MHTN Architects 100th Anniversary

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Salt Lake-based MHTN Architects has been designing impactful, community-centric projects for a century. With close to 100 employees and spectacular new downtown digs, the firm is optimistic about its future as it celebrates its Centennial Anniversary.

By Brad Fullmer

Through seven iterations of the firm and the various transitional leadership changes that organically occur over a century, Salt Lake-based MHTN Architects has survived and thrived as one of Utah's perennially top-ranked architecture firms, with ambitious goals for future success.

As the firm celebrates its historic 100th Anniversary this year, its leaders are quick to express gratitude for the literally hundreds of people who have contributed to the firm's rich history of designing impactful, community-enhancing projects.

"One of the hallmarks of MHTN is transitioning leadership," said Peggy McDonough, President of the firm since 2010. "It's been key in mentoring (employees) over the years. We've gone over stories from the founders and through all iterations of the firm that eventually became MHTN—the stories are about people mentoring others and helping them progress."

"The founders did a great job developing some of the core values of MHTN that you see today in our design excellence and client service," added CEO Chad Nielsen, who joined the firm in 1999 and was named CEO in 2014. "In the past decade we've made great strides in focusing on teamwork and empowerment of our people. Respect and environmental responsibility have changed over the years, as well. We have a broad and diverse set of project types and building types."

Peggy McDonough
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Chad Nielsen
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Raymond Ashton
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Raymond Evans
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100 Years of MHTN: Ashton, Montmorency Generational Leaders

MHTN Architects was originally founded as Ashton & Evans in 1923 by Raymond J. Ashton and Raymond L. Evans, two talented, driven architects who had roughly 25 combined years of experience between them when they merged forces. Ashton, who was eight years older, had gained experience working in Chicago from 1916-19 for various firms including Armour & Company, designing branch houses and residential projects. He returned to Salt Lake in 1919 and practiced architecture for four years before meeting Evans.

Evans was self-trained and started practicing at age 17, working for a handful of firms from 1912-18, including Cannon & Fetzer (1915-16) and the Villadsen Brothers in Salt Lake (1917-18; 1919-22). He also served in World War I for a year from June 1918-19.

The firm quickly gained notoriety for its excellent comprehensive design expertise and ability to work on large projects, and gradually built upon its stellar reputation over the next 20+ years. Other key moments along MHTN's rich timeline:

• In 1946, Bernis Eugene (B.E.) Brazier joined the firm, making it Ashton, Evans & Brazier. Evans passed away in 1963 from complications due to multiple myeloma, but not before being honored as the second (Utah-based architect) recipient of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Gold Medal Award for meritorious service and impact to the profession. The firm quickly pivoted by naming Fred Montmorency a partner that year (he had joined the firm in 1955) and dubbing itself Ashton, Brazier, Montmorency & Associates.

Montmorency was a larger-than-life, alpha personality who is widely credited for taking what Ashton and Evans had built and expanding on it, making the firm even more diverse and influential.

• Ashton retired in 1970 at the age of 83, leaving behind a legacy spanning more than a half century. He was an active member of the American Institute of Architects, serving various roles including President of the AIA Utah chapter, as well as National AIA President for two years in 1944-45.

• In 1970, David Hayes and Elden Talbot joined the firm as Principals, while Brazier retired in 1971, leading the firm to be called Montmorency, Hayes & Talbot Architects (and renamed MHT Architects in 1980.

• In 1993, MHT merged with Nelson, Johnson Partners and was formally renamed MHTN Architects, its title for three full decades now. Key leaders during this period included the Jones Brothers, Lynn and Bryce, who served as President/CEO from 1992-2004 and 2004-10, respectively.

"The constant (through the years) is the level of service and the practice of design," said Nielsen. "The composition of MHTN today spans multiple generations. I think Peggy and I help to bridge the diversity of generations at MHTN, to continue that high level of service and practice of design."

Influence of MHTN's early leaders ripples through to today. McDonough even crossed paths with Montmorency early in her career in 1993, when she worked at the firm on a temporary basis for four months.

