Road Construction Session in Full Swing

UDOT’s top projects highlight a busy season in horizontal construction as the department seeks to connect communities through well-engineered and well-constructed roads.
By Taylor Larsen

619.

That’s how many projects in study, planning, and construction phases that UDOT has in the works at this moment in 2022—each one connecting communities across the Beehive State and allowing them to live, work, and play. The active involvement of UDOT in moving best practices forward is a testament to leaders like Lisa Wilson, Deputy Director of Engineering and Operations for UDOT.

She spoke at a NAIOP meeting in June about the department’s mission to enhance quality of life through transportation. UDOT’s mission of connected communities and its strategic goals of preserving infrastructure and optimizing mobility aren’t just for roads, either. UDOT takes its transportation mantle seriously, with Wilson mentioning lots of work going on with “digital roadways” and fiber connections to the internet in rural areas.

What else will Utah and UDOT continue to do with their mantle? They will embrace active transportation when connected with projects. Wilson said the millions that UDOT has dedicated to trail connections is money well spent. The inclusivity of these priorities has been a meaningful step in the department’s mission for better mobility, good health, strong economy, and connected communities.

The department has also taken a lot of pride in their work increasing safety and the overall character of Bangerter Highway, with Bangerter Three Interchanges recently completing construction. Wilson said that more Bangerter projects would be coming down the pipe to make the highway a true north-south corridor for western Salt Lake County.

As projects move forward, we profile some of UDOT’s top projects and highlight what makes the project essential to UDOT’s vision to “Keep Utah Moving.”

West Davis Highway (Davis County)

Cost: $750 million

GC: Farmington Bay Constructors (Ames Construction, Wadsworth Brothers Construction, and Staker Parson Materials and Construction)

Design: HNTB

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

The grand poobah of UDOT projects in construction is the West Davis Highway. According to the public information team, the project is a 19-mile freeway segment that will connect western Davis County with the major traffic artery of I-15. The completed highway will improve access between western Davis County communities and link them to the Beehive State’s major vehicular artery, the I-15. As this area of the state grows, the new highway will help accommodate the continued rapid growth of Davis County and adjoining counties.


The four-lane divided highway will run from I-15 in Farmington to 4500 West and the future extension of S.R. 193 in West Point, and includes six new interchanges providing access to Farmington, Kaysville, Layton, and Syracuse.


The design-build project also consists of a system-to-system interchange, multiple local interchanges, intersection improvements, and construction of connecting roadways and a trail system.


With this massive project, Farmington Bay Constructors—a joint venture of Ames Construction, Wadsworth Brothers Construction, and Staker Parson Materials and Construction—was selected to utilize each member’s management, supervisors, equipment, resources, and specialties to accomplish the work.


Early work has set the project up for success. Initial research and a 7–8-month test fill by the project team provided good data about how the soil would behave during the pursuit. That early research pushed forward a high-quality design, lowered risk, solidified the schedule, and provided confidence in the cost estimate.


Construction on this new highway will continue into 2024.

U.S. 89 (Davis County)

$473 million

GC:Oak Hills Constructors (Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction, Granite Construction)

Design: Horrocks Engineers, Michael Baker International 

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

Another Davis County project is getting lots of attention, and rightly so. The nearly half-billion-dollar U.S. 89 project is impressive. UDOT planned to widen U.S. 89 from four lanes to six and remove stop lights between S.R. 193 in Layton and Main Street in Farmington. The project includes four new interchanges and two new bridges over the highway, along with new frontage roads, pedestrian underpasses, a multi-use trail, and bicycle improvements.


The U.S. 89 reconstruction is the “first progressive design-build in the state and one of the largest in the country,” said Bryan Mouser, Operations Manager at Michael Baker International’s Utah office.


What is a progressive design build (PDB)? It has the qualifications-based parts of a CM/GC project with design-build’s (DB) penchant for effective teamwork, accountability, and quicker delivery times, while adding innovation and reducing risk for all parties. According to those interviewed, the contractual delivery method on this project has been a massive success.


“We’ve been able to interact with the state and contractors to come up with what everyone thought would be the best solution,” said Mouser of the work via PDB. His firm, along with Horrocks Engineers, Granite Construction, Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction, and UDOT all came together to solve right of way issues, work around an oil pipeline that delivers tens of thousands of barrels per day, perform 50 miles of utility relocations, and challenge a lawsuit from a local resident.


