Tick Tock from the Water Clock

While Colorado River Compact negotiations reach the finish line, how will Utah’s largest water conservancy districts manage to keep supplying water as the state’s dry streak continues?
By Taylor Larsen

Time is running out. Not for Utah water. Not yet. But it is for negotiations on the Colorado River.

Recently, Utah and six other states, Mexico, and Native American Tribes missed another deadline to revise the current Colorado River Compact. Like family members negotiating a handwritten will, their agreement, or lack thereof, will determine who gets what from the Colorado River in 2026 and beyond.

The compact has dictated water rights for the Upper Basin states of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming, and the Lower Basin states of Arizona, California, and Nevada since it was signed in 1922. The agreement, a result of phenomenal collaboration and compromise, has worked out as well as something written 100 years ago could.

But the compact is starting to look it’s age.

As the desert sun is unkind to the skin, the prolonged megadrought of the American Southwest has been unkind to the Colorado River. Overallocation of the river, droughts, drastic population growth, and a lack of consideration for all of the water-drawing entities mean compromises are on the horizon to ensure that each party at the table can provide Colorado River water to the estimated 40 million people who rely on it.

The seven states and the federal government have tried previous facelifts with federal guidelines and plans to draw less water, but blemishes remain. Native tribes are still awaiting corrective surgery to remove the scars of historical injustice, especially after the Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that the federal government was not required to take steps to ensure the tribes’ water rights.

While Colorado River negotiations reach the end, four of Utah’s biggest water conservancy districts are pushing past existential drought to create solutions with their water users and industry partners to ensure taps flow for generations to come.


Central Utah

Project Name: Alpine Aqueduct Reach 1

Location: Orem

Cost: $100 million

Design & Engineering: Jacobs

General Contractor: WW Clyde

Timeline: March 2025 - Spring 2027

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Central Utah


Bruce Ward, Chief Engineer at the Central Utah Water Conservancy District (Central Utah), is hopeful. His boss, Gene Shawcroft, General Manager at Central Utah, has been involved in Colorado River discussions for years as Utah’s chief negotiator.


Is it optimism?


“I’m not sure we have a choice,” said Ward. It’s acceptance. “This is a reality of the West we live in. The water coming down the river is all that we have.”


While the Colorado River gets a lot of attention, Ward explained that Central Utah and its municipal partners are closely monitoring the underground aquifers that supply much of the water for their 2 million users.


“Depending on growth, some aquifers have 7-10 years of healthy aquifer pumping,” said Ward. “At that point, we reach a place of safe yield, where what’s going in is coming out.”


Central Utah wants to avoid “mining” the aquifer, or taking more out of it than is naturally replenished over time. Because, Ward said, whether it comes from the underground aquifer, Colorado River, or sits in the Great Salt Lake, all water is related and interdependent—“One Water”, he said of the industry term.


Even with competing interests and different water rights, Ward said Central Utah and its partner cities are rowing in the same direction, collaborating on how best to use surface and groundwater and to deploy resources for treatment and reuse.


“I think we have a fantastic partnership with these entities—they’re true partners.”


Ward is optimistic. As Central Utah grapples with population projections that show an additional 1 million users by 2065, “our [water conservancy] district is obligated to be two steps ahead, and we’re doing it.”


Central Utah has a few capital improvements and replacements in the Gantt chart, including Alpine Aqueduct Reach 1, which replaces the existing aqueduct built between 1978 and 1980.


Chris Elison, Central Utah’s Project Manager, said resilience planning for a replacement went full speed ahead after previous failures in 1985, 1986, 1988, and 2000, and a 2017 landslide event that threatened extreme failure and pushed a replacement to the top of the priority list. Intense collaboration with federal partners and the Utah Seismic Commission identified a new alignment and $68 million in grants for a replacement pipeline to continue water delivery to the 1.6 million residents who rely on this infrastructure.


On a tour of the new Alpine Aqueduct Reach 1 under construction, Elison and Randy Lingwall, Senior Project Manager from the project’s general contractor, WW Clyde, showcased one part of the scope of this heavy civil dream boat of a project: creating a 1,000-foot-long tunnel that will connect the new alignment near the mouth of Provo Canyon to the existing pipeline and continue delivering water. WW Clyde and their trade partners on the $100 million project are currently utilizing a Sandvik 361 roadheader to bore through the mountain. Lingwall joked that this portion of the scope is either “the world's most expensive gravel we're making to get a tunnel for free, or building the tunnel and getting the gravel for free.”


While the roadheader rested during the tour, crews were hard at work placing the rock bolts and tunnel support to ensure safe drilling conditions, preparing for the installation of 108-inch welded steel pipe in the tunnel before the annular space is filled with grout.


Beyond the tunnel, the new alignment will include more than one mile of 108-inch welded steel pipe running through Orem’s Orchard Park neighborhood and away from the current alignment’s active landslide complex. Construction teams installed a thrust block containing 850 CY of concrete to manage the 1.7 million pounds of water that will eventually be delivered. There, the 108-inch pipe will connect with the bell of the ball in terms of seismic resilience—600 feet of hazard-resilient ductile iron pipe (HRDIP). Elison and Lingwall explained how HRDIP, developed by Japan-based Kubota, is gasketed and designed to elongate and rotate during a seismic event to keep the aqueduct up and running. 


Whether boring through a mountain or planning for capacity upgrades, Central Utah keeps water flowing via top-tier industry collaboration.


Jordan Valley

Project Name: Southwest Aqueduct Reach 1 & Reach 2

Location: South Salt Lake County

Cost: $18 million (SWA-1), $35 million (SWA-2)

Construction Timeline: 

March 2018 - February 2020 (SWA-1)
September 2025 - June 2027 (SWA-2)

Design & Engineering: Bowen Collins & Associates 

General Contractor: COP Construction (SWA-1), Condie Construction (SWA-2)

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Jordan Valley


Water has always been a concern for Utah legislators and residents, said Jacob Young, General Manager of the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District (Jordan Valley).