"Fred was gregarious," she said. "He got to know anybody who walked in the door. He was just a very friendly guy and always interested in what a person was doing, what they did. That's why he was so pivotal to the firm. He made sure he was making those connections."

Talbot visited several times and "connected with us in a grandfatherly-type way" in recent years, McDonough said, sharing valuable insight from the past with current employees before his passing in December 2021.

Today, MHTN's 16 partners recognize it took many talented people—who modeled leadership and mentored skills—to make the firm what it is now moving beyond 100 years in continuous practice.

Maintaining Consistency; Workload Balance a Priority

Another hallmark of MHTN over time is its ability to consistently perform at a high level and maintain consistency in the financial health and sustainability of the firm. In the past four years (2019-22), the firm has reported revenues of $21.4 million, $19.5 million, $21.6 million, and $27 million, the latter marking an all-time high. At nearly 100 employees the firm is at a good size, but is always looking to hire great talent as work is abundant across a spectrum of bustling markets in public and private sectors.

The firm offers a full slate of design services including architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and master planning, along with ancillary services like programming, feasibility analyses, bond campaign support, and cost estimating. In-house studios include: Civic + Cultural; Commercial; Healthcare; Higher Education; K-12; Planning & Urban Design.

In the last decade, McDonough and Nielsen said the firm's focus has shifted to practicing architecture more collaboratively vs. focusing on a specific market sector and taking projects from initial concept stages to final completion and performing every design function throughout the process.

"Previously, the culture of the firm was market sector/business driven; ten years ago, we were just beginning to recognize the value of cross-collaboration between market sectors and design areas," said McDonough. "We decided the vision of the client was centric to how we practiced. It is quite intentional how we integrate and develop the culture of the firm for people honing a unified practice together."

The way the firm's top executives work on a day-to-day basis also changed in 2010 when the role of President and CEO was split between McDonough and longtime Principal Dennis Cecchini, who retired in 2014, a strategic decision made by outgoing President/CEO Bryce Jones, who felt it was important for the firm's top leaders to stay active in project design.

"He said (President/CEO) was too much for one architect to do and try to practice," said McDonough, "and we agree that is the case. What we try to keep sacred is time as practitioners. Half our time is as a business executive, half our time is in client practice. We don't see how it could work any other way."

She continued, "As an architecture firm, the executive leadership [...] would not be credible to our clients if we were not practitioners. If we didn't show up on client projects, or be active in design, we would never be able to build that trust."

"Having a background in architecture helps inform (leaders) how the business is run," added Nielsen.

U of U Eccles Student Life Center

U of U Eccles Student Life Center

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MHTN Studio Cafe

MHTN Studio Cafe

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Pluralsight Global Headquarters

Pluralsight Global Headquarters

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Emory Student Center

Emory Student Center

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MHTN was part of the iconic Pluralsight Worldwide Headquarters in Draper. The 700-foot long building features 350,000 SF of office space, sloping from four to five stories. The Emory Student Center in Atlanta showcases the design prowess and geographical reach of MHTN beyond its significant local impact within Utah. (photos courtesy MHTN Architects)

The George S. Eccles Student Life Center is a stunning example of MHTN’s designwork within Utah’s higher education market. This campus building at the University ofUtah multitasks as a center for student academic, recreational, and social life. The studio café at MHTN’s new offices help its nearly 100 employees foster collaborationand connection in a less formal setting.

Sweet New HQ Designed to Foster Innovation, Collaboration

It's been more than three years since the pandemic forced firms to adjust their mode of operation, which continues to be a work in progress for many professional firms, regardless of industry. Working remote remains en vogue among any demographic younger than Gen X, with hybrid schedules becoming the norm.

MHTN began the process of transitioning into a new headquarters right as the pandemic hit first quarter 2020—their lease at the IBM Building on South Temple came up at the end of March and they had decided to look for new space.

