TEAMWORK ELEVATED

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Project Like No Other

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Complex Structural System Designed 

for Optimum Seismic Resistance 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


High Performance Glass/Curtain Wall System

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Lobby Highlighted by Italian White Marble 

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

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

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

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

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


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

Overall Teamwork Key to Successful Project

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

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

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

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

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



95 State at City Creek

Owner: City Creek Reserve, Inc.

Owner’s Rep: Sean Tuite

Developer: City Creek Reserve, Inc.


Size

Site Area: 32,085 SF

Project Area: 585,900 SF

Building Height: 395 ft.

Stories: 25


Design Team/Consultants

Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

Civil Engineer: Great Basin Engineering

Electrical Engineer: Syska Hennessy Group

Mechanical Engineer: Syska Hennessy Group

Structural Engineer: Skidmore, Ownings & Merrill

Geotechnical Engineer: Consolidated Engineering Laboratories

Landscape Design: MGB+A

Parking: International Parking Design

Fire Protection: Jensen Hughes

Lighting Design: Luma 

Door Hardware: Allegion

Vertical Transportation: EWCG

Wind: RWDI

Acoustics/AV/Security: Shen Milson & Wilke

MEP/Sustainability/Energy Modeling: Syska Hennessy Group

LEED/WELL Consultants: Zinner Consultants 


Construction Team

General Contractor: Okland Construction

Concrete: Okland Construction

Concrete Reinforcement: Harris Rebar 

Plumbing: Archer Mechanical

HVAC: Archer Mechanical; B2Air

Electrical: Hunt Electric

Masonry: IMS Masonry, Kepco+, RJ Masonry

Drywall/Acoustics: CSI Drywall, Inc.

Painting: Grow Painting

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

Carpentry: Boswell Wasatch

Flooring: Spectra, Kepco+

Roofing: Utah Tile & Roofing

Glass/Curtain Wall: Steel Encounters, Inc.

