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SALT LAKE CITY — Standing in front of what will soon be Jacobsen’s spectacular new headquarters, CEO Doug Welling took a moment to reflect on all those whose work has made the company as prosperous as it is today.
“This building is a symbol of Jacobsen’s success, energy, momentum and eye toward the future,” Welling said. “I want to thank everyone who has worked so hard with us shoulder to shoulder over the years to have the kind of success that warrants this beautiful new Jacobsen home.”
Welling was speaking to Jacobsen leaders who had gathered to celebrate a momentous milestone in company history as the final steel beam was placed atop the new headquarters at 5181 Amelia Earhart Drive in Salt Lake City.
“Every one of us is going to be able to come into this building each and every day and feel that pride and that enjoyment which comes with having been able to create this from our own hands,” Welling said. “That will be a terrific feeling.”
Prior to the ceremonious beam topping, held Aug. 13, the names of every single employee were put on the beam as a reminder that each person in the company, as an employee-owner, has a personal stake in Jacobsen’s collective long-term success.
“As I have watched these massive sheer walls rising over the last couple of months, the strength of Jacobsen that it represents has been awesome and awe-inspiring,” President Gary Ellis said at the beam topping. “That’s what the Jacobsen’s people are — they are strong, and always looking forward.”
As Jacobsen nears its centennial anniversary in 2022, the new headquarters is an important symbol of the company embracing its exciting future while staying true to the legacy of its past. That’s the description offered by Project Manager Stan Burke, who is overseeing work at the site.
“This building is a stake in the ground saying, ‘Hey, we’re going to be here for a long time.’ You don’t construct a headquarters like this unless you’re planning being around for the long haul,” Burke said. “We have put a lot of effort and a lot of pride into this place.”
When ready for move-in, the new headquarters will provide Jacobsen employees a lakefront workplace on Amelia Earhart Drive near the Salt Lake City International Airport. Standing three stories and 59 feet tall, the building’s massive architectural concrete walls showcase the achievements of Jacobsen’s self-perform concrete professionals. Jacobsen employees will enjoy the latest modernized office amenities and a fresh, contemporary design (including an open atrium) throughout the 60,565 square-foot campus. The headquarters, which is also being built to comfortably allow for future growth in the company’s ranks, is expected to be completed in December. With the final steel beam in place, Jacobsen’s new home is quickly becoming a reality.
“It’s kind of the beginning of the end from here on out — putting on the finishing touches and polishing it up, now that the structure is put together,” Burke said. “We’ve got a lot of work left to do, but we’re in a really good position to get it done. It will all be coming together quickly — and we’re thrilled, because we know it’s going to look good.”
It’s common, Welling said, for construction teams to get such a feeling of attachment to what they’re building that they’re genuinely saddened at needing to say goodbye when their work is complete. But with this project, he said, the people of Jacobsen will have the pleasure of sticking around and directly benefiting from the results of their own efforts:
“With this one, we get to stay and enjoy it, and it’s going to be a fantastic experience.”