They had known about an office in the Ford Motor Building in downtown Salt Lake that had been occupied by Union Pacific, a space with a mezzanine and a dynamic clerestory that offered exciting design options. The Utah Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Utah) has its office in the same building, and McDonough remembers checking out the office when she served as chapter President in 2016.

"We'd go to that balcony, press our noses against the glass and say 'that is such a cool space!'," she recalled. "This clerestory was what we were looking at. It's a two-story space; we knew it had excellent potential. Collaboration is so important to us—we needed a place where people inhabit the same space and could run into each other [...] [fostering] unplanned meetings. It's not just coming to work, burying yourself in the office and never seeing the team."

Nielsen said the landlord was generous with tenant improvement allowances, allowing the firm to get as creative and it wanted. The new MHTN Studio is an immersive space for design exploration and collaboration.

Staying true to the existing industrial palette of steel and brick, the space is open, light and airy. Maximizing the distribution of natural light throughout all spaces was a priority, honoring Albert Kahn's original design and transforming the former divided space into an open studio that features a long, tall clerestory, industrial proportioned windows, and a floor-to-floor height originally designed to maximize daylight for finishing touches of car assembly.

Daylight—an essential component of better mood, energy, and productivity—reaches private and collaborative spaces throughout the office, from individual workspaces to project rooms, a fabrication lab, materials library, lounge deck, and cafe. Up to a dozen employees, including McDonough and Nielsen, participated in the design. Construction (by Layton Construction's ICS team) started in October 2020 and the firm moved in April 2021. The pandemic provided a bit fortuitous during the transition to the new office as the entire renovation happened in an unoccupied building, with the staff having shifted to remote work by April 2020. "You can't plan that sort of thing," Nielsen laughed. "It was a silver lining for us."

The firm offers a hybrid schedule with up to two remote days per week, with leaders believing nothing is better than in-person collaboration, but understanding how workplaces are tilting.

"I think it works well for everyone to have some time to be a little less accessible and focus on other items," said Nielsen.

Future Outlook Bright

Both McDonough and Nielsen believe the firm is well-positioned for great future success, with a stellar team of Principals, Associate Principals, and Associates in place and acting on the forefront of technology and cutting-edge design trends.

Success will continue organically as the firm sticks to its long-time principles of design, service, innovation, putting clients first, and improving on project delivery methods.

"We've certainly been successful financially, but what I measure as success—in terms of true value—is the practice and the culture, and what we're leaving behind because architecture is a physical outcome," said McDonough. "(Design) impacts communities. It's not just that each building should be beautiful, each building becomes part of the community, and the community makes it their own. We know that happens which, in turn, helps us continue to elevate our design—that is our responsibility to society at large. It's making sure the buildings we're designing—the places we're creating for people—are connected, meaningful, responsible, and therefore beautiful."

As a signatory of the AIA 2030 Commitment, MHTN is dedicated to integrated action to reduce the impact of buildings on the planet. The firm has formed teams with a future-minded framework to research, understand, and implement how their buildings act: metrics, energy, performance, durability.

"Part of the legacy we carry forward from the past is that MHTN is known for excellent design, quality documentation, project management, service and reliability—all foundational, solid traits," said McDonough. "This solid practice allows our studio to now launch toward aspirational goals of EUI targets, embedded resiliency, zero-carbon, and sustainable modeling so our practice evolves and acts responsibly for future generations."

A Legacy of Impactful Projects

Historic Projects

1926: Reconstruction of Great Saltair Pavilion

1932: VA Hospital (12th Avenue & E Street)

1936: Centre Theater

1960: Salt Lake International Airport

1964: University of Utah Medical Center

Notable Projects Past 25 Years

MORE RECENT NOTABLE PROJECTS:

1997: Scott Matheson Court Complex

2003: Univ. of Arizona Memorial Center Student Union

2013: Univ. of Utah Spencer Fox Eccles Business Building

2015: Mount Jordan Middle School

2017: Logan High School

2018: Southern Utah Univ. Dixie L. Leavitt School of Business

2018: Univ. of Utah Carolyn & Kem C Gardner Commons

2018: Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Offices

2019: Utah Tech Univ. Human Performance Building

2019: Mountain Ridge High School

2020: Pluralsight Headquarters

2020: Department of Veteran Affairs South Jordan Clinic

2022: Utah State Univ. Moab Academic Building

2022: Brighton High School

2023: Millcreek City Hall (under construction)

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Innovative Education

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Apr, 2024

It's not every day that an architect designs a project around a native flower, then again, the new Career and Technical Education (CTE) High School in St. George is far from your standard K-12 school. "Essentially, we patterned the floor plan around the Bear Claw Poppy," said Bryan Dyer, Director of Facilities for Washington County School District (WCSD), and one of the primary designers of CTE from 2018-20 while at St. George-based NWL Architects prior to joining the District. "The courtyard is the center of the poppy; the rooms represent flower petals. I think it turned out nice—the courtyard is heavily used and is a unique part of the project. The school board tasked us to do something unique to the District—it's the only building of its kind in the state where students have educational and vocational all in one." "It was kind of a philosophical departure for the District—they recognized the need to pick up the students that fall into a category of not being traditional students—they wanted something different and arrived at the need for a career and technical emphasis," added Terrance White, Principal-in-Charge for NWL. As the first standalone career and technical education facility in Utah, the revolutionary $29.6 million, 126,000 SF school offers eight pathways for the nearly 500 students enrolled at the school (capacity is 800), including: business, construction, culinary arts, engineering, education, graphic design, health science, and information technology. The two-level design prioritizes functionality, creating a dynamic environment where students can explore their chosen fields with purpose and passion. WCSD officials and architects from NWL were inspired by similar CTE schools they toured in Houston and Las Vegas and were able to successfully translate the vision inspired by those schools into a tangible space that fosters true collaboration between students and sets a new standard for a career-focused educational platform. "We toured a school in Houston [...] and recognized the architecture of that building took on more of a junior college feel—it felt like it was something more than a high school but not quite a university," said White. "It's great to see a school district recognize where they can take better care of their students."

A Quarter Century of Leed

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Apr, 2024

It's been more than three decades—1993, to be exact—since the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) was co-founded by S. Richard (Rick) Fedrizzi, David Gottfried, and Michael Italiano, which ultimately spawned the revolutionary Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in 1998, a points-based rating system that offered legitimate third-party verification of green buildings. The goal of the fledgling association was simple: Increase overall sustainability of new construction projects including improved energy efficiency and creating a better, healthier environment for building occupants—all with the goal of reducing construction's carbon footprint. At the time, it was considered a bold initiative, with significant potential real-world benefits to the A/E/C industry. It took several years for the LEED initiative to get off the ground, but by the turn of the 21st Century, the phenomenon started taking root in the design community. "When LEED began in the late 90s/early 2000s, it was an incredible ambition to transform the building industry and to bring sustainability into the conversation," said Whitney Ward, Principal with Salt Lake-based VCBO Architecture and one of the firm's leading sustainable design experts. "[USGBC] had some big hurdles to overcome, including a general lack of knowledge about or mistrust of global warming and climate change." Ward said the U.S. Green Building Council and the LEED rating system had an immediate and profound effect on: —Creating more transparency in material manufacturing and getting manufacturers to care more about developing more sustainable/greener materials (carpet, flooring, paint, textiles, etc.) —Highlighting the true value of sustainable buildings through "incredible marketing efforts" and spurring owner demand. —Becoming the "go-to" third party certification agency for sustainable buildings. "The environmental consciousness of designers, builders, and owners [...] has really evolved to (where we say) 'we're going to do the best we can'," said Ward. "LEED has been an incredible tool in reshaping the industry and helping manufacturers, contractors, architects, and other industry partners understand the impact that their decisions have on the environment and on energy use," said Peter McBride, Principal with Salt Lake-based Architectural Nexus. "The conversation 20-30 years ago used to be 'how much does this cost?' or 'what is the percent increase cost in doing (LEED) vs. the baseline?' As each version of LEED established itself as an industry standard, the answer has been that LEED Certified or LEED Silver costs no more—or slightly more—than a baseline design. With each subsequent version release, LEED continues to push the boundary—sustainable design is now the baseline." "LEED has increased awareness for sustainability and energy conservation in buildings," added Chris Cox, Building Performance Program Manager for the State of Utah Division of Facilities Construction and Management (DFCM). "As far as the biggest pro, LEED brought the integrated design process to the forefront—user groups, owners, maintenance teams, architects, engineers, and builders work together in achieving the best outcomes."

Q&A w Bryan Turner

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Apr, 2024

UC+D: How was it working with Gary Payne for so many years? Turner: His impact on the Davis School District will last many years due to the buildings that were constructed during his time. Rather than being satisfied with the status quo, we worked to develop school buildings that would accommodate innovate teaching styles and would be safe, economical, and exciting places where children would want to be. UC+D : It's been 10 years since Odyssey Elementary was completed. What is the analysis of how it has performed? Turner: It is not very hard to create a truly Net-Zero building. We can produce enough electricity to offset the electricity used, plus the natural gas usage—however, the power company will not give us credit for electricity generated above what we use. An energy model was used to estimate the Energy Use Index (EUI) of Odyssey Elementary. It predicted that our EUI would be 22. The first year it was actually 17. An ideal Net-Zero building would not have any natural gas usage. We elected to install a gas boiler in the building to help control the "demand" charges that would occur on cold days when all the heat pumps would start up in the building. For 2023, the PV array produced 213,066 kWh; we used 188,088 kWh in electricity. We used 421 decatherms of gas, giving us a cost of $0.33/sf for energy usage, compared to an average building in the district (about $1.25/sf). UC+D: What is the greatest success with Odyssey? What would you do differently? Turner: Odyssey Elementary, with all its energy-efficient features, provides an excellent educational experience that benefits both teachers and students. The building accommodates different learning styles, collaboration, and individual exploration. First and foremost, the building is a school, albeit one that is very maintainable. There is not anything I would do differently. Since this was the first of a series of prototypes, a lot of thought from a lot of people was put into it.

Literacy Level-up

By Talia Wolfe • 01 Apr, 2024

Before the Logan Library ribbon-cutting ceremony began, two children eagerly ran past the staff toward the children's section. Inside the children's area, two girls, with their arms linked, skipped past the shelves of books while a little boy raced along the cobblestone path that weaves through the bookshelves. A young girl in the reading nook called her mom over to see, and a little girl with pigtails used the miniature-sized door into the children's section to enter the playhouse. The ribbon-cutting began in the lobby and adjacent community room, which were filled with patrons of all ages despite the stormy weather outside. As they entered, a string quartet greeted people with lovely music, and cameras lined the walls for press coverage; even the local firefighters came to show their support. Before the library's opening, Mayor Holly Daines shared how the facility was designed and built with modern and historical intentions. The mayor and various library donors spoke excitedly about the new library before the giant scissors were used to cut the ribbon. Immediately after, patrons with arms full of books were perusing the bookshelves. Children read in the aisle, too excited to move to a table, while parents formed a line waiting to check out books for the family. Quiet laughter emanated from the "teen and tween" section, and Utah State University and the Logan Latter-day Saint Temple are visible from the third-floor windows. From 1985 to 2021, the previous library was in an old and converted Sears building. For the last 20 years, Logan City leaders have discussed providing residents with a modern library. "The library was old and dark, and the systems were failing. It never was a purpose-built library," said Daines.

