• Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button
Passion Project

The dynamic, new, $69-million Provo City Hall and Public Safety Building is a boon to the citizens of Utah’s fourth-largest city.
By Brad Fullmer

At the grand opening of the Provo City Hall and Public Safety Building on July 2—an appropriate kick-off to the city’s Independence Day festivities—Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi couldn’t contain her emotions at the reality of the new $69-million multi-purpose building finally being completed.
“It’s been such a labor of love—I can’t believe we are here,” said Kaufusi, choking up. “This was such a passion project and something I didn’t know would work, but I [was] going to shoot for the stars.”
The new 205,000-SF, six-story (five levels with a basement) facility at the corner of Center Street and 500 West is a significant milestone for Kaufusi, a Provo native who admits to having more than a vested interest in seeing her hometown thrive. It replaces a severely outdated 40-year-old structure and will serve as a modern civic hub to the City’s downtown, housing myriad functions including public service, city administration, city council and chambers, 911/emergency operations center (EOC), police department, and fire department administration. 
When Kaufusi took office as Mayor in 2017, she quickly became aware that the city—Utah’s fourth-largest with 114,000 residents—had woeful buildings for its existing city hall and emergency response departments. She immediately set out to raise awareness and funding for a future project. Kaufusi and her staff campaigned tirelessly to rally community support to bond for this project, and their efforts paid off when it passed by 422 votes in November 2018. 
“It’s been an incredible journey,” said the Mayor. “Our goal was to educate people and leave it up to the voters. By working together, we have made Provo safer for generations to come.”
“This building stands as a pillar to police officers throughout the U.S.,” said Rich Ferguson, former Police Chief. “Our community is great. They value [officers]—they respect them as we respect our citizens.”
“[Mayor Kaufusi] showed courage,” added Scott Henderson, Project Director for Provo City. “[Her] clear direction was felt through this entire project. Rare is the opportunity that we get to work with and for our heroes. Our police and fire chiefs are completely committed to Provo and its safety.”
Henderson praised the design team led by Salt Lake-based VCBO Architecture and the construction team led by Sandy-based Layton Construction, for their collective efforts to get this project completed on budget and on time, despite diverse challenges during 2020–2021.
 “This team took the intricacies of public safety and protecting citizens and combined it into a building that promotes efficiency,” said Henderson, adding that some citizens have a mentality that public, taxpayer-funded buildings shouldn’t be “too nice.” But, he continued, “If we wanted mediocre outcomes, then we hired the wrong architecture firm and project team. We were all working under the premise that Provo citizens deserve the best.”
“Brent Tippets is an amazing talent,” he said of the VCBO Principal. “We developed a sibling rivalry—we were always chipping away and pushing each other. [Brent’s team] took this project and made it amazing.” 
Henderson had equally high praise for Layton’s team and subcontractors, while singling out Calvin Ostler, Project Superintendent for Layton, for his dedication and commitment to do things right. 
“We experienced the worst construction influences in my lifetime—the pandemic, labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, and inflation—yet this project sits on time and on budget,” said Henderson. “There is not a project in the United States that would not trade us for this outcome. It’s due to Layton’s project analysis and early procurement that this project was kept on track. When you spend two years with people, you become a band of brothers. We have experienced ups and downs, but being a band of brothers made us so committed to deliver this building as it stands today.”

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

  • Slide title

    Write your caption here
    Button

Complex Building with Multiple Tenants Challenges Design Team

The combination of end users makes the Provo City Hall and Public Safety Building one of the more remarkable projects constructed in the city’s recent history, particularly considering the functionality needed for the different occupants. 

Tippets, Principal-in-Charge for VCBO, admitted that his team—which included Casey Skinner (Project Manager) and Nathan Leavitt (Project Architect)—really had to “put on our thinking caps to solve a lot of problems” with how to accommodate multiple needs in one building. 

“The combination of public safety combined with city hall functions makes it very unique—more so than you might think,” said Tippets. “The separation of all the security was quite a challenge. We came up with a good solution with public safety on one side and city on the other side.”

A dynamic four-story lobby space designed around a “slot canyon” concept turned out to be an incredible visual highlight that worked well within the space constraints, Tippets added. The design team spent a great deal of time during planning phases interviewing various end users to ensure staff and citizens would get everything they needed. 

“We’ve done several municipal-type projects, and this one was unique,” said Tippets. “We had to go in quite deep on the public safety side and understand all their needs and even try to see beyond what their needs were. They lived in such an archaic facility for so long. We did some research on some other facilities and reached out for input.”

