BUILDING UTAH: The major projects adding new depth to the state's skyline.

• Position: SPECIAL SECTION: BUILDING UTAH

Many years ago, it was common to only think of the Wasatch Front when thinking of major construction projects in Utah. From high rise office buildings to multi-family apartment complexes, the hub of construction was set mainly in the Salt Lake valley. But a lot has changed. While the Wasatch Front is still a prime location for major construction, other areas of the state have started to come into their own. For example, in Logan, Utah State University continues to build new facilities for education, and in St. George, Dixie Regional Medical Center is undergoing a major facelift and expansion. From the top of the Beehive State to the bottom, Utah continues to build up and out.

Logan

In Logan, one of the biggest projects under construction is the clinical services building for Utah State University's College of Education and Human Services. The four-story, 105,000-squarefoot building will be a state-of-the-art facility for families to receive a variety of clinical services. The $29 million building will also provide vocational and graduate student training activities, clinical research and community outreach in areas such as autism, human development, speech and language, and aging and memory.

The general contractor on the project is R&O Construction, the electrical subcontractor is Cache Valley Electric, and the architect is Jacoby Architects. Slade Opheikens, president and CEO of R&O Construction, says the project should be completed by May 2019.

"This building, because it's on campus, will allow students heading into those [health-related] fields to get experience there working," he says. "It will also serve as a place for the community to go for services. There will even be a hydrotherapy pool for athletes or people who are recovering from surgery and need physical therapy. There will also be services there for those who have disabilities like autism."

Weber/Davis

A few major projects are under construction in the Weber/ Davis area. The first, at Weber State University, is a complete renovation of the social sciences building. The renovation includes adding modern lab spaces as well as 13,000 square feet in space. The building's utility system will also be updated. The building is still being used while under construction, and renovations should be complete in fall 2018. The contractor on this project is Big-D Construction.

Another project, under construction by R&O Construction, is Remuda Elementary School in Farr West. The $25 million, 170,000-square-foot school went under construction in March 2018 and should be complete by July 2019. MHTN Architects is also a part of this project.

Park City

In Park City, there's one very visible project underway--the renovation of the Kimball on Main. Construction on that three-story building includes 33,000 square feet of historical renovation and an addition of 20,000 square feet. Once completed--estimated for June 2018--the building will be used for a retail and event space. The only tenant secured so far is L.L. Bean. General contractor on the project is R&O and the architect is Eliott Workgroup.

Opheikens says this project has been "very challenging" because construction has been surrounded by two Sundance Film Festivals, two women's march protests and two tourist-heavy ski seasons.

"We're expanding...