Spanning nearly a full city block, this $159-million urban redevelopment project transformed formerly abandoned industrial buildings and crumbling concrete structures at the western edge of downtown Salt Lake City.

Scope of work included the adapted reuse of five structures, transforming them into four mid-rise buildings and a two-story freestanding retail building. At more than 750,000 sq ft, Post District is one of the largest mixed-use projects completed in the area in recent years.

District’s developers consider the project unique, describing it as not just a mixed-use product. Rather, the goal was to create a complete neighborhood with varied uses and offerings ranging from luxury apartments to affordable housing units. The concept of the complete neighborhood was also expressed in the design of each building on site. The varied architecture creates an individual identity from building to building.

Photo courtesy Megan Larsen and Jared Kenitzer Photography

With such an ambitious goal, communication and coordination among the three general contractors working within a single city block was vital to the project’s success. Having multiple cranes on site required extensive swing-radius coordination.

Foundations for two of the mid-rise buildings required 13,000 cu yd of concrete, so the team decided to place them in two marathon pours, placing 5,000 cu yd in 28 hours and 8,000 cu yd in 30, which required meticulous logistics to pull off.

Each pour followed the same sequence, and each cement truck had a colored flag, which helped crews identify the pump they needed to use during that pour. The trucks would fill up, pour the concrete, wash out at a designated area and repeat the cycle. Because the top 6 in. of the foundations contained a corrosion inhibitor, it was crucial that the trucks filled up at the correct pumps and poured in the precise order they were assigned.

Photo courtesy Megan Larsen and Jared Kenitzer Photography

At any given time, there were more than 20 concrete trucks on site. The first pour lasted 28 hours, and the second pour lasted 30.

Multiple concrete elements also give the development a defining look that the project team describes as “sophisticated grit.” Decorative board formed concrete elements can be found in multiple locations, including the accent wall facing 400 West, the decorative walls in the courtyard and concrete planters throughout the neighborhood. A defining feature of Post House South is the custom concrete forms that make up the exposed structural columns in the fitness center and entry.

One of the greatest design challenges was working around the existing billboards throughout the site. The billboards are under a separate ownership group and came with specific line-of-site easements that had impacts on the overall planning and design. With careful attention to the constraints, the design team approached this as an opportunity rather than a challenge. The easements ultimately helped shape Post House South and influence the building’s angles in the plan, according to the project team. The two-story commercial building on 500 South, occupied by Sunday’s Best, was designed to a specific height to stay out of the easement of the adjacent billboard. Coordination and teamwork with the contractor helped maintain these conditions and add to the block’s character.