The client requested that police/public safety/911 emergency operations spaces be designed to meet the national standards of the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies —both from a functional and physical facility standpoint. 

Another highlight is that the building was designed to meet stringent Net Zero sustainability standards. The all-electric building required a complex energy model along with specialized HVAC and cooling systems. 

The electrical system, designed by Salt Lake-based Spectrum Engineers, required careful coordination with Provo City Power for redundant utility service to the building. A powerful 2.5-MW diesel generator provides backup for critical functions, ensuring continued operation during power outages or other catastrophic events. The data center was engineered for 99.99% reliability and uptime and features digitally controlled LED luminaires with automatic occupancy and daylighting sensors. Other technological highlights include state-of-the-art audio/visual systems, video surveillance, access control, intrusion detection, and structured cabling for all data networks. 

Structurally, the building is designed to withstand a major seismic event with a structural steel and buckling restrained brace system with concrete on metal decking. Exterior finishes of steel, concrete, brick, GFRC, EIFS, and an aluminum storefront offer a strong aesthetic appeal. 


Construction Team Measures Up

For Brian McBeth, Layton’s Construction Manager, this project brought back fond memories of his time studying construction management at Brigham Young University. A newlywed at the time, he and his wife lived for a year in an apartment a stone’s throw away from the project site, which used to be home to a Firestone tire shop and Rocky Mountain Drive-In.

“My wife and I would go there for shakes and dinner,” he recalled. “We had our first son in Provo and used to take him to get ice cream and go play in Pioneer Park [across the street from the new complex].” 

McBeth said the building, which broke ground in April 2020 (coinciding with the pandemic), proved to be a more challenging project due to the uniqueness of building a multi-functional space coupled with the many negative factors mentioned by Henderson. 

“Building-wise, it was unique because it was the marrying of separate offices and buildings […] and just trying to bring everybody into one building. Anytime you bring police into a building, it makes the building type different,” McBeth said, citing ballistics glass and drywall needs, and other measures for city council chambers. 

During initial excavation, crews encountered underground oil tanks that required state remediation, an old swimming pool, and other old structural elements. McBeth said it was a “very interesting site” with flowing water at about 12 feet underground. An elaborate dewatering process with seven pumps was put in place for crews to build footings and do foundation work. 

Overall, he said, the entire construction team performed admirably over the 26-month schedule, despite the project starting at the tail end of tariffs, the early days of Covid, supply chain and price escalation issues, etc. 

 “You think of some of the worst building times we’ve been through, and it all hit on this one project,” said McBeth. “We got the ‘best of everything’ on this project and still finished on time and under budget.”


Provo City Hall and Public Safety Building

Cost: $69 million ($57 million construction cost)

Delivery Method: CM/GC

Square Feet: 205,000 

Levels/Stories: Five levels (with basement)

Owner: Provo City

Owner’s Rep: Scott Henderson; Dick Blackham


Design Team

Architect: VCBO Architecture

Civil: Great Basin Engineering

Electrical: Spectrum Engineers

Mechanical: Heath Engineering

Structural: Reaveley Engineers

Geotech: GSH Geotechnical 

Landscape: Arcsitio Design


Construction Team

General Contractor: Layton Construction

Concrete: Layton Construction 

Plumbing: KHI Mechanical 

HVAC: KHI Mechanical

Electrical: Wilkinson Electric

Masonry: Troy Hales Masonry

Drywall: Muddy Boys, Inc. 

Acoustics: K&L Acoustic & Drywall, Inc.

Painting: Grow Painting

Tile/Stone: Millcreek Tile & Stone

Carpentry: Associated Fixture Manufacturing

Flooring: Design Team

Roofing: Flynn/Noorda

Glass/Curtain Wall: Linford Contract Glazing

Waterproofing: Hooley Caulking, Inc. 

Steel Fabrication: Schuff Steel 

Steel Erection: J&M Steel Solutions

Excavation: Siri Contracting

Demolition: Siri Contracting

Landscaping: Stratton & Bratt Landscapes


Fun Facts:

1,400 tons of steel on the project. 1,400 tons x 2,000 lbs. = 2.8 million pounds of steel.

  1. miles of plumbing piping

4.1 miles of HVAC duct/159,00 lbs. of duct (weight of 130 steel frame cars)

262,000 LF (about 50 miles) of conduit. If you add MC cable it increases to 84 miles.

9,300 cubic yards of concrete = 4-ft. wide sidewalk 35 miles long.