“Now, it’s risen to number one.”


November 2025 revisions to the Utah code required cities with populations of over 10,000 residents to deliver a general plan that included water use by December 31, 2025. State leaders aren’t leaving municipalities marooned. Utah’s Division of Natural Resources “Growing Water Smart” program has helped city and county water and land-use planners collaborate through guided workshops to build a sustainable, resilient water future. When land and water use planning happen together, Young said, “I believe we will be able to continue to support communities and ecosystems from the same sources of water.”


Strategic planning has become more important than ever as development charges forward. Jordan Valley’s latest master plan finished in 2022, “and we felt that as soon as we finished it, some of our [master] plan was outdated,” said Young. The Point, Olympia, and other developments and annexations within their jurisdiction all released plans shortly after Jordan Valley’s master plan finished. 


Jordan Valley may be further along in its development cycle than the other districts, but the area within its boundaries is far from finished. “It’s not necessarily the total demand,” said Young, “but where that demand is located.” As such, the district is focused on upgrading existing infrastructure to accommodate the roughly 800,000 users currently served and an additional 400,000 residents expected to receive their water from Jordan Valley over the next several decades.


“There are some cool projects going on, and there’s a massive wave coming,” Young said.


Hard to resist a water pun.


As Jordan Valley supplies South Valley growth and the rest of Salt Lake County, it is currently building the $20 million 118th South Tank Project in South Jordan. The 10-million-gallon tank was designed by Jacobs and is currently under construction, overseen by ProBuild Construction.


Another South Valley supplier project is the Southwest Aqueduct (SWA), a multiphase pipeline running parallel to the existing Jordan Aqueduct to provide redundancy and additional raw water supply capacity. At completion, SWA will span from the Jordan Valley Water Treatment Plant in Herriman north along 3200 West, eventually connecting with the 10200 South Pump Station and Reservoir. SWA Reach 1, the $18 million first phase, was designed by Bowen Collins & Associates and built by COP Construction. The $35 million SWA Reach 2 is under the same engineering and design stewardship, with Condie Construction leading ongoing construction efforts to extend the SWA from 13400 South to 11800 South.


Expansion on the Jordan Valley Water Treatment Plant is the big kahuna. The three-phase project will expand plant capacity from 180 million gallons per day (mgd) to an interim capacity of 200 mgd, followed by another expansion to its final 255 mgd capacity to meet future demand. The project includes full rebuilds of six original gravity filters, partial rebuilds of ten gravity filters, and new chemical feed systems across multiple project phases. The additional 75 mgd of new filtration/chemical capacity will treat 16,000 acre-feet of Central Utah Project Utah Lake System supplies procured from Central Utah. 


Phase 1 was designed by Brown and Caldwell, built by Vancon Construction, and completed in 2023. Phases 2 (Hazen and Sawyer) and 3 (Corollo) have both been designed. While Gerber Construction is currently building Phase 3, with completion scheduled for April 2029, construction on Phase 2 is awaiting FEMA grant money, but Young noted that the grant application process has been suspended under the Trump administration.


Whether planning for hundreds of millions of dollars in capital outlay or utilizing social media to engage Jordan Valley water users in conservation efforts, Young and the Jordan Valley team identified a core imperative in their plans: “Establishing the community's conscious connection with water and removing the mystery and the unseen nature of water,” said Young. “There is a limit to the water resources available in the state. That means that development from here on out has to look differently than it has up to this point.”

Washington County

Project Name: Chief Toquer Reservoir 

Location: Toquerville

Cost: $60 million

Construction Timeline: November 2023 - December 2026

Dam Design; Construction Management: RB&G Engineering

Foundation Work; Initial Dam Construction: Feller Enterprises

Dam Embankment: Harward & Rees

Pipeline Engineering: Bowen Collins & Associates, Alpha Engineering

Pipeline Construction: Harward & Rees, Whitaker Construction, WW Clyde

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Washington County


Everyone in the industry knows Washington County is hot, and that’s just in development terms. Karry Rathje, Public Affairs Manager for Washington County Water Conservancy District (the district), said the organization isn’t sweating it out but is staying proactive—and comprehensive—in its approach to water stewardship.


The district currently delivers to approximately 215,000 residents and 10 million annual visitors who rely on water from the limited and variable Virgin River Basin. The basin’s available 10-year average water supply has decreased nearly 20% since the 1980s, while population in that same timeframe increased well over 350% and, according to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, is expected to nearly double by 2065.


“We’re experiencing rapid growth with limited water resources,” said Rathje. “But the district has a proactive plan to ensure our communities have a safe, reliable water supply now and in the future.”


The plan includes additional water conservation, reuse, optimizing groundwater resources, developing remaining surface supplies, and converting available agricultural water to municipal use. The five-part plan will add about 40,000 acre feet of new supply at a $2 billion price tag.


Most of the water needed to meet future demand will come from the district’s Regional Reuse Purification System, which extends Washington County’s two-decade legacy of reusing water for crops and landscape irrigation. Future system expansions will provide a local, drought-proof water supply sufficient to serve approximately 40,000 homes, including purified water for potable reuse. Major components of the system will include three water reclamation facilities, an advanced water purification facility, four reservoirs, multiple pump stations, and more than 60 miles of pipeline when completed.


Conservation efforts in the district are worthy of gold stars. Washington County has achieved a 50% per capita reduction in water use since 2000 and has adopted Utah’s highest water-efficiency standards for new construction as development has increased. The district’s board approved a bump in impact fee rates, raising connection fees for single-family homes to $17,000 come March 2026, so new development pays for expanding infrastructure. The district has also adopted an excess water use surcharge to encourage accountability and reduce waste among high users. The district isn’t just wielding the stick. Dangling the carrot has helped the area lead the state in participation in the grass replacement program, accounting for 51% of the grass replaced statewide since 2023.