Waterproofing: Waterproofing West

Steel Fabrication & Erection: SME Steel

Excavation & Demolition: Jones Excavating

Landscaping: Intermountain Plantings

Economists Remain Optimistic about Utah

By Milt Harrison • February 28, 2025
Despite some minor economic headwinds, Utah is poised for another solid, if semi-unspectacular, year of construction and real estate development, according to top economists locally and nationally. Indeed, 2025 is shaping up to be much like 2024, a year where firms across the A/E/C spectrum completed dozens of life-enhancing, community-uplifting projects across every major building sector—in other words, a lot of projects were built outside of the still churning multi-family market. These firms thrived for the most part, posting positive revenue growth and maintaining momentum in the face of the usual challenges of shallow labor pools and volatile material costs. Utah continues to rank among the top states nationally on key economic drivers such as population growth, construction employment, a pro-business climate, and a legislative body that continues to be bullish on funding higher education and transportation projects. Prospects are good with a can-do mentality among developers, municipalities, and the firms designing and building the jobs. "Utah will continue to have above average growth and is in great position to continue its great track record with a growing population, and a strong economy and construction market," said Ken Simonson, Chief Economist for the Associated General Contractors of America (AGCA) in Washington, D.C. "Utah has been on a steady, strong upward path with 27% growth in construction employment—three times the national average of 9%—since 2020." Simonson said Utah's construction employment growth doubled last year, up 6%, which is twice the U.S. average. Growth would be even stronger, he added, if contractors could find workers, particularly skilled tradesmen. Simonson said a survey of 1,500 firms nationally stated 94% had openings for craft workers. "It's hard to fill (skilled) positions, more difficult than last year," he added. Utah's consistent population growth—the Beehive State ranked fourth according to the U.S. Census from 2023-24 with 1.8% growth (3.44 million to 3.50 million)—is a driver of demand for so many types of construction, as well as a course of construction labor. Simonson said the state has been more welcoming of immigrants, an important source of labor for contractors across the board. Utahns also have a reputation for being well-educated coupled with a strong work ethic and drive to succeed, making the state an attractive place for new businesses looking to expand. Developers Waiting Out Interest Rates; Hope for a Drop in '25 The Fed kept interest rates where they are in January—a decision not popular with many real estate developers simply itching to invest capital and have projects waiting to cut loose the minute rates become more favorable. That pent-up demand could heat up the market if rates drop by even half a point, particularly in the multi-family arena. Simonson said multi-family was down nationally 8% from September 2023-24, with Utah seeing an equivalent slowdown, despite a huge amount of inventory that hit the market in 2024, including attractive high-end downtown properties like Camber, The Worthington, and Astra Tower, and many others along the greater Wasatch Front. "Reductions in the [Fed]’s short-term interest rate target will make financing a bit less expensive but developers still can't get loans or want to proceed if rents aren't high enough to cover the financing and construction costs, including time to complete if there are extended delivery times for electrical equipment such as transformers and switchgear," Simonson added. "Utah isn't immune from these challenges, but if the underlying population growth will be supportive of rent increases, that may bring back multi-family construction sooner than in areas that aren't growing as fast, or at all." Spendlove Keynote at 2025 NAIOP Symposium Senior Economist for Zions Bank, Robert Spendlove, said Utah is well-positioned to maintain solid economic activity, with factors of low unemployment (hovering around 4%), solid wage growth (3.9% in December), and more than a quarter million jobs added at the end of last year. "Utah had unexpected, continued strength in the labor market," said Spendlove at NAIOP Utah's 2025 Symposium in January. "If we could pause the economy and stay where we're at now, we'd be in a perfect position." Consumer inflation, he said, remains sticky at nearly 3%, with the Fed targeting 2% before they can lower interest rates. "Until it's at 2%, they can't claim victory," he said. Overall, consumer prices are up a whopping 22% since 2020. "It's a struggle for people—those prices are never going back down. Inflation is just adding to those price increases. [Fed Chair Jerome] Powell said they will not make the same mistake as the 70s; they will not cut rates until inflation is down." In addition to strong 1.65% [WHAT TYPE OF] growth and 1.8% employment growth, Utah rebounded quickly from the pandemic. "That shows the strength of Utah's economy and labor market," said Spendlove. He added that Utah's GDP was up 4.6%, indicating the strongest economic growth in the U.S., with consumer sentiment improving and greater small business optimism. Utah Maintains Steady Growth, Says Eskic The Beehive State's remarkably consistent and steady growth remains a major reason why its economic outlook remains rosy, said Dejan Eskic, Senior Research Fellow at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. "Utah's population growth has never dropped below zero since 1950—we're still increasing with net migration," said Eskic at an event hosted by the Intermountain Chapter of the American Concrete Institute in January, with growth slowing by only .08 to 1.65% "There is so much demand in our economy that even in a down year for housing, construction employment is up 6.2%," he said. "The American household, on average, has never looked better on paper when looking at financial stability," with 70% of household debt tied to mortgages. Living in Utah is still expensive, even though the state is now listed as the 10th most expensive state to live in, down from 8th. "It doesn't mean Utah is more affordable, other states are just more expensive." The housing crisis will remain among the biggest challenges, both with affordable housing and overall number of units that need to be built. Governor Spencer Cox has made his intentions known that communities need to prioritize ways to address all housing issues, with a desire to see tens of thousands of single family homes built in the next decade. Way easier said than done, simply because developers cannot be expected to be altruistic when market conditions are competitive and profit margins potentially volatile and risky. He expects rents to increase once absorption is reached. Other items of note: —Consumer Price Index dipped to 2.6%, where it is expected to stay. —Expect growth in wages and employment. —Commercial construction will be primarily flat, similar to the last two years. —Office is flat, medical and industrial markets will continue to grow; industrial may be dictated by international trade. —Utah expects to add 500,000 people in the next decade, and will need a jaw-dropping 275,000 more housing units in that time, primarily along the Wasatch Front. "We need to change the dialogue if we're going to solve the housing crisis," said Eskic. "Currently, 92% of renters are priced out of the market. Construction must be optimized."

Waterworks in the Wilderness

By Taylor Larsen • February 28, 2025
July 23rd, 1847 was a pivotal day for the pioneers. Records from the time detailed how the advance party trekking into the Salt Lake Valley built a dam to convey water from City Creek to freshly plowed land. Years later, the city hired civil and hydraulic engineer Herman Schussler to design a system to bring water through laminated wood pipes to 20,000 Salt Lake City residents while preparing for future growth. Schussler said, in a presentation to Brigham Young in 1872, “I propose to construct the pipe system of the City of such dimensions as to be capable of supplying five million gallons per diem.” While those original pipes couldn’t make it to year two, the design was in place for cast iron pipes to go in their place in 1876. The 37 carloads of cast iron pipe, plumbing tools, water gates, and more came from multiple suppliers from eastern US industrial hubs of St. Louis, Boston, and Louisville, KY. Those collaborative efforts brought modern waterworks “in our lovely Deseret,” collecting water from 19.2 square miles of watershed that feeds the 14.5-mile-long City Creek stream. Modernity Fast forward nearly 150 years, past chlorination that arrived in the 1920s, past the first water treatment facility constructed in Utah, the City Creek Water Treatment Plant in 1953, past filter installation in 1966, and past the canyon reopening for recreational use in 1975—Salt Lake City needed a new treatment facility to keep clean water flowing. The Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCDPU) partnered with engineering firm Brown and Caldwell in design in 2018 to envision and engineer something new to ensure resiliency and reliable water service to its customers. While the plant escaped any critical damage in the March 2020 earthquake, it was a reminder of the urgent need to create a new facility. Design and construction would work around a coterie of barriers and challenges—keeping operations ongoing while building on a challenging site three miles into the wilderness—to produce the future of water treatment for Salt Lake City.

