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Celebrating 100 Years in Style

A Century after its founding by Danish immigrant Soren Jacobsen, Jacobsen Construction remains a major mover and shaker in the A/E/C industry throughout Utah and the western U.S. 
By Brad Fullmer

A few years before the turn of the 21st Century, and with his tenure as the top executive of his family’s sizeable and well-respected general contracting firm winding down, Ted M. Jacobsen made a uniquely strategic—and incredibly selfless—decision to change the structure of Salt Lake-based Jacobsen Construction from a family-owned business to one wholly owned by its employees. 

Referred to as an ESOP—Employee Stock Ownership Plan—this unique employee-owned business model stands as one of the most important decisions Ted Jacobsen ever made during his influential 40-plus-year career. As Jacobsen Construction celebrates the mother of all corporate milestones this year—its 100th anniversary—Jacobsen knows he made the right decision in guaranteeing that his family’s legacy of construction excellence will carry on well into the future. 

“At one point my wife and I owned 98.3% of the company before we began transferring ownership in the 1990s,” said Jacobsen, 81. His decision dates back to 1989, when he initially started pondering company transition options. “We went from that ownership arrangement to having the stock held by some of the key employees, then to having it held by virtually every employee to some degree or another. When I retired in 2005, I sold all my remaining stock back to the company. When you leave the company, you must sell your stock back. That was very purposeful—you don’t want to have a bunch of stockholders who aren’t in the fight down in the trenches.”

Lonnie Bullard, former President/CEO and current Chairman of the Board, said having the firm become an ESOP was a brilliantly executed move, one that allowed Jacobsen Construction to maintain its relevance and continue flourishing in the Utah market and throughout the western U.S. 

“There aren’t a lot of companies that make it to 100 years,” said Bullard, 66, who currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors and maintains an integral role in mentoring new company executives. “We didn’t get swallowed up by a big conglomerate. It’s unusual to go past three generations of ownership, and the move from family ownership to an ESOP structure was not easy to do. Ted’s commitment to make it an employee-owned company is special—we couldn’t have done it without him.” 

Jacobsen initially learned about the ESOP program on a visit to a Seattle-based general contractor. “I went out to a job site and met one of their project managers,” Jacobsen recalled. “I’m guessing he didn’t have a college degree, but he had a lot money set up in his ESOP account as a result of having been in the company for a long time. I remember thinking, ‘That’s the kind of guy that makes the company go, and that’s what I want.’ I didn’t need millions of dollars in my own bank account. I felt like in all fairness, moving toward employee ownership motivates people because it becomes their company instead of Ted’s company. So, the 2 x 4 on the ground belongs to him, or the pickup truck is partly his.”

“Ted’s attitude and desire to have employees benefit from the success of the company was huge,” said Doug Welling, 66, who retired on January 1, 2021, after 34 years at Jacobsen, including serving as CEO for more than eight years and President for more than 14 years. “He wanted an ownership group that could move forward. The power of people being owners of a company, and invested in doing a good job, is real.”

“Our company structure as an ESOP helps us consistently make the best long-term decisions,” added Gary Ellis, current President/CEO. “We’re not in it for the quick dollar. We believe in doing business the right way and growing Jacobsen Construction for many years to come.”

“It seemed like a win-win for the employees, and it seemed like in the future it would do nothing but improve their loyalty and determination to do well,” added Jacobsen. “There are a lot of Jacobsen employees who have done very well devoting their careers to the company. I think that’s just wonderful.”


Jacobsen was the general contractor for Phases I (completed 1998) and IV (2017, pictured) at the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of
Utah, Jon M. Huntsman’s signature project and a revolutionary facility in the battle against cancer (photo by Dana Sohm, Sohm Photografx).

Company Origins 

A native of Denmark, Soren Jacobsen lost his father in a windmill accident at the age of one and grew up as an only child, raised by his mother and stepfather. He emigrated from Denmark at 18 in 1900, settling in Iowa. 

After several years working in Iowa, Soren met another Danish carpenter, and the pair decided to move to Seattle. They boarded a train from Omaha, but Soren ran out of money in Salt Lake City and thought he better work in Utah for a while.

Soren eventually met a striking Norwegian girl named Anna Jensen who caught his eye. They dated for a time, with Soren moving to California to chase work following the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. 

“He was bright enough to realize there would be a lot of building/rebuilding opportunities,” said Jacobsen. 

Soren landed work initially at a cabinet shop, then became a sub-carpenter foreman overseeing 40 carpenters on the rebuilding of the Fairmont Hotel. He maintained communication with Anna, and the couple married in 1908, living in San Francisco until 1911. Soren’s time on the West Coast was highly educational. He served as a concrete superintendent on the rebuild of the Fairmont Hotel, which was key for him, as he learned to work with reinforced concrete, a relatively new construction method at the time. 

“They hired him [on the Fairmont] to do something he had never done before; he was excited,” said Jacobsen. “He was a good learner, and his experience there with reinforced concrete was very helpful when they moved back to Salt Lake after a couple of years.”