Zach Renstrom, the district’s General Manager, explained the reasoning behind these and other changes simply: “The cheap water has already been developed.” 


Beyond the Regional Water Conservation Plan and Water Shortage Contingency Plan created in 2025, the district has leveraged its good relationships with municipal partners to further align development goals. The district recently approved a new policy to oversee future large commercial, industrial, and institutional water users—those using over 9 million gallons in larger cities, or 5 million gallons in the smaller cities. Oversight will come from a 16-member Administration Advisory Committee made up of the mayor and city manager for each of the district’s eight municipal customers. Approval for new projects at this threshold, like data centers, golf courses, and bottling plants, will require a thumbs-up from two-thirds of the committee.


“These eight cities share the same water supply,” said Renstrom. “This policy ensures a single community cannot approve a large water user without review and consensus of the broader community.”


As development unfolds, the district continues current projects like the $60 million Chief Toquer Reservoir, $22 million Confluence Park Pump Station and Pipeline, $180 million expansion of the Quail Creek Water Treatment Plant, and $5 million storage tanks at Sand Hollow Reservoir to beat the heat and ensure the district’s water stewardship remains top-notch.

Weber Basin

Project Name: Davis Aqueduct Reach 1

Location: Layton, South Weber

Cost: $81.4 million

Construction Timeline: Fall 2023 - Fall 2025

Design & Engineering: Brown and Caldwell

General Contractor: Whitaker Construction

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Weber Basin


“I got it first, then it's mine, and I'm going to use it how I have historically.”


Those words from Jon Parry, Assistant General Manager for the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District (Weber Basin), exemplify a mindset for how water has historically been treated in Weber Basin and other districts since their creation, where water rights have gone to the first user through the prior appropriations doctrine.


Call it doctrine, policy, or culture—some or all of it needs to change for this finite resource to continue indefinitely accommodating a growing economy and maintain a certain quality of life. The shift, said Parry, needs to be “where water is serving its highest and best use.”


Parry, P.E. is an engineer by trade and educator by role, and said Weber Basin’s efforts have worked within the existing system to prioritize what’s in the best interest of the community as a whole by facilitating workshops and getting their users to buy in to the district’s outlook, namely: “That water is a regional resource and not an individual resource, and come up with goals and programs that help us accomplish all that we can.”


So far, the marketing is working, and mindsets are changing. The district will complete its plan to meter all secondary water system connections by 2026. By 2030, Weber Basin will begin charging for secondary water use—One Water, after all. Charging for what was once free, Parry said, will take some time to get everyone on board, but he’s confident that the goodwill between Weber Basin and its customers will continue.


“We've had a lot of opportunities to engage with our customer base, educate them about what's going on, and what to expect moving forward,” said Parry, praising “[the] great collaborative process of working with the Weber Basin water customers on plant materials, landscapes, and projects that will deliver a robust, green community that keeps water use minimal.”


Collaboration continues on the business-to-business front as Weber Basin strengthens the great partnerships it has forged with the A/E/C industry to maximize every water droplet. These relationships are more important than ever as Weber Basin looks to modernize and expand its capital infrastructure.


“We’re reaching [the] end of life expectancies for a lot of the infrastructure put in 75 years ago,” said Parry. Massive pipelines, aqueducts, treatment plants, irrigation reservoirs, and more are long past senior status, “and we’ve got them slated to have some evaluations done on them, with a lot of [money] anticipated [to] be needed to do those replacement projects and make sure that they’re able to operate for another 100 years.”


Weber Basin has $1.5 billion scheduled for design, engineering, and construction over the next 10 years, with much of that money prioritizing resiliency of its water infrastructure, such as the award-winning Davis Aqueduct Parallel Pipeline, which began over a decade ago. Planning by Weber Basin, design by Brown and Caldwell, and construction led by Whitaker Construction helped deliver the first 2.2 miles of the 25 planned miles of pipeline running parallel to the existing Davis Aqueduct. Parry said those efforts, “give us a little bit better sleep at night as we think about the seismic conditions that we operate in.” As they wrap up the final pieces of this first phase to ready the system for irrigation season, Parry said to expect an additional five miles of parallel pipeline to go in over the next 10 years, along with many more projects to come.


“There is not going to be a shortage of opportunities to engage in meaningful work that really does affect the quality of life for every single resident here in the state of Utah,” said Parry of how leveraging A/E/C expertise is extending the goodwill to the consumer side as well. “We’ve seen amazing benefits to the public as we've been able to have those discussions and be able to advocate for water conservation.”


Education, collaboration, and innovation from the A/E/C community will be most welcome to help Weber Basin meet demand and achieve efficiencies. After all, Parry laughed, “You’re not going to get away from using water.”


Water use, like the Colorado River, continues to flow. Whether that remains so won’t be a decision left solely to those renegotiating the Colorado River Compact. Instead, it will come from compounding daily decisions made by conservancy districts, government leaders at every level, industry partners, and anyone who turns on the tap. Compromise and collaboration are the sobering realities needed to ensure our One Water continues to flow; the alternative is too dry.