AGC of Utah 2025 Convention

By • February 28, 2025
The Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Utah successfully hosted its 103rd Annual Convention January 23-24 at Little America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake, a popular event that brought together A/E/C industry leaders, professionals, and stakeholders for two days of celebration, education, and networking. The convention highlights the outstanding achievements of Utah's construction industry and provides valuable insights into emerging trends shaping the economically impactful sector, along with the announcement of new chapter leaders and board members for the 2025 season. Brett Nielsen, President of Brigham City-based Whitaker Construction, who has served on the AGC of Utah board since 2017, most recently as National Governor, was installed as 2025 Chairman, taking over the reins of the venerable association from Slade Opheikens, President of Ogden-based R&O Construction. In addition, Nielsen is in line to become the first Utahn to serve as AGC of America President in 2030. "What an honor to be standing here, to be in front of a group of people I have the utmost respect for," said Nielsen at Friday night's Installation Banquet. "It's still surreal to me to be here and know that I'm getting the opportunity to work with a group of people that I'm so passionate about. This chapter is truly one of the finest chapters in all of America." Nielsen started as a Laborer at Whitaker Construction in 1992, gradually climbing the company ladder until taking over in 2021 as President of the powerhouse municipal/utility contractor, the first non-Whitaker to lead the firm. The firm cracked the $288 million mark in 2024 in annual revenues, a notable increase from $109 million in 2018. Nielsen's introduction to the AGC was unassuming, attending the packed annual summer golf tournament and then his first convention in the late '90s. "I saw it as more a networking opportunity, primarily with other Whitaker employees, vendors, and occasionally competitors," he said. His eyes were opened to AGC's real value when the chapter hosted a Young Constructors Forum in 2000, which is the predecessor to the Construction Leadership Committee (CLC). "I remember meeting other young contractors from throughout the country, and discussing the nuances of our markets, type of interstate pavements [this is when the original I-15 was constructed pre-Olympics], margins to the segment of construction, etc." he recalled. "I vividly remember a general contractor telling me their margin and how low it was compared to our underground utility segment, and I for the life of me couldn’t understand why a contractor would subject themselves to such headaches for such a low margin." In 2013, Nielsen became Chair of the Utility Infrastructure Committee for the Utah chapter and attended an AGC of America (AGCA) meeting in Phoenix later that year related to highway and utility contractor issues, something he called "an eye-opening experience." It was held at the posh Biltmore Resort and didn't know anybody. At the opening reception, he was standing alone when several individuals—including Toby Crow, AGC of South Dakota Chapter Executive, and his wife Liz—approached him to strike up conversation. They in turn introduced Nielsen to Scott Berry, who at the time was Director of AGC's National Utility Infrastructure Division, which led to dinner with long-time AGC CEO Steve Sandherr and several other AGC of America staff, along with fellow contractor members. "The rest is history," said Nielsen, who has been a member of the AGC of America Utility Infrastructure Division since then, including a stint from 2018-2020 on the AGCA Board. "I'm a relationship guy. They are important to me, and AGC provides the platform for me to collaborate with like-minded individuals to work on being informed, educating, and ultimately protecting not only our company the livelihoods of our employee-owners, but our industry. The benefits that AGC brings are real and measurable. AGC members are the 'Voice of the Construction Industry' both on the hill here in Utah, as well as in Washington, D.C. The issues that face our industry are complex, and those who want to exploit regulation, slow growth, and leverage legislative change to benefit their personal or industry interests cannot be overstated. We as contractors need a collective voice and for the Construction Industry, that voice is the AGC." Nielsen talked about the unique relationship that forms between AGC member firms, and how they work together for the good of the entire industry, despite competing against each other weekly to land new projects. "It makes me proud for what we accomplish here within this state," he said. "We come together, we solve tough problems related to our industry and we compete fiercely against one another." He mentioned competing that week head-to-head with Orem-based W.W. Clyde & Co., led by its President, Dustin Olson, on two sizable projects. Each team won a job, and subsequently lost a job. Said Nielsen: "I reached out to Dustin and congratulated him and told him it was a hell of a bid—he congratulated me as well [...] and followed up with the statement: 'If I'm going to lose to a contractor, I want it to be someone like you'. Many of us do that day-in and day-out. To be a part of a group that can accomplish what we accomplish, and then to turn around and be able to come to an event like this and celebrate all our hard work, is something that is astonishing to me." Nielsen said recruiting and retaining new skilled talent for the industry will be one of his top priorities this year and encouraged AGC firms to get involved with the Construction Leadership Committee (CLC). "I'm passionate about the future of people in our industry," he said. "I realize we're not the young spring chickens that we once were. It's our duty that we are setting the stage and making sure we're prepared to continue what we do. We all have great people who have gotten us where we're at today—we want to make sure we're bringing [new people] along." Nielsen closed his remarks by thanking his immediate family, including wife Hilary, daughter Emery, his mother, Shirley Harding, and mother-in-law, Ginny Butikofer, in addition to the Whitaker family and fellow co-workers.