A decade after Soren and Anna moved back to Utah, he struck out on his own and founded Jacobsen Construction in 1922. The company built several prominent buildings over the next 20 years, including the original Primary Children’s Hospital, the Deseret News Building, and—the highlight of his career—the Los Angeles for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Ted Jacobsen said his grandfather was a people person first and foremost—with experience forged by working with a host of different types of people in post-earthquake San Francisco, which taught him compassion for others. 

“He knew what he was doing—he had a good business mind,” said Jacobsen. “He was congenial. People liked him; people came to trust him.”


A Perennial Top Utah General Contractor

Soren’s sons, Leo and Ted C., inherited their father’s passion for construction and were instrumental in helping lead the firm from the time they became full-fledged partners in the early 1940s until their retirements in the 1970s. Under their watch, Jacobsen Construction built a reputation as a no-nonsense contractor that delivered quality projects on time and on budget. It’s a reputation that the company is careful to maintain to this day.

Jacobsen Construction has perennially ranked No. 4 among Utah-based general contractors since 2010 (per UC&D annual Top Utah GC rankings) with revenues over half a billion dollars annually for the past several years, including a record $746 million in 2021. 

The firm provides an array of top-shelf services/delivery methods, including CM at-risk, preconstruction, CM/GC, design-build, green building/LEED, BIM, and self-performed work including carpentry and concrete. Its markets span nearly every project type: government/institutional, religious, healthcare, multi-family, commercial office, sports and recreation, retail, hospitality, mixed-use, and education. Its list of notable projects is lengthy and includes many iconic, once-in-a-generation projects.


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Some of the firm’s once-in-a-generation projects include (opposite page, clockwise from top left): the iconic Salt Lake Temple, which is undergoing a complex restoration and seismic retrofit, along with the construction of a new visitor’s center (courtesy Church Newsroom); the Utah State Capitol Restoration (interior view of the fabled rotunda); the mammoth 1.4 million SF Conference Center for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (a JV project completed in 2000); the magnificent 775-room, five-star Grand America Hotel (a JV project completed in 2001, photo courtesy Jacobsen Construction).

New Paragraph

Generations of Leaders Share Common Traits of Hard Work, Competitive Drive


Ted M. Jacobsen—President 1974–1996; Chairman 1996–2005

Ted M. Jacobsen learned the construction business initially from his father, Leo, but became a seasoned professional under the tutelage of his uncle, Ted C. Jacobsen, his namesake. Born in 1940, Jacobsen remembered his father taking him on a project as a five-year-old at the Dugway Proving Grounds where his dad ran a grader on a dirt road. He said his grandfather Soren was “always very kind to me and approachable.” 

Leo and his wife, Rosebud, had four children, including three boys. Ted M. was the only one to work for the family business long-term. His parents expected their children “to get good grades—we needed to learn interpersonal skills as well,” said Jacobsen. He worked summers as a youth doing various jobs, including building precast concrete columns in the construction yard, before graduating from East High in Salt Lake. He then attended Stanford for two-plus years before leaving on a religious mission to Scotland from 1961–1963. 

He earned a Bachelor of Civil Engineering at the University of Utah and went back to Stanford for a Master of Construction Management, graduating in 1966. 

Jacobsen admitted he “didn’t want to work for the family business—I wanted to go out in the real world to see if I could make it.” He accepted a job as a project engineer with DuPont in Victoria, Texas in February 1966. A month later, he got a call from his dad. Leo Jacobsen was called to serve as a mission president in Norway for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and informed his son Ted that he needed to come back to Salt Lake and help his uncle with the family business—no questions asked. 

“My uncle was really my mentor,” Ted M. said. “He was important in helping me get my feet on the ground.” 

Ted C. was a stickler for detail and demanded excellence in the projects his employees built. “The superintendents would say he could see a problem two blocks before he got to the job—he had a very keen eye,” said Jacobsen.

Shortly after Ted M. started working full-time, his uncle assigned him to perform manual labor on a small project on the Goggin Drain, on the margins of the Great Salt Lake. It was winter, so working conditions were less than favorable. He worked with a shovel ahead of a grader, ran the grader and a crawler/loader, and did other physically taxing work.

“At the time, I thought, ‘What is my uncle doing this for?'” Jacobsen said. “I had a master’s from Stanford. But it was very helpful. I learned the impact on human beings that comes with working in cold weather. I wasn’t there very long, but I chuckle at it.”

Jacobsen worked as an estimator for 18 months and as a project manager for a high school project on the north end of Lake Tahoe before being called to help the company with other executive-level work. 

He would soon develop his own critical eye and attention to detail that had made his uncle such an effective company leader. He also learned the value of the English language, especially when it came to crafting contract documents.

“I tried to write with exactness, so when we would write a sentence, there was only one possible interpretation,” he said. “An important letter would go through five or ten or even more drafts. We worked very hard to have contracts that were crystal clear; we tried to eliminate ambiguity.”

Ted M. Jacobsen took over for his uncle as President in 1974 at the relatively youthful age of 33. The company wasn’t very big at the time, with annual revenues in the $4–$5 million range.

“Soren started it, and my dad and Uncle Ted were second generation and did a good job,” he said. “There is sort of a legend that in the third and fourth generation, the ship is sunk—somebody inherited the keys to the office but didn’t have the right skills and so on. I was quite determined not to wreck it.”