Deer Valley Expansion

By Taylor Larsen • February 25, 2026
Start spreadin’ the news I’m leavin’ today I want to be a part of it… I can hear everyone singing the final line: Deer Valley Resooooooooort Fine. Frank Sinatra may not have had après ski on the mind in “New York, New York”, but if the famous singer were alive today, I bet he would want to be a part of Deer Valley’s East Village—even with no relation to the New York City neighborhood—and the transformational development ongoing across Mayflower Mountain and Deer Valley Resort. East Village—Deer Valley Style “Deer Valley East Village is a long-anticipated project that will serve as the heart of the expanded terrain at Deer Valley Resort,” said Gary Barnett, Founder and Chair of Extell Development Company (Extell), in a press release. “With careful planning, we’ve curated a village that will redefine luxury and offer unparalleled amenities for our guests.” The ability to curate such luxury came from 10 years of collecting. Since 2015, Extell has purchased over 20 land parcels, assembling well over 5,000 acres for development. Extell partnered with the Military Installation Development Authority (MIDA) and Reef Capital Partners (Reef) to create a highly capable development team. These efforts set the stage for the 2023 agreement between the developer and Alterra Mountain Group (Alterra), Deer Valley’s parent company, to fold Extell’s East Village property into its existing resort operations—what Deer Valley President and COO Todd Bennett called, “Your new Deer Valley.” Barnett, speaking of what’s to come with this partnership and the billions of dollars of work set to go in on the mountain, said, “Extell and Deer Valley collaborated to craft a village and ski experience where luxury, adventure, and experience come together effortlessly.” Thus began the monumental transformation of Mayflower Mountain. Big Name Arrivals Two projects helped get the party started in the East Village. The Residences at Pioche Village delivered four buildings comprising 400-plus condominiums built by New Star General Contractors in December 2023. Although the project is outside the epicenter of ongoing development, it is becoming increasingly important to the area, as MIDA recently purchased one of the buildings to set aside 42 units of workforce housing. The first finished project within the epicenter was the award-winning Grand Hyatt Deer Valley, designed by OZ Architecture and built by Jacobsen Construction, completed in 2024. Extell partnered with MIDA to develop the hotel on military land, offering 100 rooms at a discounted rate for service members. The opulent hotel and condo property introduced a total of over 380 guest rooms, 40 suites, 55 private residences, and nearly 40,000 SF of conference space. And it’s just the beginning. On a recent tour of the East Village, Michael Woisin, Extell’s Sr. VP of Construction in Utah, detailed the immense manpower required to bring the vision to life. The six tower cranes currently operating there, along with a handful of other cranes, combine with dozens of concrete trucks heading up and down the mountain to support around 1,000 construction workers on site, driving projects of all sizes. Reef is developing multiple residential properties in the coming years. On the single-family side, Marcella at Deer Valley has already sold out the 143 homesites in the future private community, which is currently under construction. Marcella Landing will deliver a gated community of 50 ski-in/ski-out luxury townhomes designed by Olson Kundig. Cormont will deliver five residential condo towers and a vibrant central plaza, with construction completed in 2027 and 2028, and local architectural experience provided by FFKR Architects. The big brands are coming, too. Four Seasons Resort and Residences Deer Valley, designed by ODA Architecture and built by Jacobsen Construction, will deliver 134 guest rooms and suites, as well as 123 for-sale residences, with completion in 2028. Canopy by Hilton will open a 180-key hotel near Pioche Village. The property will feature architecture by The Richardson Design Partnership and interior design by DLR/Brayton Hughes and will open its doors in summer 2026. Waldorf Astoria Deer Valley Resort and Residences was announced in late January, with plans to bring 132 guest suites and 105 for-sale residences near Deer Valley’s Green Monster, the resort’s 4.85-mile ski run—Utah’s longest. With architectural design from KPF and interiors by AvroKO, the project will open its doors in 2028. Beyond the ski-in/ski-out access at many of the above properties, the East Village will also feature a skier services building and an extensive, tiered pedestrian plaza designed by ODA for year-round enjoyment when completed. The building will serve as the heart of the ski village, surrounded by the “ski beach” at the base of the mountain—with a future holiday market, a snow maze, and The Ribbon’s state-of-the-art ice- skating circuit planned for winter months. In summer, the area will be activated by a music festival, farmer’s market, outdoor movie screenings, and other events.

AGC of Utah Installs Gary Ellis as 2026 Chair at Annual Convention

By Bradley Fullmer • February 25, 2026
If the turnout for the 104th Annual Convention for the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Utah is any indication of the current state of the construction industry in the Beehive State, 2026 will indeed be a robust year. The popular industry convention—held January 29-30 at Little America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake—continues to draw room-busting crowds at its events. The AGC's 2026 Awards Breakfast kicked off the convention on January 29, with the Utah chapter handing out nearly 50 awards for innovative projects and dedicated people. The second day—an all-day event—included entertaining keynote speakers at breakfast and lunch, along with informative breakout sessions in between. The convention was capped by an always-entertaining Installation Banquet, where Gary Ellis, President/CEO of Salt Lake-based Jacobsen Construction, was installed as 2026 AGC of Utah Chairman of the Board. Brett Nielsen, President of Brigham City-based Whitaker Construction and 2025 AGC of Utah Chairman, thanked AGC's staff of 13 for their efforts to elevate the association, and highlighted the work of the Construction Learning Committee (CLC), which aims to cultivate the next generation of construction industry leaders. "Earlier today, I made a comment that the generation that's coming into our industry today is about 20% of our population, but they are 100% of our future," said Nielsen. "We owe it to them to make sure we're providing the same tools, the guidance, the leadership that we received as we were coming up in the industry." Ellis followed with an initial plug for Nielsen, who is in line to serve as the AGC of America's 2030 President—a first for the Utah chapter. "We're excited to share Brett and his wisdom and terrific leadership to the entire country with regard to our industry—he'll do a great job and carry Utah in his heart," said Ellis. Ellis said he never imagined working in the construction industry, thinking he'd rather be a river running guide or physical therapist. Ultimately, he pursued accounting, earning a Master of Accounting from Provo-based Brigham Young University in 1995 and spending the first five years of his career as a Senior Auditor for KPMG in Salt Lake. He was hired in December 2000 at Jacobsen Construction as a Financial Controller, later ascending to his present title of President/CEO in January 2021. "The amount of construction experience I had before I landed at Jacobsen Construction was two weeks sweeping floors at a residential construction site," said Ellis. "I never imagined I would be part of the construction industry, but it's been life-changing for me. Our theme for the convention this year is Building What Matters—I wanted to do something that mattered [...] I wanted to be part of growing something, something I could put my arms around and say, 'wow, look what we just did together'. That's really what my motivation was when I found the construction industry." During the first five years of his career at a large corporate firm, Ellis said the gig lacked fulfillment. Joining Jacobsen opened his eyes to a new world, one he quickly gained a true passion for. "My kids are sick and tired of me pointing out every [Jacobsen] building as we go up and down I-15, I-80—I know, I'm preaching in the choir. There are incredible things that we do at Jacobsen; quite often, we talk about the 'wow factor'. That is what we have in this group. It is the wow factor, being able to [bask] in the pride we feel." Ellis also thanked his team at Jacobsen for believing in the AGC's mission and recognizing the importance of giving back to the industry. "I'm indebted to Ted [Jacobsen] and his family for what they've created at Jacobsen. The day I was asked [...] to take over as President, my very first phone call was to Ted Jacobsen [...] to let him know that I commit to making sure his family name is known in good standing in this marketplace."

