Magnificent Mass Timber

Baltic Pointe stands as a beacon on the hill as Utah’s first-ever multi-story mass timber project.
By Milt Harrison

The era of full-scale mass timber design and construction has officially arrived in Utah, courtesy of the majestic new $80 million, five-story Baltic Pointe building in Draper, a trendsetting, 194,665 SF office project that sets a high bar for this aesthetically pleasing and environmentally conscious building type in the Beehive State. 

Highlighted with gorgeous mass timber and CLT (cross-laminated timber) columns and beams, interior spaces within Baltic Pointe are simply jaw-dropping, as visitors—and particularly occupants—marvel at the simplistic beauty of interior wood finishes and the calm, peaceful energy it inspires. 

Jared Wright, Project Manager for Salt Lake-based Method Studio, said witnessing responses of people who tour the project has been unlike anything he's ever experienced. 

"When people come to see it in person, whether it was early when framing was just going up or near completion, their reaction [...] you can see the light bulb moment of 'I thought I knew what this would look like and oh, now I get it!' When you can smell the wood, feel it and touch it, it's a different experience." 

"I've given more tours of this building than any building I've been a part of in my career," added Eric Barton, Project Executive for Salt Lake-based Okland Construction. "Pretty much everyone who sees this building in person, they stand inside and look around and say 'this is awesome, we want to do this on our project'."

That aesthetic "wow factor" of mass timber is exactly what developers had in mind more than four years ago when this venture of bringing a multi-level, mass timber spec office building to the Wasatch Front began. A team from Salt Lake-based Gardner Group—led by Christian Gardner, CEO and Chairman—and architects from Method Studio set out in early 2020 to learn as much as they could about mass timber, including touring several notable projects on the West Coast for inspiration.

The complexities of designing and constructing a completely new building type proved challenging on many fronts, coupled with the unfortunate timing of the pandemic and subsequent chaos affecting material and supply availability and pricing. All parties worked hard crunching numbers to make the project pencil, knowing materials and new processes would add approximately 10% to the bottom line, a sizeable number to a project pushing nine figures.

Method Studio quickly assembled a "Mass Timber 101" report for Gardner on how CLT and glulam timber products could work, and the project gained traction post-Covid when Gardner approached Pelion Ventures Partners about being a partner on Baltic Pointe, with Pelion executives so enamored with the mass timber concept it's occupying the top floor as its new headquarters, while subleasing floors three and four. HB Workplaces is moving its headquarters from downtown Salt Lake and will occupy the main floor. 

Gardner's firm began doing its research with local and national design firms and mass timber consultants because of the uniqueness of the mass timber market and as a more sustainable way to build projects. 

"The goal is to find a way to make a significant change in how we're consuming fossil fuels," said Ryan Bevan, President of Construction for Gardner Group, "and become more environmentally conscious. That precipitated what we want on the construction and development side. In lieu of giving lip service to green building, we want to live what we're preaching. This project is a testament to our efforts." 

"We believe in using state-of-the-art technologies and building materials to reduce our building impact to the environment," said Gardner. "Part of Gardner’s mission is to discover more sustainable ways to build. To do this, we need to venture from the status quo and embrace new innovations and building materials. This building will be the first commercial project in Utah to be built with mass timber, and we are optimistic that it will be the first of many.” 

“In many ways, building using this new technology embodies our vision as a company,” said Blake Modersitzki, Managing Partner at Pelion Venture Partners, whose firm occupies the top floor, while subleasing floors 3-4. “We value creation, vision and positive disruption as we build successful communities, and Gardner Group has been an amazing partner to work with as we embrace this innovation.” 

"We think the benefits of the prefabrication process of mass timber—compared to traditional steel and concrete construction methods—will see an offset of cost from the rising rates of labor, making mass timber more cost-effective," added Bevan. "Our hope is that Gardner sets a new precedent in Utah for prioritizing the use of renewable natural resources in construction."

