Sign Of The Times

The dazzling new One Burton apartment building tastefully captures the owner's passion for mid-century modern architecture in a project that aims to kick off a true 'downtown' area in South Salt Lake.
By Brad Fullmer

The transformation of the heart of South Salt Lake from a gritty, somewhat dilapidated industrial area into a legitimate 'downtown' urban area with active neighborhoods of stylish residential and commercial buildings, got a major boost in June with the official grand opening of the eight-story, 180-unit One Burton apartment complex, ushering in a new era of modern development in the city.

"I'm very happy to be where we're at now," gushed Jason Algaze, a Principal with New York-based Abstract Development Group, as One Burton marks the firm's first completed project in Utah. "The building is unique, and we had a good [team] to help us execute our vision."

One notable caveat of the $70 million project—with its location directly adjacent to Interstate 80—was that the previous landowner, YESCO, be allowed to keep its billboard on the property, leading to the building to being dubbed 'the Billboard Apartments' during construction.

Architects from Salt Lake-based Architectural Nexus, led by Mihnea Dobre, Principal-in-Charge, and Charles Bagley, Project Manager, were quick to roll with that interesting design nuance, along with other design constraints specific to a location smack dab next to a bustling U.S. highway. They embraced the billboard, ultimately coming up with the idea of INFLUENCE—something that is shaped, carved, and molded by the constant effect of environment—as the design brief and conceptual driver for the project.

Since the billboard would have a direct impact on the building form—and is emblematic of the very idea of what influence is—the design leaned heavy into it. From the south side, you can visually see its influence carving and shaping the building with a continued ripple effect bending and folding the eastern façade.

"This project is all about influence," said Bagley. "The billboard is about influencing people, so we wanted the view corridor to influence the shape of the building, with a ripple effect as the east facade folds and crinkles."

"The billboard is certainly a prominent feature," said Dobre. "We had a requirement to maintain the view corridor and build around existing billboards, so we used that to aid the design, and in maximizing site development without interfering with legal requirements. We decided to embrace what was [viewed as] a limitation."

"We turned what could have been a huge hurdle for design and turned it into a 'wow' factor," said Algaze, adding that residents are not impacted from the signs due to billboard screens having directional baffles that eliminate light disturbance back to the apartments.

Constructing around the billboard and next to a busy freeway offered various challenges to the contractor team, said KC Burns, Project Director for Salt Lake-based Jacobsen Construction, mainly being so directly in the public eye, along with limited access for material delivery from north and south roads only and limited space to choreograph the litany of heavy equipment, delivery trucks, lifts, and cranes.

"Prior to construction, the billboard was removed and relocated slightly to allow it to be outside the building footprint—that's not something you see every day," said Burns. "The highway presented little issue itself; the exposure from passersby [traffic], however, kept us on our toes as there was a lot of oversight from freeway traffic. We became aware early that we either did it right, or it would be known immediately by all."

Spectacular views abound on this swanky outdoor patio, replete with cozy fire pit for residents looking to relax or perhaps socialize.

Mid-Century Modern Vibe a Major Owner 'Hot Button'

A native New Yorker, Algaze admitted not knowing much about Salt Lake City before 2020. With development in the Big Apple often slogging through myriad red tape, Abstract executives were looking to expand their geographical reach. When the pandemic hit, Algaze said "we tried to figure out other markets more in-depth, and as we dug into Salt Lake, we saw all the growth. Through a broker, we stumbled upon this site, and it came together. It's great here, especially in South Salt Lake. We think there is a lot of [future] growth here."

Algaze appreciates the industrial nature of this area, as it ties into his genuine love of mid-century modern architecture—think 1950s/60s Mad Men—and how he viewed the design of One Burton. He even referenced the famed Kaufman House in Palm Springs, Calif. (circa 1946).

"I'm obsessed with mid-century modern architecture—we thought about how geometrical shapes and lines would look very cool against the mountains as we started design. The process with Architectural Nexus was awesome. I had a very specific idea in my head on day one and they totally pulled it off."

At just over 300,000 SF, the sizeable eight-story building has 180 units featuring studio, one-, and two-bedroom units, along with three retail spaces (two are leased). At the highway level and above, 360-degree views offer spectacular views stretching from the mountain peaks at the southeast all the way to the downtown skyline to the north.

Vertically, the building is composed with a study black brick base for three stories and white stucco for the five stories above. The simple, contrasting palette is complimented with a warm wood accent. Clean vertical lines of the base and strong horizontal lines of the balconies of the levels above hearken strongly to the modern aesthetic of the mid-century.

At ground level, the public is welcomed with restaurants/retail storefronts along Main Street. To the north along Burton Avenue, residents and guests are greeted with a grand, inviting porte-cochère covering the drop-off drive, creating an elegant hotel-like ambience. The angled canopy structure and warm cedar soffit add depth to the mid-century design.