Jacobsen guided the company through the glum 1980s, a period marked by the nationwide Savings and Loan Crisis. Gradually, the construction climate in Utah improved, and Jacobsen Construction began to flourish in the 1990s and beyond. 

“Things cycle and we had to adjust to those [periods],” he said. “There eventually came a significant economic wave to the Salt Lake Valley and Utah in general—we managed to catch that wave. To do that, [we] had to grow in terms of people and financial capacity. Growing is not a low-risk thing—you have to train people to do things the way you want things done. We hired a lot of wonderful people who have played their role well.” 


Lonnie Bullard—President 1996–2006; CEO 1996–2012; Chairman 2005–Present

A native of Roy, Lonnie Bullard is a descendant of Archibald Gardner and member of the well-known Gardner family. He started his professional career in finance after graduating with an MBA from Northwestern in 1980. He worked on Wall Street for four years before joining Salt Lake-based Boyer Company in 1985, doing project financing for company founder Roger Boyer. 

In 1996, Bullard joined Jacobsen Construction. Despite not having a traditional construction background, he thrived in the position and led the company to new heights, overseeing the completion of several hallmark projects. 

“He didn’t have much in the way of construction experience, but he has a good mind, and he’s a very likeable human being,” said Jacobsen. “He’s energetic, and he’s a fierce competitor.”

Bullard didn’t know what to expect in transitioning to the world of construction but was excited at the prospect of leading one of the state’s biggest general contractors. 

“You move forward and hope for the very best,” said Bullard. “I appreciate Ted bringing me on—it was difficult bringing in a President/CEO from the outside. It was a leap of faith on his part, a leap of faith on mine, but I’m grateful he would entrust me with his company in that manner.”

The first major project under Bullard’s watch was the Conference Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Today, the mammoth, 1.4 million-SF building seats over 21,000 in its main auditorium and is believed to be the largest theater-style auditorium ever built. Jacobsen Construction teamed with Utah-based firms Okland Construction and Layton Construction to form the Legacy Contractors joint-venture, which delivered the building in time for the April 2000 session of the Church’s general conference. 

“We had a good partnership,” said Bullard. “Everyone took their company hat off and put on a project hat. We didn’t separate the project; we integrated our teams into one team.”

Bullard focused much of his energy on establishing and maintaining a positive work culture.

“Our goal was to embrace the culture established by the Jacobsen family and never give Ted a reason to be embarrassed,” he said. “A reputation can be lost in the blink of an eye.”

Bullard added that the employees are unquestionably the firm’s main asset. 

“We’re not an asset-rich company—we’re a company where the assets are people,” he said. “While I like the fact that Jacobsen has been involved in iconic construction projects along the Wasatch Front, that’s not what I have focused on. I get more enjoyment and more good feelings out of watching people grow, seeing the tremendous talents of people blossom.”


Doug Welling—President 2006–2020; CEO 2012–2021

Welling was raised in Davis County by prominent educators Lawrence and Kathryn Welling. He naturally gravitated to construction and worked as a laborer and carpenter while attending college at Brigham Young University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Construction Management in 1981. He gained experience as a project manager for a drywall subcontractor and a general contractor while in Houston, then as a project engineer on a hydroelectric project near Boise before arriving at Jacobsen in 1987. 

Jacobsen Construction hired Welling as a project engineer on the seismic retrofit project for the Salt Lake City and County Building, the first-ever base isolation of an existing building in the world. 

“As a company, we get into very challenging engineering projects,” said Welling, who was tasked with figuring out the project schedule so Jacobsen could secure its first million-dollar payment from the owner.

There were essentially three phases to the complex project: exterior, interior, and base isolation. The exterior work called for all stone to be strengthened or replaced. The interior scope included caring for historic plaster, paint, flooring, and other delicate items. The base isolation portion required the installation of 447 lead/rubber isolators underneath the building. The building is isolated from the surrounding ground by a perimeter moat wall that allows for lateral movement during a seismic event.

“I was able to put a schedule together that reflected the intricate sequencing of the project—the team worked wonderfully together,” said Welling. “You can draw a straight line from that project to the complex seismic work we’re able to do today on other buildings.” 

Jacobsen has constructed other significant historic seismic renovation projects, including the Salt Lake Tabernacle, the Provo City Center Temple, and the $220-million Utah State Capitol Seismic Retrofit (2004-–2008), highlighted by 265 base isolators installed as part of its overall restoration. The current renovation and base isolation of the iconic Salt Lake Temple is perhaps the most prominent example of Jacobsen’s base isolation expertise. The Salt Lake Temple is the most historically recognizable structure of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and one that, when its renovation finishes, “will stand as nothing short of an engineering and construction marvel,” according to Welling. 

He agreed with Bullard that Jacobsen’s employees are the primary reason for the firm’s past and current success. 

“This company is full of driven people—birds of a feather flock together,” he said. “Our employees are driven, respectful, successful, kind people. We have always been very interested in being the best we can be and taking care of clients. If we did that, we would be invited back. We have amazing long-term clients that give us very difficult projects.”

In addition to Jacobsen employees, Welling said the firm would not be where it is without the support of many great partners over the years, including subcontractors, suppliers, owners, architects, bankers, sureties, and craftworkers. 

“All have joined together to create legacy projects through grit, sacrifice, and determination, and their work will stand tall throughout the coming decades,” he said.

Welling said seeing the firm celebrate 100 years in 2022 is monumental.

“I had the thrill to work at Jacobsen for a third of its history—what a tremendous opportunity for me to see our expertise and relationships grow,” he said. As President/CEO of Jacobsen, my desire was to add to the momentum and luster of the Jacobsen legacy. I really feel like we did that.”


Gary Ellis—President June 2020–Present; CEO January 2021–Present

Gary Ellis, 52 and born in Holladay, comes from a finance background just like Bullard. Ellis earned a Master of Accounting from BYU in 1995 and spent five years at KPMG’s Salt Lake office, which he described as a “terrific experience working for great people” in many different industries. 

Ellis started at Jacobsen in 2000 as Controller, spending many hours his first couple of years acclimating to the ins and outs of construction. He was mentored by long-time CFO Richard Kirkham, along with others. He knows he has big shoes to fill but understands that the key is simply relying on the bevy of top-notch professionals who help guide the firm’s 650-plus employees. 

“The biggest challenge going in was feeling the need to know everything, and then the recognition that, no, you don’t need to know everything,” said Ellis. “I am surrounded by a seasoned team that lives our core values and who know the industry inside and out. That has been a fun realization. We make much better decisions collaborating and relying on one another’s expertise.”

A focus of his first year as President was making sure everybody on the executive team felt safe communicating their ideas and collaborating, and then conducting strategic planning to set up the company for future success. 

Ellis is carrying on a proud and extensive tradition of Jacobsen Construction’s close involvement with the AGC of Utah, where he currently serves on the Board of Directors. Five of Jacobsen’s Presidents served as President (later named Chairman) of the venerable construction association, including Soren (1926), Ted C. (1946), Ted M. (1982), Bullard (2008) and Welling (2018).

“In the construction industry, it’s rare a family business can last 100 years—it’s a testament to their core values,” said Rich Thorn, AGC of Utah President/CEO. “They are known for giving back to the community. They helped build the AGC of Utah headquarters and our training center, and the list goes on and on. They don’t live for the moment—they know it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Their reputation means everything to them. Owners automatically have a high degree of confidence and trust in them.”

Ellis is confident in the firm’s bright outlook as it embarks on its next 100 years.

“We don’t have a goal to be the largest contractor in Utah. We have aspirational goals to be the best contractor in the marketplaces in which we do business, and to provide stellar service,” Ellis said. “That is truly who we are and what we believe. We believe in building for the life that will go on in the facilities we build—the places where people will worship, where they will learn, where they live and play. I like to call it the ‘wow factor,' where we can step back and say, ‘Wow, look at what we left behind for that community or for that client.’ If we can keep doing that, we’ll continue to see long-term success. That’s our vision.”


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The Provo City Center Temple was another supremely complex and challenging restoration project that won numerous local and national awards (completed in 2015).  The Amangani Resort in Jackson Hole, Wyo., illustrates the firm’s high-end resort chops (photos courtesy Jacobsen Construction). Jacobsen restored the Salt Lake City and County Building (originally completed in 1894) in the late 1980s, believed to be the first-ever seismic base isolation of an existing historic structure in the world. The isolation system consists of 443 lead-rubber isolators installed under the building on top of existing spread footings. The building is isolated from the ground by a perimeter moat wall, permitting lateral movement during an earthquake (photo by Dana Sohm, Sohm Photografx).

Significant Jacobsen Construction Projects


Project  Location  Year Completed


Primary Children’s Hospital Salt Lake City N/A

Los Angeles Temple Los Angeles 1956

Jon M. Huntsman Center Salt Lake City 1969

Salt Lake City & County Building Salt Lake City 1989

Seismic Base Isolation

Jon M. Huntsman Cancer Center Salt Lake City 1998; 2017

Phases I & IV

Amangani Resort Jackson Hole 1998

Conference Center (JV) Salt Lake City 2000

Grand America Hotel (JV) Salt Lake City 2001

Utah State Capitol Seismic Salt Lake City 2007

Base Isolation/Restoration

Salt Lake Tabernacle Salt Lake City 2008

Seismic Upgrade

Provo City Center Temple Provo 2015


Jacobsen Construction Leaders

Soren M. Jacobsen President (1922–1951)

Ted C. Jacobsen President (1951–1956; 1966–1974)

Leo M. Jacobsen President (1956–1966)

Ted M. Jacobsen President (1974–1996); Chairman (1996–2005)

Lonnie M. Bullard President (1996–2006); CEO (1996–2012); Chairman (2005–Present) 

Douglas C. Welling President (2006–2020); CEO (2012–2021)

Gary Ellis President (2020–Present); CEO (2021–Present)

Robust Growth Fuels Lehi City's Development

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Mar, 2024
Adobe’s 680,000 SF Lehi Campus is an iconic project in Lehi that was completed in two phases, with the first phase opening at the beginning of 2013 and signaling a new era of development along the Silicon Slopes corridor. (photo by Dana Sohm) Inset: Aerial view showing an illustration of Texas Instruments’ new 300 mm semiconductor wafer manufacturing plant—referred to as “LFAB2”—which broke ground last November and marks the single largest investment (over $11 billion) in state history. (photo courtesy Texas Instruments)

Forging Ahead

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Mar, 2024
Work continues to grind forward on the mammoth new Salt Lake City Water Reclamation Facility (WRF)—a critical $850 million project being built by a joint venture of the Salt Lake regional offices of Sundt Construction and PCL Construction that will replace the current facility in North Salt Lake once it's turned over to SLC's Department of Utilities (SLCDPU) in July 2026. As it stands, this is the second-largest project in City history, trailing only the recent $2 billion-plus Salt Lake International Airport Redevelopment (Phases 3-4 ongoing), and one of the most technically challenging projects in the state. "We are up for the challenge every day—the magnitude of this thing is unreal," said Manny Diaz, Project Manager for Salt Lake-based Sundt, as he drove around the massive 30-acre site in late-January, a worksite teeming with 300 current employees (it will peak at 400 workers this summer) and myriad complicated structures being built simultaneously. Diaz is a long-time veteran of the water reclamation facility industry—this project marks plant No. 26 in his own personal history—and he was brought in a year ago by Sundt because of his expertise. When he arrived in Salt Lake at the beginning of last year, it was right smack dab in the middle of what proved to be a record-breaking year for snowfall. "It was quite a welcome to Utah!" Diaz chuckled. "We keep very close tabs on the weather." And while crews haven't been subjected to the same inclement weather this winter, site conditions are still generally wet and muddy, and the difficulties associated with building the various structures are constant. Crews are nearing the halfway mark, so certainly it's a milestone worth acknowledging, even though a mountain of construction is still left to climb. "It's such a huge accomplishment to be this far," said Jason Brown, Deputy Director of Public Utilities for SLC. "We've faced a lot of challenges, Covid, material shortages [...] it's amazing to be part of a team that works so well together. We still have a long way to go, but we'll get there. We've made a lot of progress and should be proud, but it's hard to celebrate success with so much work still ahead." Diaz, along with PCL Project Manager Shayne Waldron, said crews recently achieved a major milestone: one million hours worked, a notable accomplishment. “Achieving the ‘one million hours worked’ milestone is a testament to the coordination and collaboration required of a project this size," said Brown, adding that the new WRF project benefits from regular and ongoing staff collaboration, under the watch of Sundt/PCL, designers AECOM and Jacobs, and SLCDPU leadership. “This [milestone] is the culmination of many different efforts,” added Mauricio Ramos, District Manager for PCL’s Civil Infrastructure Division. “From local engineers to pipe layers, journeymen, construction trade workers, foremen, and general laborers, every team member has been instrumental in reaching this benchmark. The collaboration between PCL and Sundt has been a testament to our shared commitment to excellence and innovation.” "Our crews are working together seamlessly to ensure that the final product meets the goals and needs of the community," said Sam Reidy, Senior VP and District Manager for Sundt. "Celebrating this milestone recognizes the hard work and commitment each member of the project team has made to this project and the Sundt/PCL partnership." Diaz and Waldron said soil conditions challenged the team right out of the gate and took significant time to stabilize the site. "At the very beginning, the project was designed to be built on top of where the sludge beds were at, but it turns out the sludge beds were on shaky ground," said Diaz. "This whole area is young in age, so it's all soft clays and sands," added Waldron. "Soft clays are compressible, so the big issue is settling. It would have [cost] $80 million in piles to shore it up, and then in between buildings you have all the pipe and utility duct banks, so they would almost need to be built on piles." Waldron said the idea came up to pre-load the whole site, where crews built a flat pad, installed wick drains, then pre-loaded 30 ft. of dirt, with drains going down 125 feet and providing a way for water to be pushed out of the clay. "We had over seven feet of settlement," said Waldron. Crews also set up sophisticated monitoring equipment "to see where ground was settling and what layers were compressing the most. It was really scientific—a lot more than I've seen before." Diaz said it took six months to haul in the fill dirt where it remained in place for eight months, then took another six months to excavate out—close to one million yards of total material. It was an exhaustive process, with an average of 400 trucks per day and close to 500 trucks hauling 18,000 tons on the best day. Having a cohesive, highly collaborative team of designers and construction experts has been a boon to the project schedule. Once completed, Salt Lake City’s new WRF will serve over 200,000 residents as well as those who commute downtown to work or visit Utah's capital. It will replace the City’s current—and only—wastewater treatment facility, which is over 55 years old and near the end of its service life. Maintaining reliable operations at the existing facility while constructing the new WRF nearby has been critical for the project’s success. Since breaking ground in 2019, the project team has completed approximately 65% of structural concrete work as well as soil mitigation, deep foundation work, and the installation of underground utilities. In late January crews began excavating dual 63-in. diameter pipelines, along with a 78-in. effluent pipe that is being hauled one giant piece at a time from Canada, a new type of corrugated HDPE with welded joints that should provide greater durability. All in all, crews will ultimately pour 93,000 CY of concrete and install 22 million pounds of reinforcing steel, along with 89,000 LF of underground pipe ranging in diameter from 1.5-in. to 78-in. "The camaraderie among the team members allows for a very cohesive team," said Diaz. "The only way you can tell who works for who is by the color of the truck. We have a 'one project' mentality. The complexity of the job and being trusted to lead this effort [...] have been [important] for me. It's been a great job so far." Diaz, who said his first wastewater treatment plant was in North Miami Beach in the late 80s right after he graduated from college, hopes to remain in Utah once this job is completed and turned over to the client by mid-2026. “I plan on staying here and continue to work on treatment plants in Utah,” he said. “There’s a lot of work here. We have vast experience, and we have a lot of people who want to be in Utah—it’s a great place to live. Let’s do it!”

Let the Good Times Roll

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Mar, 2024
It's been more than 45 years (1978) since The Cars released their debut album highlighted by the wildly popular song Good Times Roll, but if there was ever a tune to sum up the general sentiment of local A/E/C professionals regarding Utah's 2024 Economic Outlook, Good Times Roll would be up there. "Our members are expecting another good year," said Joey Gilbert, President/CEO of the 650-member Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Utah. "For our contractors in both the building and highway markets, the outlook is good. Many still have decent backlogs to keep them busy through 2024 and in some cases, even 2025. The public sector is strong, and on the private side, owners are still investing in some big projects." Robert Spendlove, Chief Economist for Salt Lake-based Zions Bank, reported at the AGC's Economic Outlook meeting last November that commercial construction was up 1.6%, while Utah as a whole reported 2.5% growth overall, and believes both will continue to fare well in 2024. "Utah also has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S. [2.5%]; when it gets too low, you get real struggles of labor shortages," he said. "It prevents companies from growing and is one of those defining economic characteristics of this past cycle. If we get above 4-5% we get nervous that it's a sign of a recessionary environment." Spendlove said tailwinds include strong consumer spending, a strong labor market, and an overall robust economic Intermountain West region, while headwinds could include a lack of new workers, government shutdowns, energy prices, and international uncertainty. Another bonus is that Utah remains one of the strongest states economically, regardless of what is happening nationally. "I would say uncomfortably optimistic," countered Dejan Eskic, Senior Research Fellow for the Kem Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah, citing a number of factors potentially slowing down the design and construction industry such as housing, labor, and material price fluctuations—basically the same post-Covid headwinds Utah-based firms have been battling the past couple of years. "On paper, we should have a decent economic year in Utah. Because it's an election year, it brings more optimism generally. Stock performance does better in an election year, jobs do better. You have to stick to those basics. Eskic has been with the Gardner Institute for eight years, including the past five in his current role, explained that some of the uncomfortableness facing the local economy stems from having virtually no labor pool in certain segments, including construction—which continues to face a dearth of skilled craftsmen in virtually all subcontractor trades. "We still have red flags," he said, noting concerns with still-high housing costs. "Maybe it's too early to call if we've cracked inflation. 2023 ended up way better than anybody expected—it was supposed to be a recession year, but the recession never came, and the labor market exceeded expectations. "I'm bullish on Utah," he added. "I look at the numbers and how we're going, and we're in a very strong growth pattern with the economy. Things will continue to expand." Indeed, despite nasty rising interest rates that put the brakes on some speculative development projects, Utah-based owners continued to plow ahead on projects, and by-and-large most market segments continued to see a healthy amount of activity as firms set about tackling healthy project backlogs.

Building Blocks

By Reuben Wright • 01 Mar, 2024
Crews working on bridge sections of the project did the majority of heavy-lifting—as seen with these giant cranes lifting heavy girders—during the wee hours of the night, part of UDOT’s expectations of keeping traffic moving by limiting road closures. (night photos by Kjell Gerber, BuildWitt)

Heart of a New City

By Brad Fullmer • 01 Mar, 2024
It's been a long time coming for elected officials and the citizens of Millcreek City, but their beloved $45 million, nearly 80,000 SF City Hall is finally complete, ending a lengthy five-year process that tested all parties involved but produced an awe-inspiring six-story building that will serve as the public heart of this rising community southeast of downtown Salt Lake. "It's awesome!" gushed Jeff Silvestrini, in reference to his view as he peered out across the Salt Lake Valley from his fourth-floor corner office, with captivating views via a complex glass curtain wall system highlighted with an intricate, highly functional screen shade. As the only mayor Millcreek City has known during its brief seven-year existence (it was incorporated Dec. 28, 2016), Silvestrini was recently re-elected for another four-year term (he ran unopposed) and has been a driving force behind this new project. "I could see this [view] was going to be amazing when I climbed up the crane when the concrete structure was going up. Standing on the exposed sixth floor before the curtain wall went up, I was humbled at this monumental undertaking for a new city. What we do as a city government is serve the people. We can serve the people much better in a facility like this." Unique Municipal Design Fosters Public Engagement with a "Downtown" Feel Millcreek City Hall builds upon the momentum created by the adjacent Millcreek Common to the east (opened in December 2022) to create an actual "Downtown" or "City Center" space at the bustling area of 3300 South between 1300 East and Highland Drive, which includes a host of exciting new nearby multi-family and mixed-use developments under construction. The project leverages a public-private partnership (PPP) with a local developer on an adjacent shared parking garage, along with the much-needed residential housing. Silvestrini said City leaders "did not contemplate putting City Hall here" initially, but public feedback made it clear residents wanted a downtown area to call their own. Millcreek Common—replete with an ice ribbon, splash pad, and room for food trucks—was planned as a public plaza space and has been wildly popular since its completion in late 2022. Residents also wanted City Hall to have real spaces for the public, not just a strictly-government facility, which provided exciting design opportunities for Salt Lake-based MHTN Architects, which initially worked with City officials in 2017-18 on a City Center Master Plan, which came about via a grant through the Wasatch Front Regional Council, according to Ryan Wallace, Principal-in-Charge for MHTN. "It's located roughly in the geographic center of the community and easily accessed by vehicle, transit, and active transportation—it's something that can unite the community," said Wallace. "The client has created four projects in one," aided by a vertical building mixed-use approach on the narrow footprint, a key to allowing optimum future adjacent development. "We realized early on that there was an opportunity to build a true civic center," added Silvestrini. "The more we thought about it, the more it made sense." The commitment to having a true community building is evident on the first floor, which includes a coffee house, a restaurant, and a flex public market with rotating businesses. "[City leaders] wanted an activating ground floor use that would support their idea of a downtown," said Wallace. "They didn't want City Hall to only be active 8-to-5 and then a dead zone at night." City officials and MHTN staff also drew inspiration on a tour of the new City Hall in Lenexa, Kansas, which includes adjacent common space and a ground floor retail/public market. "Everyone seemed to be thinking on the same wavelength," said Peggy McDonough, MHTN President who served as Project Executive on Millcreek City Hall. "We all felt like this was a completely unique project, unlike any other city hall that we've been a part of, and the second that has a market level. It's being looked at as an example of good development." While level 1 is sure to be a hit with Millcreek residents and visitors over time, levels 2 through 5 showcase the versatility and functionality of the project, with all essential government functions for Millcreek City, along with Unified Police and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). Unified Police is housed on level 2 and utilizes a one-level sally port/private garage under the building (another bonus of the PPP parking garage). Millcreek City is housed on levels 3-5, with the top floor—level 6—serving as prime community space highlighted by the Grandview community room and its opulent Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) roof that evokes a natural warmth throughout the space.

AIA Utah 2024

By Fran Pruyn • 01 Mar, 2024
For the first time in its 103-year history, The Utah Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Utah) has a fully female executive leadership team. It wasn’t intentional, as Past-President Jessica Hoffman stated, “That is who stepped up.” And more importantly, these women have an aggressive plan for serving the entire, very diverse, association. "I'm very excited—we have a great team!" said Chamonix Larsen, Salt Lake City/Denver Department Manager for Morrison Hirschfield, who will serve as 2024 President. "They are all very passionate about what they do, and how architecture can make positive changes in our community." AIA Utah also has a new Executive Director, with Angie Harris Roberts coming on board last spring in a part-time role that transitioned to full-time in October. She is charged with overseeing industry legislation and streamlining AIA services such as providing standard contract documents, sponsoring educational events, and hosting conferences that communicate new design ideas, technologies, and initiatives. Larsen has targeted adding value to members and increasing public outreach scope as her focus for the upcoming year. One particularly exciting (and needed) project proposes a mentorship program that utilizes the talents of the AIA fellows and partnering organizations. The staff and board have applied for a grant and approached local firms for matching funds to build a long-term, multi-generational program, that assists mentees to achieve licensure faster and stay in the profession. Working through the Young Architects Forum and the American Institute of Architects Students, the program will enlist the talents of Utah AIA Fellows, the National Organization of Minority Architects, and Women in Architecture, connecting seasoned architects with emerging professionals. They will answer questions and give guidance and counsel on matters ranging beyond making design decisions and locating answers to technical questions, to how to craft career paths and find professional satisfaction. "We've been through some changes, and having a new executive director is exciting as well," added Larsen. "Coming out of the pandemic, it's been about reconnecting with everybody and improving our organizational excellence. It's important to me that we run as efficiently as possible, given that we rely on volunteers. We have an opportunity to dive into what firms need, and how we can better serve our members." Larsen addressed staffing, having access to quality talent, and attracting more skilled architects to the state as key topics. The outlook for Utah remains solid, she said, albeit with some tempered expectations in some markets (multi-family, industrial) which may see projects put on hold until interest rates soften. Utah's continued growth, steady economy, and the prospect of another Salt Lake Winter Olympics raises optimism for the foreseeable future. Leadership is also committed to helping sister organizations with programs aimed at stimulating interest in architecture from outside the industry and providing a pipeline of talent from a diversity of backgrounds into the industry. This includes encouraging programs in elementary schools to educate children about the role of architecture in a community, collaborating on youth mentoring events, and fostering NOMA’s effort to bring architects from underrepresented groups into the College of Fellows. 2024 AIA Utah Leadership President – Chamonix Larsen, AIA is an experienced architect with a diverse professional background with 20+ years of experience including building envelope consulting, architectural design, technical design lead, project management, owner’s representative, and commissioning authority. She joined Morrison Hershfield’s Building Science Division in 2017 and manages building envelope consulting teams in Salt Lake and Denver. While at the State of Utah, Larsen oversaw the development and implementation of the DFCM's High Performance Building Standard and state-wide operational sustainability efforts. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Utah College of Architecture and Planning. President Elect – Whitney Ward, AIA, LEED AP is a Principal at Salt Lake-based VCBO Architecture and has been with the firm since 2007. Ward embraces a holistic design approach and is an advocate for both community engagement and sustainable design. She also teaches Sustainable Development as an Adjunct Professor with the University of Utah City and Metropolitan Planning Department. Secretary – Natalie Shutts-Bank, AIA, RIBA is an experienced architect who thrives when navigating between the vastness of all creative possibilities and the real-world constraints of any design problem. She has worked multiple design typologies at a range of scales on higher education, civic, hospitality, healthcare, and large-scale residential projects. Treasurer – Libby Haslam, AIA, RIBA, LEED AP, NCARB is the founder of Studio Long Playing, an architectural firm that practices many typologies of spaces. The firm’s current focus is on higher education. Studio LP is also engaged in restaurant design and residential work, with the intent for collaboration with different artisans and art forms. She has been teaching studio as an Associate Professor (career-line) at the University of Utah School of Architecture since graduating from the U in 2001For the first time in its 103-year history, The Utah Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Utah) has a fully female executive leadership team. It wasn’t intentional, as Past-President Jessica Hoffman stated, “That is who stepped up.” And more importantly, these women have an aggressive plan for serving the entire, very diverse, association. "I'm very excited—we have a great team!" said Chamonix Larsen, Salt Lake City/Denver Department Manager for Morrison Hirschfield, who will serve as 2024 President. "They are all very passionate about what they do, and how architecture can make positive changes in our community."