One for the Ages

By Brad Fullmer • February 28, 2025
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At Home in the Mountain Modern

By Taylor Larsen • February 28, 2025
Salt Lake City finally has the modern take on mountain living it has needed with Camber, the 422-unit multifamily project developed by Endeavor Real Estate Group, designed by Texas-based GFF Architects and built by Murray’s very own Zwick Construction. Camber’s neighborhood environment extends inside and out, bringing comfort on multiple levels. The commitment from the project team to lead on the multifamily front resulted in community over commodity with a luxury, mountain modern example of an apartment community.

Towering Construction Adds to Glistening Skyline

By Taylor Larsen • February 28, 2025
Glittering in copper metal cladding and reflective glass, and towering in the capital city skyline, is The Worthington. Developed by Chicago-based Convexity and designed by SCB’s Chicago office, the Worthington stands tall and cracks the top 10 tallest structures in Utah. Ownership Marks the Spot But long before residents took a dip in The Worthington’s 12th-floor pool, Convexity saw an opportunity with both site and market, said Jessica Minton, the developer’s Senior Vice President. A high-rise on the eastern edge of downtown could offer spectacular views from above and afford residents walkability through the city below. Research from the firm included tours around the city to see what the market had in place, but crucially what it wanted. “Luxury high-rises are our niche. We knew we were capable of delivering a product that was successful in other markets,” said Minton. “And we knew it would succeed in Salt Lake City.” Construction was a joint partnership between Sandy-based Layton Construction, who helped to bring the local know-how, and Chicago-based high-rise building experts W.E O’Neill. The luxury amenities and high-quality residential finishes came from a project that looked toward accountability and collaboration in construction to take Worthington all the way up. Safety for Tenants, Public, and Builders Phased delivery, a newer process for Salt Lake City in high-rise construction, was an essential part of Convexity’s plans to bring the project to market. Minton praised the collaboration between Salt Lake City officials and the project team for “a smooth transition to get us to market.” “There’s a liability and a risk involved from the city to sign off on life safety measures while construction is ongoing,” she said. "It was a fully vetted and well-thought-out process from all of us—developer, city, and contractor— no party took this lightly." Phased delivery dictated that construction would turn over the first 16 floors for occupancy before moving on up to finish the rest. Rick Millward, Project Manager for Layton Construction, thanked Salt Lake City for being as forward-focused as the project team to ensure a high-quality building, namely helping to fine-tune solutions provided by the project team. He said the construction team was up to the challenge on multiple fronts to be a good neighbor and partner as they built. The give-and-take was brilliant as construction installed fire sprinkler systems throughout the structure instead of just completed residential floors, limited road closures to late night hours, and shifted pedestrians to a new walkway—simultaneously meeting city and construction goals. Millward said the team created a buffer zone of three completed floors as construction finished on floors 1-20 to keep construction noise from reaching the floors below. “You have to have residents come in and expect not to have to care about us at all,” said Millward. Minton added that the construction team’s commitment to an ironclad logistics plan created dedicated entrances and exits for workers and residents. “It needed to be a fully coordinated, daily effort,” she said. After all, “Residents aren’t moving into a construction site. There is no margin for error when people live there.” They went so far as to perform “concierge” duties to ensure residents only accessed specific elevators programmed to keep people from accidentally stumbling into active construction. Coordination between construction teams and apartment staff was seamless, actively informing residents 48 hours in advance on water and power shutoffs to keep people comfortable and in the know. With a busy street below, coordination kept pedestrians worry-free as they passed by. A covered and reinforced canopy sidewalk went in along 300 South, as Millward said, for the construction team to take full ownership of safety. Being a good neighbor paid off in more ways than one. Millward said Kathie Chadbourne, who runs From the Ground Up nearby, served coffee to the concrete truck drivers who worked through the night during the 13-hour foundation pour. Her work added to the buzz on site as the construction crew placed 3,600 yards of concrete foundation for the main structure. Three pump trucks took concrete from a cycling set of six trucks delivering slurry from “all of Geneva [Rock’s] concrete plants in the area” to help pour through the night. Millward says The Worthington isn’t going anywhere, especially with a super-stable matte footing that dips between 18 and 24 feet below street level.

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.
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