Landmark Lehi Hospital

By LADD MARSHALL • 01 Apr, 2024

Since its inception more than a century ago in 1922, Primary Children's Hospital has set a standard for pediatric healthcare excellence by continuing to produce world-class facilities throughout the Beehive State. The latest cutting-edge offering is the Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital, Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Campus in Lehi (PCH Lehi), a project of significant importance to this burgeoning city, one that ranks among Utah's fastest-growing communities. Aided by a $50 million gift from the Miller Family Foundation, this landmark five-story, 486,000 SF, 66-bed project features the latest and greatest in medical technology in a building that is fun, playful, and energetic, with colorful design elements playing a vital aesthetic role throughout. The value of a project on this level is beyond measure, said Blake Court, Vice President of Salt Lake-based Jacobsen Construction. "Primary Children's really has a special place in my heart—they are a very special entity," said Court, a veteran healthcare professional with nearly 35 years of overall experience, including 19 years at Jacobsen along with stints at the State of Utah Division of Facilities Construction and Management and the Department of Veteran's Affairs. "It has been embraced by the community. Lehi and the surrounding areas are growing so fast. It's just amazing to see what's going on there." "It's a once-in-a-lifetime project," said Jeff Pinegar, Principal with Salt Lake-based VCBO Architecture, who partnered with Page Southerland Page of Houston on an exhaustive 19-month detailed planning and design process to create a comprehensive hospital and clinic in one congruous structure. "To see these kids have the spirit they have [...] it's a life-changing project. I'm so glad I had the chance to be part of it. I love the challenge of healthcare." As with most construction projects that originated during the pandemic, PCH Lehi kicked off in August 2020, which proved immensely challenging from the onset in regard to worker health and volatility of material cost and availability. "Everyone knows the story—people got sick, it spread to co-workers, and we would lose entire crews [of subcontractors]," said Court. "We would constantly be down manpower. And then [material] lead times just skyrocketed. Materials that we normally get off the shelf went to a year-and-a-half overnight because manufacturing plants were shutting down. Add in price escalations and it was just a trifecta."

Taking Another Shot

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Apr, 2024

At an age when most folks are kicking off their post-retirement "golden years", 66-year-old Cal Wadsworth is attacking this chapter of his life with the zest of a man reborn, having fired back up his general contractor firm in 2020 with a vision of eventually turning it over to the next generation. It speaks to his resolve as a businessman and construction lifer, as a parent who wants to do right by his children, but even more as a person who has rallied/is rallying back from a challenging period personally, which coincided with the great recession and led to him shuttering Cal Wadsworth Construction in 2010. "I'm realizing more with time that I'm not in control as much I thought," said Wadsworth. "There is the realization that you've got to give up control. You can't base all your happiness on the money that comes from this business. Learning to live with disappointments is something I'm getting better at. Learning to live with them and not let them ruin my confidence, or my ambition. I live by the 'Serenity Prayer'."

Robust Growth Fuels Lehi City's Development

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Mar, 2024

Adobe’s 680,000 SF Lehi Campus is an iconic project in Lehi that was completed in two phases, with the first phase opening at the beginning of 2013 and signaling a new era of development along the Silicon Slopes corridor. (photo by Dana Sohm) Inset: Aerial view showing an illustration of Texas Instruments’ new 300 mm semiconductor wafer manufacturing plant—referred to as “LFAB2”—which broke ground last November and marks the single largest investment (over $11 billion) in state history. (photo courtesy Texas Instruments)

