Movin' on UP!

Silicon Slopes office inspires tenants with refined-iconic spaces and stunning design.
By Doug Fox

There’s a new jewel in the crown of Silicon Slopes architecture: the visually stunning Traverse Heights Office Building.

The six-story structure, housing 57,000 square feet of Class A professional office space and featuring a floor-to-ceiling curtain wall glass facade, sits like a queen on a bluff overlooking the I-15 corridor in Lehi and the expanse of Utah Valley. 

If you’re traveling through that section of north Utah County, you can’t miss it on the east side of I-15.

“It is impossible to exit the freeway and not see this building standing large, perched over Silicon Slopes,” said Jared Francom, Project Director for Okland Construction. “It stands apart by location, approach and visibility.”

The building, owned by Woodley Real Estate, came with a price tag of around $25 million. In addition to the ownership group, tenants include Bank of America, Fidelity Investments, Solidarity Capital, Paramount and family offices for both Curt Doman and Todd Pederson, among others.

“We have had way more demand than space,” said Eric Woodley, owner/developer. “It certainly stands out and is a unique offering. The offset design really sets it apart from the rest [of the buildings in Silicon Slopes].”

According to David Anderson, Design Principal for Babcock Design, the core concept of the building differed significantly from the typical five- and six-story workplace projects his firm has created along the Silicon Slopes stretch of I-15.

“On the heels of several projects designed around 100,000-plus-square-feet tech-sector tenants that prioritized efficient floor plates and large-scale shared amenities, this project targeted smaller, high-end user groups with an interest in a refined, iconic space,” Anderson said. “As a result, efforts were made to sculpt a unique exterior form with shifting floor plates cantilevering high above the ground plane, which provided extensive usable outdoor space.”

COVID Conundrums

The journey from land acquisition in 2020 to certificate of occupancy in 2023 turned out to be no easy feat. Mentally, Wasatch Front residents may be a few years removed from the peak period of the COVID-19 pandemic but its architectural impact is still being felt and the Traverse Heights Office Building is a prime example.

The project started during the mid- to latter stages of the pandemic in 2021 and was designed amid the challenging fallout of material shortages throughout the building industry. Year-long lead times and cost escalation on structural steel products at the time tilted the design decision toward a post-tensioned concrete structure, Anderson said.

But that strategic switch spawned its own set of COVID-created conundrums. 

“By the time construction ensued, of course, there were concrete shortages throughout the state due to shutdowns of several cement production plants,” Anderson said. “Okland Construction worked miracles to acquire concrete during the shortage and significantly minimized delays in the construction schedule.”

Choosing concrete both for the look and the difficulty of procuring steel, Woodley noted that the concrete shortage hit during the mat-footing pour — basically the most inopportune time possible. 

“It was a nightmare to work through, but we had a great construction team to help us navigate it,” he said.

On a positive note, the decision to use post-tensioned concrete affected both the overall form — achieving some dramatic cantilevers in the office space – as well as the feel of the interiors, said Anderson.

“Exposed architectural concrete sheer walls and solid concrete slabs created a crisp, smooth and dramatic interior space with exceptionally high ceilings,” he said.

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An Amani Resort Vibe


The building’s bluff location afforded the opportunity for remarkable panoramic views of Utah Valley. The design plans took full advantage of the chance to do just that.


“The site offered spectacular vantage points, providing views of the entire valley from the Wasatch range and across Utah Lake,” Anderson said. “The small footprint of the site also drove us to a more vertical product, taking advantage of the location. With this in mind, and with the concrete structure eliminating the need for ceilings, we provided a full curtain wall system with vision glazing — almost no spandrel panel. This required some challenging detail to achieve an unbroken vision plane extending from the second floor to the roof.”


Woodley said the design team tried to keep everything true to form, noting that if it looks like concrete, it is, and if it looks like wood, it’s real wood. 


“We really wanted an Amani type resort vibe, speaking to the desert vibe of Utah,” Woodley said. He also called out the fireplace in the main lobby with Aroma360 scent and background music. “Most folks walking in will comment on the unique vibe. It’s very calming and crisp.”


Anderson said the lobby provides a markedly different experience with a minimalist approach typical for a high-end resort. The architectural concrete walls and ceilings are balanced with the warmth of the fireplace, lounge seating and leather-wrapped elevator core.


Woodley said the first floor features non-structural walls that are 2-feet thick and fluted.


“That was probably the biggest hurdle design- and construction-wise, but it was so worth it,” he said.


Anderson said the workplace market has really accelerated toward grand user-friendly amenities — such as gyms with private shower rooms, two-story all-hands spaces and full-service kitchen and dining areas — but this project was a bit more understated in its approach, catering more to the individuality of each tenant.


“Respecting the privacy of the individual tenants in the building, all amenities are within the private suites,” he said, citing smaller kitchen and dining areas and lounge spaces. One floor, he noted, features a war room hidden behind a rotating wall panel that is invisible when closed.


The sixth floor contains one of the building’s most striking visual elements: a 2,000-gallon tropical aquarium set opposite the bank of elevators.


“That is always a main conversation piece,” Woodley said.


One of a Kind


Anderson called the Traverse Heights Office Building project one of the most rewarding experiences that he’s been involved with over the course of his 20 years in the profession.


“The client really drove us to create,” he said. “They had high expectations and I feel that the team — architects, interior designers, engineers and contractors — really rose to the occasion and produced something truly remarkable. The focus on creating a workplace that transcended to the next level was relentless, from the client down. The passion for excellence started with the client, and they deserve a lot of the credit for the success. My hope is that it serves them well for decades to come.”


“The design is one-of-a-kind. A true Class A professional office building that was very much needed in the market,” said Woodley. “Babcock Design and Okland Construction did an exceptional job with the design and construction of the building. We couldn’t be happier with their partnership.”


Project Name: DPW3 Office Building

Location: Lehi, Utah

Delivery Method: CM/GC

Owner: Woodley Real Estate


Design Team

Architect: Babcock Design

Civil: Trane Engineering PC

Electrical: Spectrum Engineers

Mechanical: Harris (Design Build)

Structural: Dunn Engineering

Geotech: GSH

Landscape: Great Western Landscape

Interior Design & Furniture: Babcock Design


Construction Team

General Contractor: Okland Construction

Plumbing & HVAC: Harris (Design Build)

Electrical: Rydalch Electric

Concrete: Okland Construction

Steel Fabrication & Erection: Precision Welding

Glass/Curtain Wall: B&D Glass

Drywall/Acoustics: K&L

Painting: R P Painting

Roofing: Utah Tile and Roofing

Landscaping: Great Western Landscape

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