Utah contractors team up to build headquarters

Getting a group of nearly 300 professional construction contractors that typically compete against each other to agree to work together on a major building project: daunting.

Getting that group to donate their services to the project in a down economy: unthinkable.

Seeing the construction of a brand new state-of-the-art facility come to fruition: priceless.

The Associated General Contractors of Utah celebrated the grand opening of that new 9,000-square-foot, $3.7 million headquarters Tuesday — a project that began 13 months ago.

The AGC of Utah is composed of more than 500 member companies, including general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers. It was founded in 1922 and is a chapter of the AGC of America, which began in 1918.

"This project is a real testament to our members and their commitment to build this new headquarters," Rich Thorn, association president and chief executive officer, said in a news release. "Despite tough economic times, we've had more than 270 firms in the construction industry collaborate together and donate their money, time and resources to this project. It speaks volumes about our members' character and their commitment to the association."

Lonnie Bullard, chief executive officer of Salt Lake City-based Jacobsen Construction and former association board chairman, told the Deseret News that the entire effort was coordinated in such a way that quality was maintained for the long-term benefit of all the association's members.

"This building was constructed like a good old fashioned barn-raising, where members came together and donated whatever they could to the cause," he said in the association's release.

He added that this was the first time he could remember the association membership ever undertaking such an effort.

"I don't think there has been a project like this (anywhere in the country)," he said. "This was an investment by the members into their association."

e-mail: jlee@desnews.com