While traditional DB would have to wait until everything was resolved, PDB helped move pre-construction forward, with contractors on the Oak Hills Constructors team working as consultants to bring the best project forward.


Mike MacArthur, Vice President of Preconstruction with Ralph Wadsworth Construction (RLW), described the different delivery methods as different boxes that package up these complex highway projects. 


“When the box is harder to define and there are some unknowns, PDB is best,” he said. “Instead of staying inside of a square box” as one would do in other delivery methods, MacArthur detailed how PDB allows teams to change the shape of the box entirely. Progressive design concepts, similar to DB’s alternative design concepts, looked for best solutions on U.S. 89. One of those was highways going under crossing streets instead of bridging over, which maintains nearby residents’ iconic views of the mountains to the east.


As PDB pushes the highway forward, additional road safety will be at the forefront. U.S. 89 connects I-84 to the north to I-15 in the south, but has traditionally been more accident-prone because of the high speeds of U.S. 89 and the low speeds of the cross streets. These problems are being mitigated, said Mouser. “Now, you can travel straight through from one [interstate] to the other” with dedicated on- and off-ramps that help traffic integrate safely.


Beyond safety, Mouser praised the project for eliminating some of the pollution that came from the stop-start traffic in rush hour that has been commonplace on U.S. 89. Communities will soon have access to faster thoroughfares, less pollution from idling at stoplights, and an overall better road across Davis County thanks to the work done by the U.S. 89 project team.


The project will be complete in 2023.


I-80 & I-215 (Salt Lake County)

$146.5 million

GC: Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction

Design: Michael Baker International

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

This high-use corridor on Salt Lake’s east side is going through a major overhaul. Construction teams are removing the existing pavement and replacing it with new concrete on I-80 from 1300 East to 2300 East and I-215 from 3300 South to 4500 South. 


“Anyone coming from Park City or utilizing Parley’s Canyon will pass through the job site,” said Darren Burton, Transportation Project Manager at Michael Baker International, of the extensive scope of the project and affected public. Beyond the paving efforts on the two-mile sections of each freeway, construction teams are adding another lane from 1300 to just past 2300 East to push available eastbound lanes from three to four.


The area around the job site has plenty of traffic, with lots of activity from nearby parks, residences, and high schools. With so much activity and right of way limited by nearby houses and a golf course, the full reconstruction was a little more challenging on both portions of the project, according to Burton. 


Working through these challenges, the design-build project team of Michael Baker International (MBI) and Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction (RLW) is pulverizing and recycling old concrete to create a road base for the new roadway. It is one way the team is working through concrete powder shortages as they triage different project needs. 


It’s one of over 10 projects that this design-build team of MBI-RLW has done together, which has helped make this project a positive impact on the state’s transportation network. “There’s a lot of trust and a lot of history that really benefits both of us,” said Burton. “We’ve worked through many issues and found a lot of great solutions.


Crews are building on westbound I-80 for a future lane-add project to accommodate the growing population in Summit County and eastern Salt Lake County and adding another eastbound lane from 1300 to just past 2300 East, too. New bridges on the I-80 portion of the project are another major feature and source of goodwill from the local community. It is one of the first times that Chris Dillman, Project Manager for RLW, said he could remember so much positive support for a roadway project. 


“Everyone who lives by those bridges feels ownership of those bridges,” said Dillman of the 1300 East and 1700 East bridges. Whether that is commuting to work, taking their kids to school, or biking over to the park, thousands of nearby residents use the bridges each day. They were appreciative of the project and even came out by the dozen to see one of the innovative construction methods on the project: accelerated bridge construction slides.


With this construction method, new bridges are prefabricated very near to their final destination. After demolishing the old bridge, construction teams slide the new bridges into place and install them. 


Dillman reported that nearby residents were outside as early as 2AM watching the bridge demolition with their kids and grandkids. As the bridge slide commenced, Dillman said steady streams of folks at the park or at nearby observation points would sit and watch the process for a few minutes at a time. The entire bridge slide process was completed in 20 hours and got traffic up and running to start the next work week.