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Natural Beauty of Mass Timber Shines Through

Design inspiration for Baltic Pointe combined three distinct layers of form: the outer opaque facade—"the veil"—over a glass volume—"the jewel box"—revealing the warm wood structure beneath, with the three-pronged mass hovering over a two-level concrete parking structure—"the base".


The intent was to reveal the mass timber by framing views through glazing where it would be most impactful on the highly visible west side and its birds-eye view of The Point development at the south end of Salt Lake Valley, while treating other facades as playful expressions between solid and void layers, while carving out multiple access points on the steep topography.


The design phase benefitted from having several key Salt Lake-based A/E/C firms meet together early and often—including Gardner, Method, Okland, structural firm BHB Structural Engineers, civil firm Ensign Engineering, and mass timber fabricator Kalesnikoff Mass Timber of British Columbia. Okland also worked closely with Ogden-based TimberWorks, the mass timber installer, to meet tight schedule demands.


To ensure structural integrity, a buckling restrained brace (BRB) system was designed to connect all timber and steel elements, while resisting cyclical lateral loads during a potential seismic event.


Floors are open and spacious, with an 11 ft. 4 in. clearance to the underside of the higher beams and a 13 ft. 5 in. clearance to the underside of the deck, offering optimum daylighting throughout all levels. Leaving the beams and deck exposed adds to the architectural expression of the natural wood. Mechanical and electrical systems were strategically painted black, part of the overall design theme.


Wright said an early design challenge was figuring out how to showcase various systems without comprising or interfering with the look of the mass timber. "You can hide [systems]      with clouds or soffits or other wood paneling, or you can leave it raw and not paint it. We felt that showing off systems [works] in a finished way. Window frames are black, exposed steel elements are charcoal black. We felt the wood and dark metal or black finishes worked well together."


Marbe Agee, Principal at Method Studio, said the "design-assist" process was "a collaborative approach" that was innovative and essential, given the new construction type. "It didn't add complexity to the [delivery method], it was an educational process," said Agee.


Concessions had to be made to get the project to make financial sense for its investors, with the glass curtain wall system having to be more opaque than desired by the owners, simply to mitigate glare and heat gain from the harsh afternoon sun. Site challenges were extensive given the two-level, mountainside topography that required extensive earthwork and retaining walls.


Qualities of Mass Timber

Mass timber consists of tightly layering soft lumber boards to create columns, beams, and panels. The products are strong enough to replace steel and concrete in load-bearing applications and are slated to be approved for buildings up to 18 stories under the International Building Code (updates are pending). 


Structurally, there is confidence in mass timber measuring up well vs. concrete and steel, although there are areas of concern regarding strength and durability that require specific design considerations, which can be overcome for most buildings, said Brett Goodman, Principal for BHB Structural Engineers of Salt Lake.


"Utilizing mass timber in Baltic Pointe brings unique engineering challenges and opportunities," said Goodman. "Integrating mass timber systems requires careful consideration of load-bearing capacities, fire resistance, and dynamic performance.


Collaborating with architects and other engineering disciplines, we optimized the structural design to ensure the building's safety, durability, and long-term performance. For the building's seismic design, we kept the high performance of a steel buckling restrained brace frame system (Core Brace) and tied that into the mass timber structure."


The floors of Baltic Pointe are comprised of massive Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) panels measuring 5 in. thick by 10 ft. wide by up to 60 ft. long. The CLT is made by “laminating” layers of standard 2x4 to 2x10 members, similar to glulam beams. Each layer “crosses" by stacking them perpendicular to the last—the result is one large, stiff wood member that makes for a great floor. 


Approximately 1,500 mass timber projects have been constructed or are in design in the U.S., although few exist in the Intermountain West. Mass timber is largely prefabricated off-site and pieced together like a giant puzzle, so it can facilitate shorter construction times and be completed by a smaller labor force.


Mass timber also aids in reducing construction schedule time since "with this kind of construction, as soon as we get the structure up, we don't have to pour decks and fireproof beams—we can start right in with framing and MEP rough-ins," said Barton. "It turned out really great—it's a beautiful building."


