TEAMWORK ELEVATED

The success of the remarkable 25-story 95 State at City Creek high-rise is a testament to the dynamic collaborative effort of the entire project team.
By Brad Fullmer

Already a highly ambitious and supremely technical project from a construction standpoint, Salt Lake City’s latest office tower—the ultra-sexy, 25-story 95 State at City Creek—became even more challenging when the Covid-19 pandemic struck in March 2020, forcing executives from Salt Lake-based general contractor Okland Construction to institute strict protocols to ensure worker safety. 

And it was no small feat, with peak worker capacity hovering near 600 at one point. According to Zach Lewis, Project Director for Okland, every subcontractor on the job answered the bell, resulting in the project nary missing a beat and remaining firmly on schedule. Lewis expressed profound gratitude at how everyone rallied together and the collective “beehive” mentality that existed during a demanding time.

“We were in the height of building this project when Covid hit—every day I was amazed and proud and humbled by people who showed up and did their job,” said Lewis. “We were serious about mask-wearing. We got to a point where we could walk through, and everyone was wearing a mask. I take my hat off to the men and women who showed up every day and made it possible.”

Mike Jueschke, Okland’s Sr. Project Manager, echoed Lewis’ sentiments. 

“I was amazed not only by workers showing up but hanging heavy steel with a mask on—not an easy task,” he said. “For a good portion of [hanging steel], we didn’t have elevators. Hiking stairs in a mask, glasses fogging up […] it was a frustration for the workforce, but they complied. We had people thanking us that we were enforcing it so rigidly so they could keep working.”

Jueschke said when it came to pouring concrete, “You can’t ‘social distance,’ so we reduced the workforce as much as possible […] and re-sequenced the direction we placed concrete to not jam people into corners.”

The stylish lobby space is highlighted by a high-end Italian white marble, rich wood ceiling panels,
and a giant digital video display (photo courtesy SOM © Dave Burk).

A Project Like No Other

There are many one-of-a-kind superlatives on owner City Creek Reserve Inc.’s (CCRI) second major office tower that graces Utah’s capital city—24-story 111 Main was completed in 2016—including a dynamic, highly complex structural system, the visually stunning and highly functional all-glass curtain wall system, the exquisite white Italian marble in the main lobby, and the fact that the building includes two chapels that serve a dozen wards (congregations) for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

There are many one-of-a-kind superlatives to describe owner City Creek Reserve Inc.’s (CCRI) second major office tower—the 24-story 111 Main was completed in 2016—that graces Utah’s capital city. Start with 95 State's dynamic, highly complex structural system, the visually stunning and highly functional all-glass curtain wall system, the exquisite white Italian marble in the main lobby, and the fact that the building includes two chapels that serve a dozen local congregations for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to name a few. 

Designed by San Francisco-based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)—the same architect as 111 Main—95 State at City Creek is the second phase of a multi-phase development that ties into the adjacent Harmons grocery store and parking garage that came online in 2011. A single-level basement houses mechanical equipment and parking, with the two chapels occupying the second through fourth floors. A posh fitness center and three spacious conference rooms comprise the fifth floor, which opens onto an adjacent roof garden terrace. 

Beyond commercial office space and the chapels, the project includes the Social Hall Pavilion and an underground tunnel that links the tower directly to City Creek Center mall west of State Street. The pavilion is a glass-enclosed redevelopment of the former Social Hall Museum building with 1,850 SF of retail space. 

SOM had up to 10 architects working on this project at one time, led by Steve Sobel, Managing Principal; Michael Duncan, Design Partner; and Sean Ragasa, Design Principal. Each said having prior experience with the client on 111 Main helped streamline the process, even though the two buildings have little in common other than their respective “wow” factor. 

“We’ve done a number of projects with City Creek Reserve—the relationship goes back to work we did on the same site for the Harmons grocery store,” said Duncan, adding that SOM also did master planning on Block 75 and 76 (City Creek Mall and both sides of Main Street). “Those relationships have been positive. For a project of this scale, to have those open lines of communication and being creative together helps the success of the project.”

Jueschke echoed SOM, saying, “There was great mutual trust.”

“Our relationship with CCRI on 111 Main grew a great sense of trust between us,” added Ragasa. “It required us to be on the same page and completely aligned. We knew the same level of quality could be achieved, and that we could trust [CCRI Construction Manager] Sean Tuite to make sure this building came together the way we designed it.” 

“We had to design a building as significant [as 111 Main], but different,” said Sobel. “We talked about the imagery of the building […] and how it captured the mountains behind it. It’s a different type of glazing in terms of color. The curved glass [four giant curved panels create the corners] is one aspect as the building curves on the east and west façades to capture views in a 360-degree manner—they are quite spectacular. The ‘wow’ factor is the overall composition and beautiful form that sit nicely in the city scale.” He also praised the craftsmanship and detail of the glass curtain wall system, which offers “sensational” public spaces in the lobby area. 

Including two full-sized chapels make 95 State one of the most unique buildings ever designed—not only in Salt Lake but anywhere in the world. Designers were careful to make the office ecclesiastical elements different, yet symmetrical enough to look seamless in their respective aesthetics. 