Rural Roots

By Taylor Larsen • February 25, 2026
Little did the team at KMA Architects know how much a proposal for one high school would change their fortunes forever. Duchesne School District released its RFP for a new Altamont High School in 2011. Wes Christensen, then Project Architect, felt like it was a winnable project. After all, KMA Architects had built a stellar reputation designing schools throughout Utah since the firm opened in 1996. There was just one problem with this RFP: KMA didn’t design new high schools. While the firm focused primarily on elementary and junior high schools, Christensen and others on the KMA team were confident in their design proposal and threw their hat in the ring to win the job. “I was certain our competition was going to present a two-story high school,” said Christensen, recalling the various brainstorming sessions that hinged on how to best present their design for a durable and economical one-story school with easily accessible mechanical mezzanines over the corridors. The district's response had the KMA team ecstatic: “We love it.” Winning the Altamont High job with a one-story design is one of many examples of KMA’s emphasis on listening first, a legacy established long before the firm relocated its headquarters in 2020, and long before the team sat for this interview, overlooking Spanish Fork Main Street from their stylish second-story conference room. Sometimes two stories are best, and KMA’s history is among them. Starting Shop in Provo It starts with Kevin Madsen initially pursuing engineering at the University of Utah, graduating in 1972, but with a passion for the entire industry. He earned his contractor license in 1974, but he made his mark in design. “I was good at drawing and drafting,” Madsen, now retired, said from the comfort of the drafting table of his Palmyra home. Madsen even taught drafting and CAD at the former Utah Valley State College (now Utah Valley University) from 1990-1993, saying, “That’s when I realized I wanted to run an architectural firm.” After Nebo and Sevier school districts personally requested Madsen’s services, he founded Kevin Madsen & Associates Architects in January 1996, bringing Christensen and others to work on the firm’s many projects. One of which began when Madsen bought a historic Victorian home at 195 East and 100 North in Provo and turned it into the KMA office in 1998. “It was a work in progress all the way,” laughed Madsen over the phone. That contractor license came in handy; Madsen salvaged high-quality carpet scraps from schools and brought them back to the office. Christensen, now KMA’s Owner and Principal, remembered sanding beams, tearing out old carpet, and stapling in the new flooring in its place—he’s got the scars to prove it. Other famous memories the entire senior KMA team recalled involved creating original blueprints with ammonia and venturing up I-15 to the old Service Blue print shop in Salt Lake to print off dozens of client copies. “We called it a ‘Printing Event’,” Christensen said, recalling the various times that the team would yo-yo between Provo and Salt Lake to drop off their specifications and drawings, often at midnight or later, before returning the next morning to fill an entire truck bed with boxes of freshly printed copies.

Seasoned to Perfection in Providence

By Taylor Larsen • February 25, 2026
The new Weber Blackstone headquarters project involved significant civil work in dewatering and wetland preservation so close to Big Ballard Springs and Blacksmith Fork River. Once completed, the finished build’s Prodema wood paneling exterior gives the building take-off. (all photos courtesy R&O Construction except where indicated)

New Trajectory for New Star

By Taylor Larsen • February 25, 2026
Midlife crisis? Try mid-life calm for New Star General Contractors as the Salt Lake-based construction firm celebrates 40 years of building great projects. As President Jeff Pettit sits in the firm’s conference room on the second story of the New Star office (self-performed in 1996), he reminisces on his 37 years there, as well as plenty of lore established when the firm emerged. In 1986, carpenters Dave Love and Steve Williams were building a home for their boss’s lawyer in Salt Lake City’s Federal Heights. Their boss, Ranch Kimball, was the owner of Cannon Construction, and announced he would be closing shop later that year. Love and Williams vowed to continue the good work, but under a new venture—New Star General Contractors. Based in Bountiful, New Star performed any small project or remodel they could, even venturing east to remodel an Episcopal church in Vernal. The two owners ran New Star from a “carpenter’s perspective”, Pettit said with a smile, “A good, honest trade.” As employees gained a deep understanding of fieldwork and constructability, New Star self-performed much of the concrete, framing, and interior and exterior finishes, buoyed by a large pool of high-level union carpenters from Utah Carpenters Union Local #184, ready to build. Pettit came aboard New Star in 1989, joining his father and uncle at the firm, two journeymen union carpenters, while he apprenticed as the company grew. Early Years; Midlife Struggles Pettit praised the foundation established by Williams and Love in New Star’s first decade, recalling how both owners worked as estimators and project managers as they sought to win work, while Treasa Love and Patti Williams, Love and Williams’ respective wives, ran accounting, billing, and payroll. The firm was at the cusp of taking off when Williams passed in 1997, but Love and the few dozen members of the New Star team pressed on, working for Deer Valley’s former parent company, Royal Street, on projects like Royal Plaza and Goldener Hirsch Phase 1. “Those projects helped put New Star on the map,” Pettit said. Another foundational project was Peace House, a four-bedroom domestic violence shelter for women and children built in 1995. “It was Dave’s way of giving back to the community,” said Pettit of the relationship between New Star and Peace House that has burned brightly ever since. Love joined the organization’s board of directors, and New Star built Peace House’s 40,000-SF expansion over 20 years later—a massive upgrade that delivered eight units of emergency shelter and 12 units of transitional housing for mothers and children. The project, a monumental community victory, eventually earned UC+D’s “Publisher’s Pick” award in 2019. Company culture in those early years benefitted from the “New Star Band”, a six-member ensemble of New Star employees. Love, his office wall lined with a notable guitar collection, led the charge. “Dave was a great musician and a great guitarist,” said Pettit of the culture- and relationship-building efforts of the New Star Band. “Anyone who knew New Star knew of the band.” But it wasn’t all roses, as New Star’s union roots counted for little as the firm and many other general contractors battled trade unions in the early 2000s. Pettit recalled the picket lines that formed around their Salt Lake City office and their job sites. As the Great Recession hit in 2007 and dragged on into the next decade, Pettit grimaced at how New Star laid off many employees as he, Love, and the remaining executives took massive pay cuts, following through on Love’s advice: “Keep money in the company, because there will be lean times.”