Perhaps the single most substantial benefit—the one factor that ultimately will drive interest in this market—is the carbon footprint reduction vs. steel or concrete, which are well-known contributors to global CO2 emissions. According to 2020 statistics, cement and steel production accounts for 11% to 15% of all global CO2 emissions, a major driver of climate change.   


Replacing these traditional building materials with CLT mass timber would naturally reduce CO2 levels; the use of mass timber on Baltic Pointe reflects a decrease in carbon impact equal to taking 1,500 cars off the road for a year or powering nearly 800 homes for a year with renewable energy.


Other positive factors include mass timber’s high strength-to-weight ratios and natural flexibility, which enable excellent performance during seismic activity. CLT columns and panels also meet or exceed fire code requirements. During a fire, exposed wood chars on the outside, forming an insulating layer that protects the interior from damage the same way redwood trees survive fires.



Mass timber’s aesthetic and environmental appeal are market differentiators that increase a project’s value and lease rate. Research indicates that when people are surrounded by natural materials, it lowers their stress response and improves cognitive function.

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Mass Timber's Future in Utah and the Intermountain Region

Given the challenges with static interest rates—and a stubborn Fed that is likely to keep it where it's at through 2024 based on inflation concerns—it's a safe bet to assume projects of a similar scope and nature to Baltic Pointe won't be getting built until rates drop.


Agee and Wright said they're just grateful the project actually got built, with Method Studio playing an integral role in      its success.


"It could have died a thousand times—Gardner was determined to keep it alive," said Wright. "Being able to work with them to make it [pencil] was a testament to proof of concept, and saying this can be done. There's always that first one."


"It was more expensive to build, but it's a premium offering in the market," added Agee. "Some of that [cost] was affected by the environment we were in, [wild swings] in lumber prices and supply chain volatility. It's innovative because it got built."


Future mass timber projects on a large scale like Baltic Pointe will ultimately get built, but beyond a more favorable development climate, it will take an owner with a similar vision as the Gardner-Pelion-Celtic Bank tri-venture displayed on this project—willing to sacrifice some long-term margin to make a statement.


"Education awareness takes time," Wright said of mass timber. "We're on a trajectory of an exponential curve [internationally]. It's just a matter of time before more [mass timber] projects come online."


"We've had a lot of inquiries; it's going to take more exposure, more education," Agee added. "It's still going to take [a developer] who believes in doing something innovative and different."


Bevan said Gardner Group will continue to operate at the forefront of the mass-timber-building market, confident in the belief that premium up-front costs will ease as local A/E/C firms better understand how to design and build with mass timber, utilizing smart design strategies and value engineering to keep costs down.


"We need to venture from the status quo and embrace new innovations and building materials," said Gardner. "This building will be the first commercial project in Utah to be built with mass timber, and we are optimistic that it will be the first of many.”


"We think the benefits of the prefabrication process of mass timber—compared to traditional steel and concrete construction methods—will see an offset of cost from the rising rates of labor, making mass timber more cost-effective," added Bevan. "Our hope is that Gardner sets a new precedent in Utah for prioritizing the use of renewable natural resources in construction."

Baltic Pointe Office Building

Owner: Gardner Group, Pelion Ventures Partners, Celtic Bank

Developer: Gardner Group

 

Design Team:

Lead Design Firm: Method Studio

Structural Engineer: BHB Structural

Civil Engineer: Ensign Engineering

MP Engineer: PVE Consulting Engineers

Electrical Engineer: Spectrum Engineers

Interior Design: Method Studio

Furniture: HB Workplaces

Landscape Designer: Arc Sitio Design, Inc

 

Construction Team:

