with exquisite décor and offers sublime sunset views to the west. (left) The lobby is warm and inviting, instantly connecting guests with the hotel’s character (photos courtesy Hensel Phelps).

Timing, Planning, Execution Key to Combating Difficult Climate

Talk of a convention center hotel in Salt Lake dates back well over two decades. Streetman said Portman had started initial discussions before the Great Recession of 2008-10 but didn’t get fully serious about it until five years ago when all four entities started the collaboration process.

Their timing proved fortuitous, with final funding coming through at the tail end of December 2019, according to Tyler Reagan, Development Manager for Hensel Phelps Development. Had funding been delayed another three months when the pandemic fully hit, the project wouldn’t have seen the light of day, period. 

“Nobody knew what was going to happen in March,” said Reagan, citing the ‘big three’ factors—pandemic, supply chain woes, labor pool constraints—that made construction difficult for the entire industry over the past two years. “If this job hadn’t financed until March, it wouldn’t be here. We hit [the schedule] on the day and delivered it under budget.”

John Cowan, Operations Manager for Hensel Phelps, said pre-planning meetings between designers and contractors across the board started well in advance of the actual January 2020 groundbreaking, which proved crucial in navigating the project through the pandemic.

“The entire team was engaged in planning on this project for over a year before construction began,” said Cowan. “The time we put into planning is what got us through the difficult times of 2020 and delivered an on-time completion.” 


The Hyatt Regency provides guests incredible views of Salt Lake City and its surrounding environment. Guest rooms are bathed in light and decked out in tasteful, modern furniture and amenities as displayed in a main room and bathroom (photos by ShutterScorpion).

Top Shelf Amenities, Sleek Design Elements Provide Significant “Wow Factor”

Convention center hotels are designed to pop, and Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City delivers that “wow factor” on multiple levels. 

In addition to the combination of 700 rooms and suites on floors 7-25, the hotel is equipped with 31 multifunctional event spaces totaling 60,000 SF and highlighted by two massive ballroom spaces—the Regency Ballroom clocks in at a mammoth 23,015 SF. Sourbeer said every space is carefully planned to account for pre-and-post functions in addition to main ballroom events. 

“There is an efficiency of the floor plans,” said Sourbeer. “To make the project feasible financially there is no wasted space in the building—it is efficiently stacked. It was strategical to design public areas next to glass. There was a lot of fine tuning to find the right balance (between form and function). Portman Holdings is good at understanding how to make beautiful outcomes while making the building efficient.”

The ballrooms are unique for their huge ceiling heights—22 ft. and 20 ft., respectively—and floor-to-ceiling glass on the south façade. The warm, inviting hotel lobby and reception area is highlighted with luxury stone and wood finishes, along with eclectic furniture and artwork. Amenities include four dining outlets—highlighted by Spanish-eatery Mar|Muntanya and the swanky Contribution Bar—a 24-hour fitness center, and outdoor pool and event terrace, and one level of underground parking. The “broadcast lounge” adjacent to the Recency Ballroom has two large digital TVs and plenty of space for guest to step outside and conduct business while maintaining connection to the main event. 

Interior public spaces are laid out for intuitive wayfinding with copious amount of glass allowing for maximum natural light and outside views, providing an interesting urban context to people on the outside. 

“I love that it has made a significant impact on the Salt Lake skyline in a positive way,” said Jodi Geroux, Sr. Associate with Salt Lake-based FFKR Architects and Project Manager on Hyatt Regency. “You drive toward it from any (direction) and it is prominent! All of the spaces in the hotel are truly inviting. This project is amazing […] it’s the beginning of a new Salt Lake City.”

FFRK served as the local architect and worked on interior spaces on floors 7-25 (guestroom floors), along with permitting, approvals and quality assurance. Geroux praised Sourbeer and the design team from Portman and said the working relationship between the firms was exceptional. 

“She was amazing,” Geroux said of Sourbeer, “and just remained calm under all circumstances. A shout out to the contractor (Hensel Phelps), too. They made no excuses through the pandemic, and then supply chain issues […] they came up with solutions that were acceptable to the design team and owner and delivered the project on time and on budget. In today’s day and age that’s remarkable.” 


Solid Foundation 

The hotel’s structure is comprised of cast-in-place concrete and structural steel with auger-cast pile foundations. Mechanical and electrical systems consist of a 15kV electrical service with multiple air handling units, energy recovery ventilation, three 900-ton chillers, and four-pipe vertical fan coil units serving each guestroom.

The foundation offered a host of challenges for Salt Lake-based Okland Construction, which served as the concrete subcontractor. The firm installed 1.2 million pounds of concrete reinforcing steel ahead of a giant 8,100 CY concrete pour for the post mat slab, which required five concrete batch plants and more than 90 concrete trucks over 13.5 hours, making it one of the largest single placements in Salt Lake’s history. 

Another challenge was construction of the podium structure for the building’s ballrooms. To achieve the open “column-less” space in these ballrooms, design called for the installation of 13 long-span steel trusses each weighing approximately 190,000 pounds. Tight site constraints made the safe and efficient erection of these trusses a herculean accomplishment for steel fabricator/erector Schuff Steel of Lindon. To ensure safety, it required the installation of 28 shoring towers below the level one concrete deck in conjunction with structural steel grillage above the level one concrete deck, all to support a 300-ton crawler crane that erected the trusses. In total, the weight of the crane and one truss section exceeded 1.29 million pounds.

The project team also performed nearly 20,000 individual laser scans of various components of the project, equating to more than one scan per 35 SF of building to ensure quality control and mitigate building conflicts. 


Memorable Once-in-a-Generation Project

During a post-grand opening tour of the hotel in November with Noelck, Cowan, Streetman and Reagan, each admitted to this project being something of a “one-off” in their respective careers, based partly on the unique environment fostered by the necessary response to Covid-19, but also on how effective the entire project team was in consistently hitting project deadlines, and the actual enjoyment of seeing a project of this magnitude come to fruition over an exhausting three-year period. 

“Our industry is unique in that all jobs we do have their own unique flavor and ‘fun factor’ so to speak,” said Noelck. “What’s cool about this job […] the team we brought together to build it was a really fun group to work with. With all the challenges that were presented to us, [our response] was always [to do] what’s in the best interest for the job. To work with that type of team and build a landmark job like this is really fun. It’s a beautiful building.”

“A lot of the projects we build, the public doesn’t get to see,” said Cowan. “A project like this is great because it’s so public, and so many people get to see it and enjoy it. These are neat projects to be involved with.” 

“This has been the most complicated project in terms of capital stack and getting it to come together,” added Reagan. “You throw in what happened in March 2020 and it became the most complicated project most of us had to deal with in our careers. At the end of the day, it’s a landmark project and it is changing the landscape of the city. We nailed the landing—we can all hang our hat on that.”

“This was a very complicated project from start to finish,” Streetman concluded. “Watching it come out of the ground every day was very rewarding in the environment we were in. We created a real camaraderie during Covid that I think wouldn’t have occurred during normal times. Because we were all together, all the time. It was very much like a family.”

Sourbeer also praised the tight collaboration of the project team.

“The best thing about this project was the partnership between owner, contractor and architect,” she said. “In this industry they call it the three-legged stool. We were like one big stump. We knew what we wanted to achieve and how to get there.”


Salt Lake-based Okland Construction was the concrete contractor on the project, which included a giant 7,500 CY consecutive pour for the mat slab, which required more than 90 concrete trucks over a 13.5-hour period— making it one of the largest single placements in Salt Lake City’s history.

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Hyatt Regency Salt Lake City

Location: 170 S. West Temple 

Cost: $377 million 

Delivery Method: CM-at-Risk 

Stories/Levels: 26 

Square Footage: 686,784 SF


Project Team

Co-Developer: Portman Holdings

Co-Developer: Hensel Phelps Development

GC: Hensel Phelps Construction Co.


Design Team

Design Architect: Portman Architects; Irene Sourbeer, PM (Architect of Record for core/shell, public areas, BOH)

Local Architect: FFKR Architects; Jodi Geroux, PM (Architect of Record for guestrooms, interface w/convention center) 

Civil Engineer: PSOMAS

Electrical Engineer: Spectrum Engineers

Mechanical Engineer: VBFA

Structural Engineer: Magnusson Klemencic Assoc.

Geotechnical Engineer: Kleinfelder

Interior Design: Looney & Assoc., Parts and Labor Design


Construction Team

GC: Hensel Phelps Construction Co.

Concrete: Okland Construction

Plumbing/HVAC: J&S Mechanical

Electrical: Cache Valley Electric

Masonry: Child Enterprises

Drywall: Standard Drywall

Painting: Grow Painting

Tile/Stone: Castle Rock Int. Solutions

Millwork: Fetzer, Inc.

Flooring: Diversified Flooring

Roofing: Utah Tile & Roofing

Glass/Curtain Wall: Steel Encounters

Waterproofing: Rocky Mountain Waterproofing

Steel Fabrication & Erection:  Schuff Steel

Excavation: SIRI Contracting

Demolition: A-Core Concrete Cutting

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)