“The idea of contrasting commercial office space with ecclesiastical space was exciting,” said Duncan.

“We didn’t want the ecclesiastical portion to feel too rigid,” added Ragasa. “One of the things we used to distinguish the meetinghouse was the use of art glass on the north end. We came up with a cast glass pattern that varies in colors [pink and orange, blue and green], where sunlight creates great light and projects onto the street. It’s one of our favorite aspects of the building.”

Designers also prioritized sustainability, utilizing LEED and WELL Building Standard criteria to embrace sustainability from individual tenant health (WELL) to 95 State’s context in the greater built environment (LEED). The project is expected to achieve LEED Gold certification.


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An ecclesiastical element—two full-size chapels and meeting rooms in the first four floors—is one of the more unique aspects of the project and serves a dozen local congregations (aerial photo courtesy Endeavour Architectural Photography). Copious amounts of natural daylighting is a staple throughout the all-glass building (photo courtesy SOM © Dave Burk)

Complex Structural System Designed 

for Optimum Seismic Resistance 

With the 392-foot-tall building (currently the third tallest in Salt Lake City) located within 1.5 miles of the Wasatch Fault, SOM’s structural engineering team utilized state-of-the-art, performance-based seismic design modeling/standards to ensure optimum response in the event of a major seismic event. 

According to Peter Lee, Associate Principal with SOM, a linear and non-linear analysis was done on the maximum considered earthquake—7.5 magnitude. It was based on 21 different earthquake models, with the final model taking more than a month to compute.

“We’re looking at it on worst-case scenarios using the most advanced methods of our time to model and design it,” said Lee. “The building became much better in terms of performance and efficiency than a building designed to [standard] code. It’s a different challenge with a slender site.”

The tower’s superstructure is highlighted with reinforced concrete core walls, which have a lateral seismic-force-resisting system that consists of special ductile reinforced concrete core shear walls. Combined with the coupling beam construction extending from a pile and pile cap-supported deep foundation system to the penthouse roof at Level 26, there is a lot of excellent structural engineering to appreciate. 

The slender core wall depth running east-west is just over 33 feet, with core shear walls ranging from 24- to 30-inch thick with concrete compressive strengths of 8,000 psi. The shear wall core is interconnected with ductile reinforced coupling beams at doorway and corridor openings. 

Lee said the foundation includes an 11-foot deep matte foundation that sits on 363 24-inch diameter auger cast-in-place displacement piles drilled 110 feet into the ground. Huge outrigger grade beams help with transverse direction support that engage the core with perimeter columns at the basement level. 

“The reason the building is on a deeper pile foundation is so that it can support the loads,” said Lee. “It’s a very reliable structural system for Salt Lake.” 

“We had to tie the building down and include tension and compression piles,” said Tuite. “Because we have a thin building, we had to oversize the piles by three times. This is one of the most leading-edge seismic-resistant buildings in the world. In a seismic event, the top catwalk is designed to move over six feet and reset. There is more steel in the ground than in the building. Piles and pile caps have almost 50% more tonnage than the building.”

Tuite added that the introduction of the meetinghouse element required a higher code compliance level.

“It’s kind of ironic that if you have a public assembly space of over 300 [people], it actually pushes [the building] to a higher code criteria than having 3,000 office workers,” said Tuite. 

The building includes 5,700 tons of steel, which includes a 1,900-ton hat roof truss system. On level five, the cantilever levels hang over an adjacent structure, rising 19 floors to the top of the building. The hat truss system carries the weight of the entire structure and cantilevers over the building’s four sides. 


High Performance Glass/Curtain Wall System

The smoky-colored, all-glass curtain wall system is not only aesthetically pleasing but structurally resilient. 

Exterior curtain wall systems had several interesting components, including a four-ply curved, laminated glass system that spans from the lobby floor to the underside of level three. Panels are 10 feet by 28 feet with no perpendicular mullions—a stark contrast to 111 Main, which also has an equally high glass lobby but is backed by vertical glass mullions. 

“On this building, we were able to take advantage of the curved wall system and have the structural glass support itself,” said Lee. He said SOM collaborated with some of the best firms in the glazing and curtain wall, including Salt Lake-based subcontractor/installer Steel Encounters and structural façade engineers Eckersley O’Callaghan of New York City. 

Tuite said the glass curtain wall system was designed to incorporate maximum deflection without any loss of glass.

“As a long-hold owner, we do things like that,” said Tuite. “This building theoretically can deflect five to six feet and not lose any glass.”

Installation required a yeoman-like effort from crews from Steel Encounters, said Project Manager Chad Johnson, a 27-year veteran of the industry. 

“It’s just a huge accomplishment for the whole team,” said Johnson. “The uniqueness of the tower itself, with it being rounded corners all the way up makes it an amazing building. We had a lot of challenges, mainly just racing time. We dealt with Covid and still maintained our schedule. The field team did a phenomenal job dealing with what was in front of them. They were on the front lines, just trying to maintain the schedule. We had no time off and had to adjust on the fly with new protocols and procedures.”