Sky High-End Club

By B. H. Wright • February 25, 2026
When it comes to classy sophistication, the sparkling new Delta Sky Club—Concourse B at Salt Lake City International Airport sets an incredibly high bar in both form and function. The opulent 34,000-SF club—Delta's second at The New SLC—offers members myriad ways to relax and decompress from the rigors of travel, highlighted by the truly unique Digital Immersion Room. Salt Lake-based HOK worked with Zenapptic of Novato, Calif., on the impressive display, which was designed with neuroinclusive principles in mind. The innovative space surrounds guests with seven expansive screens featuring aerial views of Utah’s iconic landscapes, including the state’s five national parks and cityscapes of downtown Salt Lake architecture. Synchronized natural soundscapes enhance the visuals, creating a calming, immersive, and four-dimensional experience. Velvet drapery, darker tones, and curved acoustic baffles further support the sensory environment. As the only club in Delta’s network to offer this experience, Salt Lake City sets a new benchmark for innovation and traveler comfort. "We wanted it to feel like a cocoon, a space you can get away from the hustle and bustle, even from what's going on within the club," said Sarah Oppenhuizen, Director of Interiors at HOK. The seven screens are tied into the speaker system, "so you're hearing birds chirping, or a plane flying by, or a storm rolling in. Zenapptic did a fabulous job of taking these scenes, images taken all across Utah, and splitting them into layers [...] that can move in a way that makes it feel like you are actually viewing that scene." The material palette and lighting selections also reflect and amplify Utah’s natural beauty. From warm tones to reflective surfaces, every detail connects travelers to the spirit of the state. The club itself is a diverse wonder of breathtaking spaces created from a highly curated and layered material palette. Each space was meticulously crafted into "neighborhoods" appealing to myriad client tastes and preferences. There are eight specific ceiling systems, eight custom terrazzo blends, a dozen tile products, and dynamic specialty lighting—creating a refined ambience inspired by Utah’s diverse landscapes while maintaining the elevated experience synonymous with Delta's iconic brand. The distinct neighborhoods highlight the club's supreme functionality supporting a robust 600-seat capacity—it's Delta's second-largest club after La Guardia in New York City—while maintaining comfort, intuitive circulation, and a soothing acoustical environment. Larger-scale stone flooring with red accents evokes a natural hiking path while providing durability and ease of movement for guests with rolling luggage. Sound-absorbing properties are integrated into ceilings and select walls throughout the space to maintain a serene guest experience. “Creating distinct neighborhoods gave us the flexibility to increase seating capacity without sacrificing comfort,” said Mishael Thompson, Design Lead at Delta Air Lines. “Guests can easily find a space that fits how they want to travel—whether that’s social, private, or somewhere in between.” “The goal was to bring a true sense of place into the space without overwhelming the guest,” added Oppenhuizen. “By layering materials, color, and technology, we were able to reference Utah’s landscape in a subtle way while maintaining the timeless, hospitality-driven feel of a Delta Sky Club.” Design elements on Level 2, which serves as the entry experience, incorporate cooler whites and blues inspired by a Park City winter, while Level 3 transitions to warmer reds and bronze tones that reference Utah’s caves and caverns. A signature seating area at the top of the escalators—featuring layered blue furnishings and a rippled metal ceiling—draws inspiration from the Great Salt Lake. An expansive, curving bar is an eye-catcher—a unique reflective ceiling above with twinkling lights is a highlight that recalls the state’s copper mines. Blue-veined marble countertops in the space reflect crystal-like light fixtures reminiscent of stalactites, adding a sense of natural wonder. Emphasis on High-Quality Finishes, Resort-like Feel Maintaining the Delta brand is always a top priority for designers, and while explicitly branded elements in Delta Sky Clubs are minimal—primarily limited to the check-in area and select touchpoints—the broader brand strategy centers on elevating the airport experience through high-quality design, materials, and comfort. Branding is subtly expressed through a hospitality-driven environment that conveys both luxury and durability. “We want all our guests to feel like they’ve just stepped into a high-end hotel lobby—not an airport,” said Thompson. “That sense of arrival, comfort, and quiet luxury is fundamental to how we think about the Delta Sky Club experience, and this project truly delivers on that vision.” While program standards remain consistent across all Delta Sky Clubs to ensure familiarity, hub locations such as Salt Lake City provide opportunities to further elevate the experience through regionally inspired materials and design cues. This balance of consistency and localization reinforces Delta’s brand promise while allowing each club to feel distinctive and connected to its location. The new club is larger than its sister Delta Sky Club in Concourse A—that one checks in at 29,000 SF. The expanded footprint provided opportunities to further elevate the experience through additional amenities, greater spatial variety, and a stronger emphasis on regional design elements while still maintaining consistency with Delta’s established Sky Club standards. Attention to detail is a Delta hallmark, added Thompson, with high-quality finishes essential to the project's overall aesthetic. Achieving this level of quality required extensive coordination, including detailed submittal reviews to ensure each material and design element met Delta’s performance and durability standards. Attention to craftsmanship played a critical role in delivering a club that aligns with Delta’s elevated brand experience. “Our guests notice the details,” Thompson emphasized. “From the durability of finishes to how materials feel and perform over time, quality was non-negotiable on this project.”