CFC Supply 25th Anniversary

By LADD MARSHALL • 30 Nov, 2023
(left to right) Gene and Sue Larsen, their son Blake, and his wife, JaLynn, at the CFC Supply Christmas Party, made extra special this year with the firm’s 25th anniversary. (photos courtesy CFC)

The Real Business Never Changes

By Taylor Larsen • 30 Nov, 2023

UMC Announces 2023 Excellence in Masonry Awards

By Brad Fullmer • 30 Nov, 2023
Commercial Project--Honor 95 State at City Creek

High-tech Hexcel-lence

By B. H. Wright • 30 Nov, 2023
The days of the commercial industrial market consisting primarily of boring, staid (read: ugly) warehouse and manufacturing buildings are long gone, as employee-conscious corporations and forward-thinking real estate developers have been realizing the value of housing employees in spaces that sizzle with stylish interior designs with loads of on-site amenities. Hexcel Corporation did just that with the design of its most significant recent project in West Valley City, a $34 million, 105,000-SF facility dubbed the Center of Research & Technology Excellence, which includes the largest high-performance carbon fiber manufacturing plant in the world, along with housing Hexcel's aerospace matrix operations. The center is "designed to encourage and inspire our team to dream big and ensure that our customers are awarded the strongest, lightest weight, most durable advanced composites that the world has ever seen," said Nick Stanage, Hexcel Chairman, CEO and President. He said that when the Center opens, “you will be surrounded by everything it means to be a leader in advanced composites technology. You will see high-tech labs and cutting-edge research and testing equipment. Our lobby will showcase advancements and innovations that are propelling the future in commercial aerospace, space and defense, and industrial markets.” Sharp aesthetics and providing optimum working conditions are a must for employers in a market with a current state unemployment average hovering just over 2% and in a society where the workforce is increasingly opting to work remote (at home) either full-time, or with a hybrid/flex schedule. The primary objective of the facility is to serve as a catalyst for research and development in advanced composite technology, with a specific focus on aerospace, space, defense, and industrial applications. According to Mike Phillips, VP of Project Development at R&O Construction's Salt Lake office, the fast-track design-build seamlessly blended a tilt-up laboratory with a two-story Class A office building, illustrating the owner's attention to high quality and optimum design. "The entire team was focused on schedule and cost throughout the process, while meeting owner's requirements and needs. It was a very successful project." The facility's design transcends conventional manufacturing and research spaces. Instead of a stark separation between these functions, the building integrates both—fostering an environment where scientists and production personnel can collaborate seamlessly. This approach underscores Hexcel's commitment to innovation and how diverse functions can coexist within the same space. One of the project's most noteworthy contributions lies in its commitment to sustainability. Hexcel actively recycles carbon fiber prepreg composite cutoffs to produce composite panels that find applications in commercial markets. By upcycling and repurposing materials, the project demonstrates a forward-thinking approach to resource utilization and waste reduction. In a resourceful move, the tilt panels were utilized as the crane path to avoid potential soil issues. This approach was executed after thorough consultation with engineers, resulting in a seamless process with all panels standing within a short timeframe, without any compromise to structural integrity or aesthetic appeal. Exterior Trespa panels were strategically oriented to create a dynamic carbon checkerboard pattern, aligning with the aesthetic of Hexcel's innovative products. This deliberate choice not only showcases a visually striking design element but also reflects the company's commitment to excellence in composite materials. Tilt-up panels underwent a meticulous sandblasting process to enhance their carbon-like appearance. This technique, applied after curing and installation, contributes to the overall visual effect and reinforces the project's dedication to craftsmanship.
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