Forging Ahead

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Mar, 2024

Work continues to grind forward on the mammoth new Salt Lake City Water Reclamation Facility (WRF)—a critical $850 million project being built by a joint venture of the Salt Lake regional offices of Sundt Construction and PCL Construction that will replace the current facility in North Salt Lake once it's turned over to SLC's Department of Utilities (SLCDPU) in July 2026. As it stands, this is the second-largest project in City history, trailing only the recent $2 billion-plus Salt Lake International Airport Redevelopment (Phases 3-4 ongoing), and one of the most technically challenging projects in the state. "We are up for the challenge every day—the magnitude of this thing is unreal," said Manny Diaz, Project Manager for Salt Lake-based Sundt, as he drove around the massive 30-acre site in late-January, a worksite teeming with 300 current employees (it will peak at 400 workers this summer) and myriad complicated structures being built simultaneously. Diaz is a long-time veteran of the water reclamation facility industry—this project marks plant No. 26 in his own personal history—and he was brought in a year ago by Sundt because of his expertise. When he arrived in Salt Lake at the beginning of last year, it was right smack dab in the middle of what proved to be a record-breaking year for snowfall. "It was quite a welcome to Utah!" Diaz chuckled. "We keep very close tabs on the weather." And while crews haven't been subjected to the same inclement weather this winter, site conditions are still generally wet and muddy, and the difficulties associated with building the various structures are constant. Crews are nearing the halfway mark, so certainly it's a milestone worth acknowledging, even though a mountain of construction is still left to climb. "It's such a huge accomplishment to be this far," said Jason Brown, Deputy Director of Public Utilities for SLC. "We've faced a lot of challenges, Covid, material shortages [...] it's amazing to be part of a team that works so well together. We still have a long way to go, but we'll get there. We've made a lot of progress and should be proud, but it's hard to celebrate success with so much work still ahead." Diaz, along with PCL Project Manager Shayne Waldron, said crews recently achieved a major milestone: one million hours worked, a notable accomplishment. “Achieving the ‘one million hours worked’ milestone is a testament to the coordination and collaboration required of a project this size," said Brown, adding that the new WRF project benefits from regular and ongoing staff collaboration, under the watch of Sundt/PCL, designers AECOM and Jacobs, and SLCDPU leadership. “This [milestone] is the culmination of many different efforts,” added Mauricio Ramos, District Manager for PCL’s Civil Infrastructure Division. “From local engineers to pipe layers, journeymen, construction trade workers, foremen, and general laborers, every team member has been instrumental in reaching this benchmark. The collaboration between PCL and Sundt has been a testament to our shared commitment to excellence and innovation.” "Our crews are working together seamlessly to ensure that the final product meets the goals and needs of the community," said Sam Reidy, Senior VP and District Manager for Sundt. "Celebrating this milestone recognizes the hard work and commitment each member of the project team has made to this project and the Sundt/PCL partnership." Diaz and Waldron said soil conditions challenged the team right out of the gate and took significant time to stabilize the site. "At the very beginning, the project was designed to be built on top of where the sludge beds were at, but it turns out the sludge beds were on shaky ground," said Diaz. "This whole area is young in age, so it's all soft clays and sands," added Waldron. "Soft clays are compressible, so the big issue is settling. It would have [cost] $80 million in piles to shore it up, and then in between buildings you have all the pipe and utility duct banks, so they would almost need to be built on piles." Waldron said the idea came up to pre-load the whole site, where crews built a flat pad, installed wick drains, then pre-loaded 30 ft. of dirt, with drains going down 125 feet and providing a way for water to be pushed out of the clay. "We had over seven feet of settlement," said Waldron. Crews also set up sophisticated monitoring equipment "to see where ground was settling and what layers were compressing the most. It was really scientific—a lot more than I've seen before." Diaz said it took six months to haul in the fill dirt where it remained in place for eight months, then took another six months to excavate out—close to one million yards of total material. It was an exhaustive process, with an average of 400 trucks per day and close to 500 trucks hauling 18,000 tons on the best day. Having a cohesive, highly collaborative team of designers and construction experts has been a boon to the project schedule. Once completed, Salt Lake City’s new WRF will serve over 200,000 residents as well as those who commute downtown to work or visit Utah's capital. It will replace the City’s current—and only—wastewater treatment facility, which is over 55 years old and near the end of its service life. Maintaining reliable operations at the existing facility while constructing the new WRF nearby has been critical for the project’s success. Since breaking ground in 2019, the project team has completed approximately 65% of structural concrete work as well as soil mitigation, deep foundation work, and the installation of underground utilities. In late January crews began excavating dual 63-in. diameter pipelines, along with a 78-in. effluent pipe that is being hauled one giant piece at a time from Canada, a new type of corrugated HDPE with welded joints that should provide greater durability. All in all, crews will ultimately pour 93,000 CY of concrete and install 22 million pounds of reinforcing steel, along with 89,000 LF of underground pipe ranging in diameter from 1.5-in. to 78-in. "The camaraderie among the team members allows for a very cohesive team," said Diaz. "The only way you can tell who works for who is by the color of the truck. We have a 'one project' mentality. The complexity of the job and being trusted to lead this effort [...] have been [important] for me. It's been a great job so far." Diaz, who said his first wastewater treatment plant was in North Miami Beach in the late 80s right after he graduated from college, hopes to remain in Utah once this job is completed and turned over to the client by mid-2026. “I plan on staying here and continue to work on treatment plants in Utah,” he said. “There’s a lot of work here. We have vast experience, and we have a lot of people who want to be in Utah—it’s a great place to live. Let’s do it!”