Upon entering the two-story lobby, the mid-century theme takes another step, with a stunning wood-slatted grand staircase is its main highlight. It rises from the main level into a balcony overlook that creates a canopy for the reception desk below. The lobby backdrop features a beautiful, peacock blue accent wall with relief patterning. These elements, along with other materiality, color palette, furnishings and light fixtures all combine to create a wonderfully modern and fresh feel, but with a fun, mid-century nostalgic vibe.

The podium-style building has a base of three floors of type IA non-combustible construction (concrete) and 5 levels of type IIIA wood framed residential housing units above. The beautiful two-story lobby space is also highly functional with office and conference space, work areas, and private and public parking garages.

The upper five floors house 180 units in 26 different layout configurations and finished with a bright white cement plaster system that undulates with the angled unit walls and extending balconies.

Mechanical and electrical systems were completed via design-build delivery, and designed to be concealed and quiet, while architectural light fixtures with LED lighting are found throughout the building.

Another impressive design/artistic feature is a series of seven butterfly murals on the exterior, brilliant artwork meant to inspire and elevate the character of the area.

Other amenities include open and private workout rooms, a vibrant art room that leads out to an exterior courtyard with unique planters that mimic the varying angles of the building, an outdoor spa and spacious interior game room, and a clubhouse on level seven with a kitchen and seating that opens to a spacious outdoor patio with BBQ grills, a large-screen TV and a fire pit.

Rooms are spacious and tastefully designed, with ample daylighting and excellent views.

Construction Challenges Handled

with Aplomb by a Strong Team

Burns said beyond navigating a tight site, other challenges for the construction team included building the porte-cochère, modifying road/grade surface levels, and dealing with a structure with varying angles, corners, and other exciting design elements that aren't simple to build.

"The porte-cochère is set on custom tapered columns in an angled array; they don't make a shape that tapers precisely the way we needed," said Burns. "Each had to be created and engineered to handle the imposed loads."

The shape and style of the building is also unlike anything that's been built in the multi-family arena in recent memory in Utah—this was no 'cookie-cutter' design, and it tested contractors.

"The design did not follow the orthogonal approach common in similar structures," said Burns. "Some multi-family projects are so cost-conscious they can feel and sometimes look like a Lego building where bland units are stacked vertically in differing colored blocks. One Burton tried to shake it up and have balconies and units comprised of angled supports and lines that added depth and purposeful complexity."

In addition, Burns said, "the roof structure is a cast-in-place extension to the post-tensioned slab. The cantilever had to be entirely supported by shoring while members were cautiously and selectively demolished in place so the struts could be weaved in underneath. Great care was taken to ensure what was removed would not compromise the canopy."

"The overhangs are the things we were proudest of," said Dobre. "They were not easy to create. Contractors needed to use extra steel and carefully engineer it to have larger triangular overhangs."

"The units and wings stack up, particularly on the north face," added Bagley. "There is a stepping, tiered quality to the units from the east side to the west side balconies. I also love the front entry onto Burton Avenue—it's an exciting two-story lobby space. The way we have columns cantilevered out to carry the canopy turned out well. It plays off the mid-modern style."

"This is the first of many projects that will transform our community," said Cherie Wood, Mayor of South Salt Lake, adding that she grew up on Burton Avenue a couple of blocks east of One Burton, and is thrilled at the prospect of a genuine "downtown" area of the city.

"No corners were cut; thank you for caring, and for turning a page in our community and doing something big and different."

“We wanted to create a place that represents the heart and soul of South Salt Lake," added Algaze. "After a few bumps in the road, we saw an opportunity at this corner, a place that felt underappreciated but was blossoming with potential," adding that he appreciates the character of the industrial neighborhood and other local businesses nearby, including creative and artistic companies, skilled trades, and breweries. "This neighborhood can turn very quickly into something big."

One Burton

Location: South Salt Lake

Start/Completion: Nov. 2022/May 2025

Cost: $70 million

Delivery Method: CM/GC

Stories/Levels: 8

Square Footage: 304,203

Units: 180

Owner: Abstract Development Company

Design Team

Architect: Architectural Nexus

Civil: Psomas Engineering

Electrical: (Design-Build) Conelco w/ Jordan Skala Engineers

HVAC & Plumbing: (Design-Build) UMC w/ Rocky Mountain Consulting Engineers

Structural: BHB Engineers

Geotechnical: GSH Geotechnical

Interior Design: Architectural Nexus

Landscape Architect: Architectural Nexus

Pool Design: Water Design Inc.

Acoustic Consultant: Resolut Group

Construction Team

General Contractor: Jacobsen Construction

Concrete: JRock Construction

Plumbing/HVAC: Utah Mechanical Contractors

Electrical: Conelco Electric

Masonry & Precast: Troy Hales Masonry

Drywall: Tolman Drywall

Painting: Performance Painting Company

Tile/Stone: Millcreek Tile

Millwork: CP Build; Boswell

Flooring: JCC

Roofing: D7 Roofing

Glazing/Curtain Wall: USI

Waterproofing: Guaranteed Waterproofing

Steel Fabrication: Clegg Steel

Steel Erection: Clegg Steel

Excavation: Sunroc

Landscaping: Sinc Constructors

Demolition: TID

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