New downtown SLC residential skyscraper will be Utah's tallest

Construction has begun in downtown Salt Lake City on what will be Utah’s tallest high-rise building. Ground was broken earlier this month at 200 S. State St. on the 40-floor Astra Tower, a development of Park City’s Kensington Investment Co.

Representatives of Kensington, general contractor Jacobsen Construction Co. and global design firm HKS joined civic and business leaders at a kickoff ceremony at the site of the luxury residential building.

“Increasingly, people want to both live and work in the heart of Salt Lake City, because it offers not only innovation and growth but also the thrilling experiences of a highly accessible, active and exciting day-to-day urban lifestyle,” said Salt Lake City Councilmember Ana Valdemoros. “The Astra Tower will accelerate and accentuate all of these strengths of Salt Lake.”

Astra Tower will consist of 372 luxury home apartments, all of them for rent, when completed in fall 2024.

“Astra Tower will show what Salt Lake City is going to become in the future. This building will be remarkable for much more than its height. Its completion will set a new benchmark for upscale downtown living,” said Kensington CEO Ed Lewis. “As a company with a substantial Utah presence already and as the managing firm of this residential property upon its completion, we could not be more excited to see Astra Tower become a timeless fixture on the city’s skyline for generations to come.”

Lewis said the Astra Tower project team will seek LEED Gold certification by building to strict environmental standards that minimize carbon footprint and address environmental issues specific to Northern Utah, such as air quality. Once built, the tower will also use integrated WELL Building concepts that enhance residents’ health and well-being.

“Throughout the design process, our focus has been on the future residents of Astra Tower and providing them with a refreshing experience that can readily reset mindsets for relaxation, productivity and celebration,” said Deanne Teeter, senior interior designer at HKS. “Promoting wellness, an active lifestyle and a vibrant community were central to our design goals. With the tower’s abundance of natural light, majestic views and multiple outdoor amenity areas, residents will have a unique opportunity to engage with nature in an urban landscape.”

Astra Tower residents will enjoy views of the Salt Lake Valley and Wasatch Front, as the south and southeast façades will feature a floor-to-ceiling glass wall. The rest of the façade will be a variation of glass fiber-reinforced concrete cladding with deeply recessed windows that create a residential character, Teeter said. “The high-rise, designed to age well as a timeless downtown Salt Lake icon, will be topped with a unique open rooftop expression that activates the skyline.”

“We work with companies all over the world that are evaluating Salt Lake City for potential expansions,” said Stephanie Frohman, senior vice president of strategy and partnerships at the Economic Development Corporation of Utah. “A development like Astra Tower assures them that ‘we’ve arrived’ — that our city has the lifestyle, cultural and recreational assets that today’s professional workforce seeks.”

Structurally, Astra Tower will use a performance-based, post-tensioned concrete design that greatly minimizes building damage or risks to residents in a seismic event. The concrete structure of the building will be erected in the first 20 months of the project, meaning it will reach its full height of 450 feet by September 2023.

“It will quickly become apparent just how much this building raises Salt Lake City’s skyline profile and it will generate lots of excitement in the community,” said Doug Carley, Jacobsen Construction project manager, who will oversee work at the site.

Astra Tower amenities will include an outdoor urban park, a clubhouse with chef kitchen, a work lounge with conference rooms, a full-service fitness center with a multipurpose studio, an outdoor pool and terrace, a spa and wellness center and a large rooftop terrace. The building’s 372 home apartments will include studio floor plans, one-bedroom and two-bedroom options and two levels of penthouse units. It is being built on the site of what was previously a Carl’s Jr. restaurant and large parking lot.

Kensington Investment Co. Inc., founded in 1983, is the family office of the Lewis family. Its primary areas of investment include real estate and alternative investment vehicles, such as private equity and venture capital funds.