The sheer size of the individual glass panels also was a major challenge for the firm. Johnson said the fact that the panels had vertical fin support was unique, and the first time has team has performed it in Utah. Each piece ranged from 4,000 lbs. to 7,800 lbs. with the heaviest pieces being the rounded corner panels on the lobby level. A special glass suction cup system designed by German-based Heavydrive included more than 100 cups to lift each panel via a hydro-crane. Johnson said his firm learned from its experience on 111 Main that a tower crane has too much bounce in the cable. 

“The building has some of the largest freestanding glass panels that we’ve used on any project in the world,” added Duncan. “The detail is very impressive.”


Lobby Highlighted by Italian White Marble 

One of the core design elements is the sleek white marble, supplied by Italian supplier and manufacturer Campolonhi from its Carrara quarry. Because of the pandemic, much of the stone selection occurred via video conferencing. Once the material was selected, a small team traveled to Italy to procure the stone. The design team used high-resolution photos to map the stone on 3D renderings with 2D elevations, creating a “virtual dry lay” of the walls and a set of rules of placement to guide the supplier. 

The final installation result had an unparalleled level of craftsmanship that belies the almost entirely virtual process. 

Jueschke said six large marble blocks were used with a tremendous final yield. Crews from Salt Lake-based Kepco+ had to perform almost perfectly, with the final result a testament to the firm’s skill and expertise. Kepco+ achieved 1/32 of an inch or better tolerances, a remarkable feat of precision. 

“There was no replacement piece if a piece was cut wrong or broken,” said Jueschke. “We had a whole set of protections in place with the handling and the installation, to the point that we were babying the stone. We got a big win with Kepco’s work.” 

The lobby also features a long, integral video screen that acts as an art piece, something that is dynamic and ever-changing. Duncan said “it extends the character of the lobby and makes the space a lot more active. Its movements work well with the curvature of the stone.”


The curved glass curtain wall system is one of the most distinctive, visual elements of the new high-rise and sets it apart from other buildings in downtown Salt Lake (photos courtesy SOM © Dave Burk)

Overall Teamwork Key to Successful Project

Compliments among the key players were effusive. Lewis praised Tuite for his expertise and ability to navigate tricky situations. 

“Sean is one of the smartest people I’ve ever met,” he said. “He understands construction, understands motivation, finance, and quality. I learned early on that taking his cues was beneficial. If he thought something was an issue, every time he was right. At the end of the job, I felt like we had a great relationship with Sean and CCRI.”

Jueschke also praised the design team for its efforts to design a building with a high level of constructability. The prior relationships developed on 111 Main made it seem like an extension of that project. 

“It was extremely beneficial having those relationships,” he said. “SOM is a fantastic architect and engineer. Having that behind us was beneficial to hitting the ground running and continuing those relationships. It’s no secret that there is a ‘grinding of gears’ between entities on a project of this magnitude, but we had those prior relationships to fall back on. Knowing what their design intent is was important—it’s not something you can communicate through documents. We all had expectations.” 

Sobel added, “It was a very collaborative process with the client and Okland, and that made for a great project. The best projects are the ones that everyone enjoys. In the end, everyone is super excited that we delivered what we hand in our mind’s eye from the beginning.” 



95 State at City Creek

Owner: City Creek Reserve, Inc.

Owner’s Rep: Sean Tuite

Developer: City Creek Reserve, Inc.


Size

Site Area: 32,085 SF

Project Area: 585,900 SF

Building Height: 395 ft.

Stories: 25


Design Team/Consultants

Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

Civil Engineer: Great Basin Engineering

Electrical Engineer: Syska Hennessy Group

Mechanical Engineer: Syska Hennessy Group

Structural Engineer: Skidmore, Ownings & Merrill

Geotechnical Engineer: Consolidated Engineering Laboratories

Landscape Design: MGB+A

Parking: International Parking Design

Fire Protection: Jensen Hughes

Lighting Design: Luma 

Door Hardware: Allegion

Vertical Transportation: EWCG

Wind: RWDI

Acoustics/AV/Security: Shen Milson & Wilke

MEP/Sustainability/Energy Modeling: Syska Hennessy Group

LEED/WELL Consultants: Zinner Consultants 


Construction Team

General Contractor: Okland Construction

Concrete: Okland Construction

Concrete Reinforcement: Harris Rebar 

Plumbing: Archer Mechanical

HVAC: Archer Mechanical; B2Air

Electrical: Hunt Electric

Masonry: IMS Masonry, Kepco+, RJ Masonry

Drywall/Acoustics: CSI Drywall, Inc.

Painting: Grow Painting

Tile/Stone: IMS Masonry; Kepco+; RJ Masonry, Metro

Carpentry: Boswell Wasatch

Flooring: Spectra, Kepco+

Roofing: Utah Tile & Roofing

Glass/Curtain Wall: Steel Encounters, Inc.

Waterproofing: Waterproofing West

Steel Fabrication & Erection: SME Steel

Excavation & Demolition: Jones Excavating

Landscaping: Intermountain Plantings

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)