The project includes space for: police administration; fire administration; secure parking; holding cells; dog kennels; emergency operations center; dispatch/911 call center; crime lab; armory; SWAT; training room; vehicle evidence bays; evidence storage; physical fitness training/gym; electronic crimes division; community/press room.


UC+D Most Outstanding Projects of 2024

By LADD MARSHALL • January 1, 2025

Dynamic Electrical

By Taylor Larsen • November 1, 2024
Electrical contracting is competitive as hell. With a plethora of mega projects upcoming, a bidding war for the best electricians and estimators, and even a race to secure the energy to power Utah buildings, the competition at every level seems to grow more intense with each passing year. How can electrical contractors respond to upcoming trends and win work in the Beehive State? It Starts with Labor Ken Hoffman, Preconstruction Manager at Ludvik Electric, said that the competition for labor has been particularly fierce since he and his team began working on the New SLC International Airport some years ago. Competing for great people has always been the case, but the influx of high-level projects over the last decade, he recalled, “pulled everyone up” with drastic increases in wages that helped electricians bring more money home and brought in a cadre of workers from out of state to push jobs past the finish line. There is additional work to be done to bring in the next generation of fieldworkers to help build the state’s future, specifically the financial incentive to enter into a demanding, sometimes dangerous field. Contracting tech company ServiceTitan reports that salaries for entry-level electricians have risen 9.14% since the beginning of 2023, but is it enough? No, and it is hampering project execution. At a recent Urban Land Institute (ULI) Trends Conference, Hunt Electric CEO and President Troy Gregory offered a sobering statistic: currently, for every electrician who enters the trade, three electricians depart. Nathan Goodrich, Division Manager of Helix Electric, said that the industry needs to find solutions fast, as competing for the same people in a wage-based arms race is unsustainable. “We have to promote the trades as people are coming through high school,” he said. Exposure through industry days and other presentations is one way while granting release time for high school student workers was another that Goodrich mentioned as two ways to bring in the next generation of electrical contractors. Gregory agreed, saying that Hunt Electric and other industry groups have become much more involved at the high school level by showcasing and giving interested students career opportunities. He and his team have had success working on pre-apprenticeship that gives the most eager hands-on experience in prefabrication, an area that only grows in importance for contractors. “We’re getting them in a better position to be more productive on a job site on day one,” said Gregory.

Youthful Impact

By Taylor Larsen • November 1, 2024
Editor's note: UC+D's annual look at age 40 & Under A/E/C professionals includes individuals from a wide range of market segments including a general contractor VP, an interior designer, a rising UDOT director, a steel industry entrepreneur, an equipment dealer owner, and an electrical contractor safety/HR executive. Each holds a key position at their respective firm and has proven their skill and capability along their unique career paths.

Scintillating Sustainability

By Bradley Fullmer • November 1, 2024
Architect Brian Backe was succinct when he stated, "when I try to describe the Climate Innovation Center, one of the phrases is 'big things comes in small packages'." His words couldn't be more profound. An ambitious adaptive reuse project that is generating significant buzz in the sustainable building arena locally, Utah Clean Energy's new Climate Innovation Center (CIC) is the transformation of a modest, nearly 70-year-old, 3,000 SF single-level commercial structure into a state-of-the-art, two-story, zero-energy building that will serve as UCE's home for the next half century. "Within a 3,000 square foot footprint it has urban infill, is an adaptive reuse site, Net-Zero, combustion-free, hybrid mass timber structure—we really packed in a lot," said Backe, Principal-in-Charge for Blalock & Partners, who worked closely with Salt Lake-based Okland Construction to ensure optimum sustainability throughout the construction process. The $5.4 million, 5,260 SF project officially opened in June to much pomp and circumstance, and rightfully so. The center showcases the potential of what homes and buildings can be—spaces that are not only comfortable and inviting, but also produce zero pollution. The building will offer a space dedicated to learning, exploration and collaboration centered on climate solutions and improving local air quality, and a place for the community to engage and create solutions to the challenges we face. The project is a testament to CEO/Founder Sarah Wright and her team at Utah Clean Energy, and their commitment to increasing awareness of environmental sustainability. Their new home makes a bold, walk-the-walk statement about the importance of renewable energy in the built world. "There needs to be an education and understanding that renewables (solar, wind, hydro, geo-thermal) are our cheapest resources," said Wright, a Chicago-native whose diverse background includes work in geology, environmental consulting, air quality, and occupational health. She founded UCE, a mission-driven non-profit, in 2001 and is thrilled to see the CIC finally come to fruition after years of planning. The project, she said, embodies UCE's dedication to transforming Utah's built environment to be zero energy and emission-free, while helping the community reimagine the places we live and work. "This is a living laboratory and teaching tool for the public and the business community, demonstrating the tremendous role that buildings have in solving climate change," said Wright. "Everyone that's been here loves it and other owners say they are inspired by it." Kevin Emerson, Director of Building Decarbonization and an 18-year UCE veteran, said the project became a necessity in recent years as UCE's staff swelled to 15 people. "We've had a dream to really 'walk to talk' through our office headquarters and (CIC) is the result of that dream coming to fruition," said Emerson. "It is more than just office space—it's meant to be a showcase and teaching tool for the construction and design industry." "There is nothing more sustainable than reusing our existing buildings and breathing a new 50-year-life into a structure than was slated for demolition," said Backe, adding that construction crews seismically braced the primary existing CMU block wall, in addition to reusing over 65 tons of CMU and 50 tons of concrete.