2026 Economic Outlook

By Bradley Fullmer • February 1, 2026
Dejan Eskic was blunt in his assessment of Utah's 2026 economic outlook during a January 13 presentation to the American Concrete Institute (ACI), Intermountain Chapter, remarking in his opening statement, "I feel like we're living in a season of the [television] show '24', where every episode, you're holding your breath." Eskic, Sr. Research Fellow at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah, was talking about geopolitics, specifically referencing the economic impact of the Trump Administration’s global tariffs after a year, and how economic outlooks are not so easy to predict when dealing with the potential impact of national and international factors. "Part of talking about economics, it can get political," he continued. "I try not to be political about it, but it's hard to unravel the two, right? Whatever [information] President Trump releaes on whatever media platform has influence on the market. Tariffs really brought a lot of uncertainty and made the market very skittish." Eskic said tariffs are his "least favorite subject, because we haven't had to talk about it for 100 years, and all of a sudden it's gone haywire—there's a lot of uncertainty with tariffs." He added that the Gardner Policy Institute will release a white paper detailing tariff impacts later this year. Interest Rate Cuts Not Anticipated in 2026 The Fed did not cut interest rates at its first meeting of the year on January 28, and Chair Jerome Powell believes keeping the current rate of 3.5% to 3.75% is prudent, with stabilizing unemployment and inflation rates signaling a steady economic year. "Employment rates have stabilized to the point where they're not forecasting a rate cut. I think they're anticipating steady rates between 3.5% and 3.75%," said Ryan Starks, Executive Director of the Economic Development Corporation of Utah. "Just having that predictability is the most important thing." Home mortgage rates took a sharp dip in January, Eskic reported, from 6.8% to 6%, which is something "you pay attention to" considering it happened in just a few days. Steady rates mean developers know exactly what to expect and can determine whether or not to pull the plug on projects that have been paused while more favorable rates are seen. Utah Expected to Have Moderate Economic Growth Eskic cited the Gardner Institute's 2026 Economic Report to the Governor when announcing a slew of favorable projected stats that underscore moderate 1.5% economic growth, including: • Steady job growth of 1.5%, including a robust 3.2% construction job growth (143,000 jobs); • Rising average wages of 3%-4%, with some construction trades expected to eclipse 5% wage growth; • Continued population growth, albeit at a slower 1.3% clip overall; Utah County led the way with 2.1% growth; • Low state unemployment rate of 3.3% in 2025, significantly better than the national average of 4.4%. While these numbers are down from peak totals within the past decade, they still portend a growing economy, with construction playing a vital role in the state's overall economic health. AGC Optimistic for Another Solid Year The Associated General Contractors of Utah (AGC of Utah) remains a steady voice for construction in the Beehive State, and its members "are cautiously optimistic about 2026, with the strongest confidence in infrastructure, power, and data-driven projects," said Joey Gilbert, AGC of Utah President/CEO, citing his association's record-level 700+ members statewide as an indicator of the health of the industry. “Utah's biggest structural advantage is that it's still a growth state with strong population gains and job growth creation with durable demand for housing, commercial space, and public infrastructure," added Robert Spendlove, Chief Economist for Zions Bank. "We also benefit from a relatively healthy labor market and strong household fundamentals. Utah's unemployment rate (hovering around 3%) remains lower than the national average (4.4%), and wage growth has been running above the U.S." That's not to say everything is peaches and cream, as job growth "has cooled compared to the post-pandemic surge," said Ken Simonson, AGC of America Chief Economist. "Contractors are still dealing with labor pressures, wages are expected to keep rising 4%-5%, and policy actions affecting labor availability could make staffing harder in 2026. At the same time, the national data show job openings have fallen, which is consistent with a market that's still tight in key trades, but less overheated than a year or two ago." Gilbert agreed that construction labor in Utah has steadied a bit, saying "the labor market is still tight but stabilizing, with steady wage growth and increased focus on workforce development and retention." There are other tailwinds in Utah's favor as 2026 begins. Spendlove said, "Utah's underlying economic fundamentals remain strong: population growth (about 1.5%) and employment growth (north of 2.0%) are still outpacing the U.S., which supports a steady pipeline of construction demand. “ Simonsen agreed that Utah remains a hot business market—yet again—to have another solid year. “Utah remains resilient. The opportunity set in 2026 looks best where demand is most durable—data centers, power, and infrastructure. Utah is well-positioned to compete [nationally] in those areas. Even with uncertainty, contractors are planning, not freezing. The main watchouts are financing conditions and cost volatility, but there's still meaningful work in the queue.” Gilbert added, ”Utah's construction industry is well-positioned in 2026 due to strong economic fundamentals and sustained demand in key sectors.” Demand Brisk for Data Centers, Infrastructure, Energy, Other Markets Contractors and designers recognize the rapidly rising demand for data centers, and therefore, the energy to drive power-thirsty—not to mention water-thirsty—projects, and are positioning themselves accordingly. Utah Governor Spencer Cox has "Operation Gigawatt" rolling, a 10-year initiative started in 2024 to develop new energy production across multiple power sources. "It's absolutely essential that we get in front of energy," said Starks. "We're seeing that from a population growth standpoint, but also from a commercial growth standpoint. With more development taking place, somebody's got to take the lead, and we feel like Utah is well-positioned to be that leader. The Governor wants to double energy production as part of the 'Operation Gigawatt' initiative. Our approach to energy is an 'all-of-the-above' approach—natural gas, solar, nuclear, geothermal." Gilbert said Utah's legislative leaders are keen to see Governor Cox's energy ideas come to fruition. "Their priorities are energy production and reliability," said Gilbert. "Senator [Stuart] Adams believes the state that controls AI will control the world. AI demands power and a lot of it. [State legislators are] dedicated to making sure Utah has infrastructure and power resources. We're looking at energy resources, from nuclear to solar and everything in between."