The project is expected to complete in 2023.


I-15 and I-70 (Millard, Iron, and Beaver counties)

Cost: $20.1 million 

GC: WW Clyde, Intermountain Slurry Seal, Sunroc

Design: UDOT

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

Multiple construction methods and contractors are involved on this expansive project that will repave roads and replace bridge pads with construction crews hard at work in three counties. This project will repave three sections of I-15 from Beaver through Cedar City and replace the driving surface and barrier walls on the I-70 bridges over I-15 in Millard County.


Caleb Mendenhall, Project Manager for WW Clyde said that their scope of the project includes bridge replacements on two bridges. At the junction he and crews are replacing bridge decks and bearing pads on the eastbound bridge to I-70 and the westbound bridge that moves traffic south from I-70 onto I-15.


The bridges have been repaired and overlaid since the final stamp of approval on these bridges was given in 1966, but that bridge decks and bearing pads have reached the end of their design life.


Mendenhall said that UDOT has a high standard for their bridges, with fiber-reinforced concrete a staple of bridge deck materials. In the mixing process for this type of concrete, bits and pieces of fiberglass are added in to give the resulting structure extra strength, with the concrete able to delay reconstruction for many more years than traditional concrete.


While the parapets, bridge decks, and bearing pads will be demolished, the original girders from 1966 will remain in place, with the steel beams that support the deck will still be there when crews pour the bridge deck later this month.


Another portion of the project is under the careful watch of Rusty Price, President of Intermountain Slurry Seal, the second of the three contractors involved on the project.


Their part of the project is divided into two separate jobs—one section in Beaver and one section in Cedar City. With thousands of people traveling through I-15 at these two points, the jobs are essential.


Price describes this micro surfacing project on the two portions of I-15 as the final wearing course over the hot mix asphalt to give the road its smooth ride. One of the main benefits of this type of preventative maintenance, according to Price, comes through sped-up cure times, with micro surfacing taking less than an hour to cure, far less than its hot-mix asphalt counterparts.


Their two parts of the project went relatively quickly, with the cold-mix paving system containing emulsified asphalt, mineral aggregate, portland cement, and water that goes into spreader box and then goes onto the roadway. The Beaver portion of their scope finished in seven days, while the Cedar City portion took five to complete.


With no loose shedding like a chip seal job, Price mentions that UDOT’s choice to go with micro surfacing on these jobs were good for the hundreds of thousands that travel these Utah highways. Not only that, but these improved roads will have some of the highest skid resistance and friction values. 


This type of preventative maintenance is a major way organizations like UDOT are so successful at keeping Utah’s roads in top shape. “Everyone needs to remember to keep your good roads good,” said Price. “Maintain what you have.”

Construction will continue through fall 2022.

S.R. 14 (Iron and Kane counties)

Cost: $13.5 million

GC: Western Rock Products

Design: UDOT

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

Asphalt paving is getting more love on the S.R. 14 project in Iron and Kane Counties. UDOT will be building a new two-mile eastbound passing lane in Cedar Canyon east of Cedar City and repave several miles of the highway farther east in Kane County.


Motorists traveling to nationally recognized hotspots like Bryce Canyon National Park and Cedar Breaks National Monument will have some fresh asphalt and a smooth ride as construction presses on. 


Joe Wilden, Construction Manager for Western Rock Products, a CRH Company, said in a statement that the road is also a key corridor locally. The route passes by local recreation areas Duck Creek and Navajo Lake and connects this community with Panguitch and other communities located along Highway 89 in Garfield County. 

Pouring asphalt in the hot weather won’t be the biggest problem for crews on this project. Instead, it is the project’s ascent, as the road starts at 6,000 feet elevation and climbs through the thinning oxygen to 10,000 feet. 


Wilden said in his statement that pavement design life will be extended by incorporating a lift of fiber strand reinforced hot mix asphalt (FSR HMA). The typical pavement section includes 2 ¾-inch FSR HMA and 1 ½-inch stone matrix asphalt surface course. Other intervals of the project include a 2-inch lane leveling course of hot mix asphalt prior to placement of the surface course to optimize smoothness and ride.


Wilden said to expect delays of 15–20 minutes on week days when traveling SR-14.


The project will complete in 2023.

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)