It Doesn't End Here

By Taylor Larsen • November 1, 2024
Cancer sucks. That message is on t-shirts and stickers, message boards and social media, and is often said to others when news comes out about a diagnosis—a show of solidarity in the fight against cancer. But riding through the challenge doesn’t have to be the only experience, especially in cancer center design and construction. For Nathan Murray and Brian Murphy, the respective design and construction leaders who helped bring the McKay-Dee Cancer Center into a 21st century, their work showed that a cancer diagnosis or treatment isn’t the end, but the beginning of a new journey of support and patient-centered care. The project was a long time coming. What began in 2018 with the winning bid needed a bit of time to settle on the ownership side, but had Scott Roberson and Jimmy Nielson from Intermountain Healthcare championing the project along the way. Throughout the project, the team never lost track of the patient experience, which Murphy said led to many productive meetings on design priorities and project sequencing to achieve the renovation’s full potential.

On the Money

By Milt Harrison • November 1, 2024
As the commercial construction market in Southern Utah—particularly Washington County—continues to heat up, Onset Financial's dazzling new four-story corporate headquarters for its Red Rock Division makes a bullish statement about the company's outlook for the greater St. George area. Indeed, the owner-occupied structure totals 60,000 SF and is designed to harmonize aesthetic appeal with supreme functionality, given that it houses 23 offices, 86 cubicles, myriad state-of-the-art amenities, and a swanky top-floor corporate penthouse for Onset owner Justin Nielsen that is second-to-none. Developed by Salt Lake-based Asilia Investments, CEO Jonathan (Jono) Gardner stated frankly that this project is the nicest, most expensive office project per square foot that his firm has been involved with, and it speaks to Onset's aggressive business practice and optimism in the future of the equipment lending market. "You walk into that building and you know you're in something special," said Gardner. "It's [Onset Founder Justin Nielsen's] way to attract talent. He said, 'This is the way I'm going to build my business,' and he put his money where his mouth is, [wanting] to go above and beyond anything in the market. He leaned into this with an attitude of 'this is my business, this is my operation, I want people to know this is the place to be.’ He has incredible vision and can see things before they happen." Designed by Salt Lake-based Axis Architects and built by Salt Lake-based Okland Construction, the two firms worked harmoniously with each other via a CM/GC delivery method to produce one of the most unique structures imaginable, with a highly-complex layout where two gridlines intersect each other at a specific point in the middle of the building, with the layout based off this one intersection in all directions and floors not situated directly above each other. Gardner charged the design team, led by Pierre Langue, Founder of Axis Architects, to "give us something we've never seen before." In addition to the unique floor layout from floor to floor, they wanted to take advantage of incredible views into Snow Canyon and the environment in general, along with being situated along the Santa Clara River, which offers its own unique aesthetic beauty. Langue pointed out his firm’s perpetual refinement of using "apertures"—a "design element we've been developing and including in our designs for 20 years that is a continuation of an effort instead of one individual design," he said. "It's in reference to a camera—you're inside a box and framing the view. It's a great feature on the inside because you can frame the different views." “That's why the [floor] plates are rotated. It gave us a way to focus the view on something very specific that you want the viewer to see." In addition, said Langue, apertures on the outside are used as an extension of the building and help create shading for the large expanses of glass. Designing the complex floorplate grid was one thing, building it was another. "The layout was difficult because the gridlines were not particular to each other, and they didn't necessarily transfer to the floor above," said Tyler Dehaan, Project Manager for Okland, adding that it's the firm's first project of this kind. He said the "first pier footing we poured was crucial"—it had a column that extended at an angle and only connected to the building at the top floor, and was 15 feet lower in elevation than the first floor. "I was really concerned about that column not being in the right location/elevation and then the steel column not fitting," he added. Dehaan said they wouldn't know for six months if everything would fit—until all the footings, the foundation, three concrete cores (two stair towers, one elevator), and structural steel up to level four were completed. "In the end, it fit perfectly," said Dehaan. "There were no issues." Pouring the three cores was both challenging and labor intensive, and because structural steel tied into the cores, construction on steelwork had to wait until they were built. Okland self-performed the slip-forming process with help from some experienced concrete subcontractors. "When you see what's going on with the structure, you see the genius behind it," said Gardner. "The common cores hold it in place." Another critical and highly unique construction aspect was building a robust “sea wall” along the Santa Clara River capable of withstanding a 150-year flood event. Nielsen had concerns about the building being so close to the river but also wanted a dynamic outdoor terrace with direct access to a bicycle/running path along it. Hydraulic consultants collaborated on a “belt and suspenders” type of decision, said Dehaan, with crews digging down 15 feet below the main floor and installing a retaining wall below the flow line of the river. A wall of riprap and large cobble rocks were installed after the retaining wall was completed and during backfill. A similar build was done along the dry wash on the other side of the site.