Like a Phoenix Rising

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
Residents have access to a wealth of modern, high-class amenities: Check out this open-air rooftop patio with tasteful lighting, pool, and spacious hot tub—it’s party time! (all photos courtesy Kier Construction)

Mission In Progress

By LADD MARSHALL • November 15, 2025
Steve Green is out in McCornick, Utah. Where is that? And what’s near McCornick? “Nothing,” joked Green, the Sr. Vice President for Wheeler Machinery Co. While he may be far from even the smallest of small towns, with Holden and its 492 residents 13 miles away, he’s close to the site of a major development in data center technology. Isolated on the western edge of the Sevier Desert, the Joule Data Center will also be isolated from the grid—by design. Operation Gigawatt Rolls On Green is one of many energy and power professionals hoping to double Utah’s power generation capacity by 2034 as a part of Operation Gigawatt, an initiative launched by Utah Governor Spencer Cox in October 2024. Utah has long been an economic growth leader; Operation Gigawatt aims to make Utah a power player in energy development by increasing transmission capacity, increasing energy production, strengthening policy, and investing in energy innovation. While Governor Cox’s Operation Gigawatt moves forward statewide, out in McCornick, Green said, “We’re doing operation gigawatt and a half off grid.” The Joule Data Center project team will deliver “In-situ power generation”—power not connected to any electrical distribution or transmission system. It starts with Caterpillar G3520K reciprocating generator sets that produce 1.5 gigawatts of electricity. Waste heat and exhaust from the generators then move through an absorption chiller system as part of the overall systems combined cooling, heat, and power (CCHP) solution, providing much of the water required to cool the data center servers. Beyond the electric power to be generated for the Joule project, there will be 1.5 gigawatts of thermal energy and 1.1 gigawatts of available battery storage to meet the data center's peak electricity needs. Added Green, “And we’re not taxing the local utility grid.” Isolated or Community Power? The massive power capabilities delivered there are impressive, but they reveal a troubling trend in how Utah will double its power generation capabilities. Will it be from well-funded companies looking to power data centers and AI technology separate from the grid? Or will Utah fulfill the mission of Operation Gigawatt by creating power solutions accessible to all? According to Troy Thompson, Chief Operations Officer for Big-D Companies, power generation is about more than supplying data centers. “In my mind, how do we build a billion-dollar hospital downtown that needs ten megawatts of power?” he said, referencing Intermountain Health’s future downtown Salt Lake campus, “let alone the data centers, and manufacturers who we are hoping that will come here?” Ten megawatts of power may pale in comparison to what data centers require, but it is one of many projects seeking regulatory approval to move forward. The Utah Inland Port Authority, the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, and others continue to drive projects and jobs into Utah—data centers, too. But Thompson said he has heard from many potential clients who are hesitant to bring their energy-intensive projects to the state without firm guarantees of available power. Operation Gigawatt and state leaders have embraced an "all of the above" approach to energy sources, extending the design lifespans of coal plants, embracing new technologies and power sources, and developing new power-generating capabilities. While the industry is willing, the operating environment needs rewiring to meet state goals. Changing for 21st Century Needs “With as hot as the Utah market is,” began Eric Haslem, “there are too many obstacles for us to overcome.” The market may be ready to ramp up production, said Haslem, Chief Operating Officer for Vernal-based utility and heavy civil contractors BHI, “But the current system can’t handle it. We have this massive web of transmission and distribution infrastructure that was not designed or built for the power demands of the 21st century.” “In 1970, they didn’t know what a smartphone was,” Haslem said, “let alone AI.” Transmission projects have been developed. Rocky Mountain Power/PacifiCorp’s Energy Gateway South transmission line—a 416-mile, high-voltage 500-kilovolt transmission line that runs from Mona to Medicine Bow, Wyoming—certainly helped when it went live in 2024. Still, it's just one project amidst a plethora of needs. Haslem stated that Utah's growth over the last 10 years meant a large majority of the transmission line's capacity was accounted for when it went live. .

One-Stop Shop

By Bradley Fullmer • November 15, 2025
And the King shall answer and say unto them, "Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."—KJV Matthew 25:40 From a social and community impact standpoint, few projects match the value to disabled and special needs individuals as the new Utah State Development Center (USDC) Comprehensive Therapies Building in American Fork. The $36 million, 65,000-SF facility was designed as a "one-stop shop," said Joe Jacoby, President of Salt Lake-based Jacoby Architects, whose team led the project’s design. It consolidates and modernizes myriad services under one roof, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, speech, language, and hearing resources, and behavioral health resources. In addition, the new building offers full-service medical and dental clinics, an indoor therapy pool, an Autism treatment wing, and workshops for life skills and vocational training—all geared to helping people live independent, authentic lives, while striving to reach their full potential. "This building was very much about accessibility," Jacoby said, "and putting in many different types of resources for these residents—all in one building." Jacoby's firm has significant recent experience in projects that combine education and healthcare for people with special needs. The firm's design of the Sorenson Legacy Foundation Center for Clinical Excellence in Utah State University's College of Education and Human Services earned UC+D's 2016 Most Outstanding K-12 Project. Two years later, the firm earned another UC+D award for the C. Mark Openshaw Education Center for the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, a project similar to this one in that it contains an array of services, including education and therapy for varying levels of sensory, behavioral, physical, and cognitive abilities. "We've been working on different [design] aspects for many years, starting with a deaf preschool, which led to working with the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind," said Jacoby. "With that came many other sub-specialties, like therapy for behavioral issues, cognitive issues, development disabilities, and even speech, language and hearing clinics. It helps people with a variety of disabilities and serves an underserved population of people."