Let the Good Times Roll

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Mar, 2024

It's been more than 45 years (1978) since The Cars released their debut album highlighted by the wildly popular song Good Times Roll, but if there was ever a tune to sum up the general sentiment of local A/E/C professionals regarding Utah's 2024 Economic Outlook, Good Times Roll would be up there. "Our members are expecting another good year," said Joey Gilbert, President/CEO of the 650-member Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Utah. "For our contractors in both the building and highway markets, the outlook is good. Many still have decent backlogs to keep them busy through 2024 and in some cases, even 2025. The public sector is strong, and on the private side, owners are still investing in some big projects." Robert Spendlove, Chief Economist for Salt Lake-based Zions Bank, reported at the AGC's Economic Outlook meeting last November that commercial construction was up 1.6%, while Utah as a whole reported 2.5% growth overall, and believes both will continue to fare well in 2024. "Utah also has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S. [2.5%]; when it gets too low, you get real struggles of labor shortages," he said. "It prevents companies from growing and is one of those defining economic characteristics of this past cycle. If we get above 4-5% we get nervous that it's a sign of a recessionary environment." Spendlove said tailwinds include strong consumer spending, a strong labor market, and an overall robust economic Intermountain West region, while headwinds could include a lack of new workers, government shutdowns, energy prices, and international uncertainty. Another bonus is that Utah remains one of the strongest states economically, regardless of what is happening nationally. "I would say uncomfortably optimistic," countered Dejan Eskic, Senior Research Fellow for the Kem Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah, citing a number of factors potentially slowing down the design and construction industry such as housing, labor, and material price fluctuations—basically the same post-Covid headwinds Utah-based firms have been battling the past couple of years. "On paper, we should have a decent economic year in Utah. Because it's an election year, it brings more optimism generally. Stock performance does better in an election year, jobs do better. You have to stick to those basics. Eskic has been with the Gardner Institute for eight years, including the past five in his current role, explained that some of the uncomfortableness facing the local economy stems from having virtually no labor pool in certain segments, including construction—which continues to face a dearth of skilled craftsmen in virtually all subcontractor trades. "We still have red flags," he said, noting concerns with still-high housing costs. "Maybe it's too early to call if we've cracked inflation. 2023 ended up way better than anybody expected—it was supposed to be a recession year, but the recession never came, and the labor market exceeded expectations. "I'm bullish on Utah," he added. "I look at the numbers and how we're going, and we're in a very strong growth pattern with the economy. Things will continue to expand." Indeed, despite nasty rising interest rates that put the brakes on some speculative development projects, Utah-based owners continued to plow ahead on projects, and by-and-large most market segments continued to see a healthy amount of activity as firms set about tackling healthy project backlogs.

Building Blocks

By Reuben Wright • 01 Mar, 2024

Crews working on bridge sections of the project did the majority of heavy-lifting—as seen with these giant cranes lifting heavy girders—during the wee hours of the night, part of UDOT’s expectations of keeping traffic moving by limiting road closures. (night photos by Kjell Gerber, BuildWitt)