Trends to Watch: Mechanical

By Taylor Larsen • November 1, 2024
Out with the old, in with the new? Not quite, according to experts in the mechanical industry. Trends in mechanical engineering and contracting are warming to both new and existing solutions to optimize efficiency as they maximize the mechanical budget. Three mechanical professionals in design and construction detailed the trends they see helping current clients integrate these mechanical solutions with the future in mind. Electrification Buzzing; Heat Recovery Heats Up According to Jared Smith, PE and Mechanical Engineer at VBFA, a constant in the mechanical field is that many owners have continued with gas-powered systems instead of fully embracing electrification. “The high first costs of full electrification of the mechanical systems through heat pumps,” Smith said, “is a bridge too far for owners currently.” “We’re not anywhere near full electrification of every project,” he said, “but clients are toying with the idea, and more clients are getting serious about it.” Operational costs are favorable due to the heat recovery nature of the system, but Utah’s location in a heating-dominant zone (colder winters) means that more air-source heat pumps would be required to meet the building’s heating needs than necessary during the summer months. Widespread electrification may be a years away, but it is is trending up, making the relationship between mechanical and electrical teams more important than ever and setting the stage for future project team victories in coordination and collaboration. It will become the standard for younger engineers as the industry heads toward full electrification of building systems, Smith said. It’s just one of the upcoming trends he is most excited about in the world of mechanical systems. Another is the efficiency gained through heat recovery chillers. Like a heat pump, heat recovery chillers pull heat out from a cooling source. During the cooling operation, the chiller produces cold water while dissipating heat through the condenser. But with a need for both chilled water and hot water, the released heat can go toward heating application. Smith said that operations are seeing overall energy usage intensity decrease across the square footage of the building. Wasatch Canyons Behavioral Health and Intermountain Health’s Saratoga Springs Cancer Care Clinic are two examples where Smith and the VBFA team have seen energy usage intensity decrease with the future implementation of a heat recovery chiller. “It shines in the healthcare environment,” Smith said, “with the year-round cooling load, you can dump it back into the heating system.” Electrification Still Needs Work; “Thermal Battery” Shows Promise For Steve Connor, PE and President of Colvin Engineering Associates, the University of Utah is fast becoming a leader in the electrification of new buildings. “By heating buildings with electricity, what was once heresy,” he laughed, “has become gospel.” Connor cautioned that electrification has drawbacks that need to be considered, namely that building electrification could create a second peak use period in the winter, one which could be even higher than current summer peaks. It will be incumbent on the A/E/C industry to continue to make gains on what Connor called “the best investment in energy” via high-value insulation, building envelopes, and windows to minimize the need for heating. The next step is to recover and store energy generated. At the new James LeVoy Sorenson Center for Medical Innovation at the University of Utah, Colvin Engineering Associates, along with trade partners Archer Mechanical, are utilizing a 42,000-gallon water tank that will function like a thermal battery for the building when it opens in spring 2026. Heat pumps will use the tank as a heat reservoir, adding or withdrawing heat as they cool or heat the building. If the heating demand is especially high and the tank gets cold, they will “charge” the tank overnight with an electric boiler, and if the tank gets too hot in the summer, they will reject the excess heat through a cooling tower. Most of the year, they add or remove heat from the building and store the waste heat in the tank, making it function like a thermal battery. Since buildings are always in need of cooling due to the energy use, people, and equipment in use across the building, heat can be taken away and stored in the tank before being pulled out of tank to heat the building back up in the morning.