General Contractor: Okland Construction

Electrical: Rydalch Electric

Mechanical: Harris Mechanical

Plumbing: Harris Mechanical

Concrete: Okland Construction

Mass Timber Fabrication: Kalesnikoff Mass Tiber

Mass Timber Erection: Timber Works

Steel Fabrication: D&D Welding & Fabrication

Steel Erection: American Steel Erectors

Glass/Curtain Wall: B&D Glass

Masonry: Allens Masonry

Drywall/Acoustics: CSI Drywall

Painting: Accent Painting

Tile: CP Build

Flooring: CP Build

Roofing: Utah Tile and Roof

Excavation: Siri Contracting

Landscaping: Utah Complete Landscaping

Like a Phoenix Rising

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
Residents have access to a wealth of modern, high-class amenities: Check out this open-air rooftop patio with tasteful lighting, pool, and spacious hot tub—it’s party time! (all photos courtesy Kier Construction)

Mission In Progress

By LADD MARSHALL • November 15, 2025
Steve Green is out in McCornick, Utah. Where is that? And what’s near McCornick? “Nothing,” joked Green, the Sr. Vice President for Wheeler Machinery Co. While he may be far from even the smallest of small towns, with Holden and its 492 residents 13 miles away, he’s close to the site of a major development in data center technology. Isolated on the western edge of the Sevier Desert, the Joule Data Center will also be isolated from the grid—by design. Operation Gigawatt Rolls On Green is one of many energy and power professionals hoping to double Utah’s power generation capacity by 2034 as a part of Operation Gigawatt, an initiative launched by Utah Governor Spencer Cox in October 2024. Utah has long been an economic growth leader; Operation Gigawatt aims to make Utah a power player in energy development by increasing transmission capacity, increasing energy production, strengthening policy, and investing in energy innovation. While Governor Cox’s Operation Gigawatt moves forward statewide, out in McCornick, Green said, “We’re doing operation gigawatt and a half off grid.” The Joule Data Center project team will deliver “In-situ power generation”—power not connected to any electrical distribution or transmission system. It starts with Caterpillar G3520K reciprocating generator sets that produce 1.5 gigawatts of electricity. Waste heat and exhaust from the generators then move through an absorption chiller system as part of the overall systems combined cooling, heat, and power (CCHP) solution, providing much of the water required to cool the data center servers. Beyond the electric power to be generated for the Joule project, there will be 1.5 gigawatts of thermal energy and 1.1 gigawatts of available battery storage to meet the data center's peak electricity needs. Added Green, “And we’re not taxing the local utility grid.” Isolated or Community Power? The massive power capabilities delivered there are impressive, but they reveal a troubling trend in how Utah will double its power generation capabilities. Will it be from well-funded companies looking to power data centers and AI technology separate from the grid? Or will Utah fulfill the mission of Operation Gigawatt by creating power solutions accessible to all? According to Troy Thompson, Chief Operations Officer for Big-D Companies, power generation is about more than supplying data centers. “In my mind, how do we build a billion-dollar hospital downtown that needs ten megawatts of power?” he said, referencing Intermountain Health’s future downtown Salt Lake campus, “let alone the data centers, and manufacturers who we are hoping that will come here?” Ten megawatts of power may pale in comparison to what data centers require, but it is one of many projects seeking regulatory approval to move forward. The Utah Inland Port Authority, the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, and others continue to drive projects and jobs into Utah—data centers, too. But Thompson said he has heard from many potential clients who are hesitant to bring their energy-intensive projects to the state without firm guarantees of available power. Operation Gigawatt and state leaders have embraced an "all of the above" approach to energy sources, extending the design lifespans of coal plants, embracing new technologies and power sources, and developing new power-generating capabilities. While the industry is willing, the operating environment needs rewiring to meet state goals. Changing for 21st Century Needs “With as hot as the Utah market is,” began Eric Haslem, “there are too many obstacles for us to overcome.” The market may be ready to ramp up production, said Haslem, Chief Operating Officer for Vernal-based utility and heavy civil contractors BHI, “But the current system can’t handle it. We have this massive web of transmission and distribution infrastructure that was not designed or built for the power demands of the 21st century.” “In 1970, they didn’t know what a smartphone was,” Haslem said, “let alone AI.” Transmission projects have been developed. Rocky Mountain Power/PacifiCorp’s Energy Gateway South transmission line—a 416-mile, high-voltage 500-kilovolt transmission line that runs from Mona to Medicine Bow, Wyoming—certainly helped when it went live in 2024. Still, it's just one project amidst a plethora of needs. Haslem stated that Utah's growth over the last 10 years meant a large majority of the transmission line's capacity was accounted for when it went live. .

One-Stop Shop

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
And the King shall answer and say unto them, "Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."—KJV Matthew 25:40 From a social and community impact standpoint, few projects match the value to disabled and special needs individuals as the new Utah State Development Center (USDC) Comprehensive Therapies Building in American Fork. The $36 million, 65,000-SF facility was designed as a "one-stop shop," said Joe Jacoby, President of Salt Lake-based Jacoby Architects, whose team led the project’s design. It consolidates and modernizes myriad services under one roof, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, speech, language, and hearing resources, and behavioral health resources. In addition, the new building offers full-service medical and dental clinics, an indoor therapy pool, an Autism treatment wing, and workshops for life skills and vocational training—all geared to helping people live independent, authentic lives, while striving to reach their full potential. "This building was very much about accessibility," Jacoby said, "and putting in many different types of resources for these residents—all in one building." Jacoby's firm has significant recent experience in projects that combine education and healthcare for people with special needs. The firm's design of the Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Clinical Excellence in Utah State University's College of Education and Human Services earned UC+D's 2016 Most Outstanding K-12 Project. Two years later, the firm earned another UC+D award for the C. Mark Openshaw Education Center for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, a project similar to this one in that it contains an array of services, including education and therapy for varying levels of sensory, behavioral, physical, and cognitive abilities. "We've been working on different [design] aspects for many years, starting with a deaf preschool, which led to working with the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind," said Jacoby. "With that came many other sub-specialties, like therapy for behavioral issues, cognitive issues, development disabilities, and even speech, language and hearing clinics. It helps people with a variety of disabilities and serves an underserved population of people."

Built Different

By Taylor Larsen • November 15, 2025
On a fall tour of Utah State University's (USU) Carolyn & Kem Gardner Learning & Leadership Building (Gardner Building), students and faculty are hard at work on a late Tuesday afternoon. Getting here, where USU's business school students could thrive, was a long time coming. The University commissioned the Gardner Building to meet a new mission for the school outside the traditional knowledge acquisition and transfer for which USU has excelled since its founding in 1888: Giving students a differentiated experience they cannot get anywhere else. Purpose Revealed Frank Caliendo, Senior Associate Dean of the Huntsman School of Business, said that the new building is the third and final piece of the business complex, "a realization of the longtime vision of Dean Douglas Anderson, the driving force behind the school's transformation, to meet the needs of students for generations to come." Caliendo, a longtime Aggie (USU BS, '98; PhD, '03), said that, even after the opening of the George S. Eccles Business Building and its faculty offices and classrooms in 1970, growth in business courses eventually outpaced the school's capacity. Jon M. Huntsman Hall's 2016 opening broke the campus bottleneck, with classrooms and other spaces dedicated to business school participants. "But we still needed space for our centers and experiential learning programs," Caliendo said, of the importance of collaborative spaces and differentiated experience for the five programs (see page XX) that would call the Gardner Building home. The design intent for this final piece wasn't a re-creation of Huntsman Hall, Caliendo said of the initial message to MHTN Architects, "But it does need to rhyme with Huntsman Hall." Working within a Busy Environment The first order of business was siting the building just east of the other two business school structures. Stan Burke, Project Manager for Jacobsen Construction, said the Gardner Building was part of a trio of projects that included Ridge Point Hall and a parking garage—three Jacobsen-led projects that utilized the same construction corridor as construction commenced from "An active campus is difficult enough," said Burke of the challenges of simultaneous construction, which required constant coordination amongst the three teams, made a tad easier as they shared a job trailer. "We had to stay cognizant of the school's activities and coordinate with them so that everyone was aware of what we were doing." Coordination went from important to critical, with the three teams meeting daily to discuss coordination and scheduling material and equipment deliveries in 15-minute intervals as the respective construction teams worked on each of the three structures.

The Long and Winding Road

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
Warren and Jennie Lloyd (above) have built Salt Lake-based Lloyd Architects into a well-rounded, versatile firm capable of excelling in both the commercial and custom residential markets, as evidenced by projects such as Snuck Farm in Pleasant Grove (main photo) and this cozy private Powder Mountain based cabin in Eden (below ).

Power Player

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
The last five years have been a whirlwind for the Larry H. Miller Company (LHM), with the organization selling the majority of its beloved Utah Jazz franchise in October 2020 for a reported $1.66 billion, followed by the sale of its auto dealership empire of more than 70 properties for a reported $3.2 billion a year later. The influx of nearly $5 billion was parlayed into several jaw-dropping real estate and other corporate purchases, including: —1,300 undeveloped acres within the massive 4,100-acre Daybreak development in South Jordan in April 2021. —Advanced Health Care Corp. in January 2021, a transitional health care provider with operations in eight states (primarily in the west) and 3,500 employees. —The purchase of the majority stake in Swig, a leader in the flavored soda craze, in May 2023. — Partnering with Utah Trust Lands Administration to develop 1,200 acres in Saratoga Springs. — The acquisition of over 1,000 acres near Park City and Hideout will include multi-family units, housing, restaurants, and retail. —100+ acre mixed-use development in an area along North Temple being dubbed “The Power District”; the future home of not only Rocky Mountain Power’s new corporate campus but potentially a ballpark for a future Major League Baseball expansion team. —A reported $600 million acquisition of controlling interest in MLS team Real Salt Lake and NWSL team Utah Royals, along with associated infrastructure, including America First Field and Zions Bank Training Center. —The development of Downtown Daybreak, a 200-acre parcel that this year saw its 30-acre Phase I debut with the completion of the Salt Lake Bees' new 8,000 capacity stadium—dubbed The Ballpark at America First Square—in April, followed by a new Megaplex cinema entertainment center in July with luxury theatres, bowling, games and a scratch-made kitchen in addition to an open air plaza. A seven-story, 190-unit multi-family development is currently under construction and rising along the right field bleachers, with views that will look down into the ballpark upon completion next year. And LHM is just getting started, said Brad Holmes, President of Larry H. Miller Real Estate since 2018, calling Downtown Daybreak a "new urban center that is central to where the majority of growth is occurring" and combines a "full spectrum of business and year-round entertainment, culture and connectivity, as well as a wide range of housing options." When LHM executives first conceived of a new home for the Salt Lake Bees, Holmes said they went on a "ballpark tour" of MLB and minor league stadiums, and "really fell in love with a ballpark" in Durham, North Carolina—home of the Durham Bulls—which had buildings that framed in the stadium. So, The Ballpark at America First Square has the multi-family project underway in right field, with a proposed hotel slated to begin next year in left field. "In another two seasons, you'll have this urban setting for the ballpark that frames the mountain views. [The design is] really intentional, and I think it will bring a finished edge to Downtown Daybreak," said Holmes. "It was a process trying to figure out the best location, site plan, traffic, but it's in a great spot. The goal for us was to make it feel like it fit in with the community, almost like having a baseball stadium inside of a park, with an open corridor that connects to a plaza."  Holmes said the seemingly small 8,000-capacity stadium (about half the capacity of the Bees former home at Smith’s Ballpark) aligns with national trends. "It's better to play in front of a sold-out crowd than in a half-empty stadium. Some new MLB stadiums are at 30,000 [capacity]. The trend is smaller, more intimate venues with closer views of the field."

Hogan Construction 80th Anniversary

By Taylor Larsen • November 15, 2025
Much has changed about Hogan & Associates Construction since the company's inception 80 years ago. The name may be the most obvious example, the size of the company may be another giveaway, and the difference in markets served might require a double take if the founders could see the company today. But what hasn't changed is the firm's desire to build communities. It has regularly built important, community-focused projects with a similar purpose since the company came to life in 1945.

(De)signed, Sealed, Delivered

By Taylor Larsen • November 15, 2025
Imagine this: A company has just begun a meeting with the intent of moving forward with a major investment. One party knows something that will help minimize the investment's risk. Should that party tell everyone, it will save money, time, and everyone involved from future headaches. So when should that party spill the beans? At the beginning of the meeting At the end of the meeting At the right time during the meeting Never Bradley Crocker, Director of Preconstruction for Mollerup Glass, has seen how answering this question correctly—and choosing “A”—brings about successful and profitable investment in commercial construction. “I think that [project teams] need to bring in subcontractors early to help guide budgets in general,” said Crocker, detailing how every trade can bring a similar level of expertise to architects and owners by being involved from the beginning of the “meeting”, while the project is in design. Why? “We can vet cost versus performance and find the best value for the performance, which is essential as meeting or beating the budgets gets the project to construction on time,” said Ben Hiatt, Chief Estimator for Steel Encounters. After all, he said, “Nothing moves if budgets are not met.” Design-assist is a positive step forward, where subcontractors assist in matching design intent with a deep understanding of building envelopes to ensure glazing, roofing, walls, and fenestrations perform at their highest level. Glenn Rainey, Salt Lake City Branch Manager, and Larry Luque, Senior Estimator and Business Developer for Flynn Companies, each said efforts in design-assist fulfill what owners and architects want: buildings that meet the design intent and perform at their highest level for as long as possible. It’s not just architects who benefit from that early involvement. “More GCs realize they need us right up front,” said Luque. With teams whose combined experience totals thousands of hours, building envelope contractors stay up to date on changing codes, materials, and specifications, which is highly beneficial to the project. Their close involvement with vendors can help ensure a variety of solutions that meet each job’s needs and help optimize building envelope performance. Consultant Involvement Other parties are lending their expertise. Brandt Strong said building envelope quality has increased with the arrival of more building envelope consultants in Utah and a greater dedication to the building envelope in general. “We had a time where we could say ‘This is a Vegas project, and we have to have the belt and suspenders,’” said Strong, Director of Operations for Mollerup Glass. On Utah projects, the building envelope used to be an afterthought. But it’s changed for the better over the years. “The Utah teams are as sophisticated as anywhere else.” While the markups on shop drawings can draw some ire, both mentioned how working with consultants has led to better, more efficient projects, potentially reducing the need for future repairs by inspecting every material and transition on the building envelope. Said Crocker, “We cannot discredit the envelope consultants’ role in making us, and the industry as a whole, perform at a higher level.” Hiatt credited each party overseeing the building envelope scope for learning and adapting to create a better building environment, specifically in understanding seismic drift and its relationship to glazing, as well as thermal performance and continuity. Improvements to air-barrier coordination and tie-ins to stop water and air leaks are helping buildings operate at peak efficiency. “The architects, general contractors, consultants, and trades have improved their knowledge over the years,” said Hiatt. “Design and execution of façades are better coordinated and executed.”

Taylor Electric Thriving at 50

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
Taylor Electric proved its mettle on the challenging Salt Lake International Airport, Southeast Concourse project, with their portion of work concluding in October 2023. (all photos courtesy Taylor Electric)

Hungry and Ready

By Bradley Fullmer and Taylor Larsen • November 15, 2025
By Bradley Fullmer It's been a whirlwind 18 months for Adam Del Toro and Nick Pexton, who co-founded Fountain Green-based Reliance Engineering Services in May 2024, a company specializing in full-service telecommunications engineering, including design, project management, permitting, and funding and grant applications. Two years ago, Del Toro was more than a decade into his career as a Research & Development Supervisor for natural gas giant Dominion Energy, while Pexton was working for Nephi-based Rocky Mountain West Telcom (RMWT) as a Sr. Director of Business Development, with just over four years at the company. The two had met a couple of years earlier while collaborating on a potential fiber optic network project in Mona that never happened. Neither was particularly content with their respective positions, so when Del Toro got a random call from Pexton in March 2024, the timing could not have been better. "I was planning on leaving the natural gas industry and start my own firm [...] Nick happened to call the day I was putting in my two weeks [at Dominion],” said Del Toro, 39. "It definitely felt like Providence was helping us." "Somebody was looking after us, because the timing was unbelievable," added Pexton, 35. "It's crazy how things lined up." Del Toro is a native of St. George and earned a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Utah State University in 2011. After 2.5 years as a USU Graduate Research Assistant, he joined Dominion Energy in January 2013, where he designed major natural gas systems and structures. Del Toro also earned a Master of Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of the Cumberlands (Williamsburg, Kentucky) in 2023, and moonlights as a counselor at The Center for Hope in Springville, where he helps clients address life challenges both personally and professionally. Pexton is a native of Nephi and studied at Utah Valley University from 2008 to 2010, and earned the Certified Telecommunications Network Specialist designation from Teracom Training Institute (2013-2014). Pexton joined Nephi-based Mid-State Consultants, a telecommunications engineering firm, in March 2011 and spent more than nine years there. He joined RMWT in June 2020, gaining experience in project management and operations. After that fortuitous phone call from Pexton to Del Toro, the pair met four times from March to May to "make sure we were aligned on what the company would look like," Pexton said. "It was a pretty quick process," added Del Toro. "We got talking about goals, how to build a general company vision. I trusted Nick's background and experience, and his character, as well. It was a big risk, but I'm a sink-or-swim guy. If those are my options, I'm going to swim!" Since teaming up, the pair have been aggressive regarding company growth, having exploded from just the two of them to 30 employees, with revenues expected to more than quintuple from $560,000 in 2024 to nearly $3 million by the end of this year. Both expect the telecommunication market to be a fruitful, busy market given the need for fiber optics to rural America, in addition to the "Internet for All" initiative in May 2022 that was part of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) implementation of the infrastructure law that allocated $65 billion to improve high-speed Internet access. Utah, specifically, received $330 million, with the goal of reaching some 40,000 unserved homes and businesses. The firm's location in Sanpete County puts them in the center of the state geographically, and they're committed to working with communities of all sizes to improve their internet capacity. In addition to Utah, Reliance is working in Michigan and Oklahoma, and Del Toro and Pexton expect to land significant future work throughout the Midwest. They want to grow intentionally while ensuring a diversity of revenue streams. "We set some early goals, and we've been able to do really well—we're on track to beat our goals," said Del Toro, crediting the many employees who have joined the firm. "Those individuals took great risks coming on board. We anticipate we'll be even larger next year with the work coming down the pipeline." "Our outlook has been wise," said Pexton. "We've taken into consideration diversification into other sectors—that's a key element. Adam has experience in the natural gas industry, and we want to further our diversification and get into the power side of the industry." Major clients include the federal government (USDA), utility companies, and municipalities, with a focus on rural communities. "We love Sanpete County," said Del Toro. "We value helping the communities we live and work in and providing services that help build up the community and hopefully help the residents." "We depend on repeat work from 18 major clients, and continuously getting work from them," said Pexton. "The minute we stop doing a good job, they can go someplace else. As long as we do a good job, we'll keep getting work." The pair expect Reliance to maintain its explosive growth, perhaps even doubling its employee total in another 12 months. "Next year's [revenue] goal is $4.8 million," said Pexton. "We have confidence in what our workload will be like. We are scaling quite dramatically and want to grow at a healthy pace, where we're not stringing ourselves out too thin. We're in a good position right now."