United They Build

By Taylor Larsen • November 1, 2024
The business didn’t technically start, as Matt Menlove put it, with five guys in their father's truck. But it was the impetus for Matt and brother Marc to start United Contractors and take it to the heights reached over the last 20 years. One thing that came from those times working out of Dean Menlove's truck was this: “We were taught a love to build,” said Matt, who now leads the 56-person business as CEO. Their upbringing put them on the path to start United Contractors, but not before a few other iterations. The brothers’ handyman business, Menlove Maintenance, helped put the two through college. MKM Construction, run by Matt, ran for a few years before he and Marc joined forces to start United Contractors. United Hits Stride with a Company Vision The early business had the same, “out of your truck” mentality, with United’s first job renovating a Marriott hotel lobby near the Salt Lake City airport, and another significant project by the airport—renovating a tilt-up building for pipeline supplier T.D. Williamson. The 60,000 SF renovation included building a new mezzanine and outfitting the building for industrial operations on a small budget. The project was so successful that the client asked if we could stay on call for future building needs. “That was our first repeat client,” said Matt. “That was where we began the vision that ‘Every client would choose us again.’” At a recent company party to celebrate their milestone, Matt joked that the name "United Contractors” made it sound like they were a bigger business than they were, a benefit of the doubt that may have allowed the company a foot in the door initially. But company size and capability have never mattered as it relates to the company vision—that good experiences on the project team would bring in more work. “Our mission has always been to consistently exceed expectations through ‘Building on a Promise,’” Matt said. “As we build relationships and our clients trust us, then we can get to know them and begin to supersede their expectations and win them over again and again.” It’s not just clients that United wants to win over with the team’s attitude, work ethic, and understanding of construction, he continued, “We want to win over design partners, subcontractors, vendors, and even employees [...] It’s what we strive to accomplish every day when we step on the job site. “

Kimley-Horn SLC Office Marks 10 Years

By By Brad Fullmer • October 4, 2024
It's been a decade since Kimley-Horn, one of the nation’s top engineering and design consultancy firms, launched an office in Salt Lake, and by all accounts, the Wasatch Front market has been a boon to the civil engineering firm, with local leaders feeling highly optimistic about its future success and growth in the Beehive State. The Salt Lake office was opened by Zach Johnson in 2014, who previously spent time in three other Kimley-Horn offices including Sacramento, Orange County, and Denver, with three total people comprising the initial staff. The firm's Denver office was providing consulting services for the Utah Department of Transportation and put together a market analysis regarding expanding into its neighbor to the west. "The market analysis we put together showed we should have had an office in Utah 10 years previously [2004], so we decided to plant a flag and open an office," said Johnson, who leads the office along with seasoned Salt Lake office practice leaders Chris Bick, Leslie Morton, and Nicole Williams. Like any new start-up endeavor, it was rough sledding initially, but strong regional support and the sheer tenacity of boots-on-the-ground marketing started paying off, with explosive growth happening along the way. "I would describe the first few years as lean," said Johnson. "We had to be creative, we had to be scrappy to capture work and rely on our partners across the country, folks who had clients in Utah and rely on those relationships. Those first two to three years were about relationship building and knocking on doors that didn't always open. It was a lot of fun."

A Future Paved with Intentionality

By Taylor Larsen • October 3, 2024
Nearly 90 minutes into a conversation with Dave Edwards and Bruce Fallon, the two remembered a story about the values of WPA Architecture from years before. Fallon was in talks with the principals at the firm to define values for the rest of the company. Longtime ownership, with decades of experience founding and building up their own firm, weren’t against the idea, but the idea of formalizing it all seemed inconsequential. Fallon had been a Principal with the firm for ten years and finally asked longtime Principal Alan Poulson (who retired in December 2023), ‘What motivates you?’ to which [Poulson] answered, ‘Providing for my family.’ The thought has stuck with Fallon and Edwards ever since. “It drove [Poulson] in everything he did,” Fallon said. “He was excellent in everything he did so he could provide for his family.” Now that the two lead WPA as Principals, they have looked to embrace excellence through intentionality—in purpose, relationships, and work ethic—that will lead the firm to new heights.
More Posts
Share by: