The Vine
Vine Street Apartments is a 130-unit, market-rate multifamily development located in Murray, Utah, just off State Street across from Intermountain Medical Center. The project is a five-over-two construction type and presented several unique design and entitlement challenges. The irregularly shaped site and complex zoning setbacks played a significant role in shaping the building’s massing and overall layout. Unlike projects with straightforward rectangular property lines, this development required a more adaptive design approach, allowing the unusual setbacks and site geometry to inform the architectural form rather than resist it.
Community engagement was a major component of this project. Due to concerns from the surrounding neighborhood about introducing a larger multifamily development adjacent to existing homes, the project went through numerous Planning Commission meetings, Design Review Team (DRT) sessions, and additional city coordination efforts. Working collaboratively with city officials and residents to find a balanced solution was an invaluable experience in understanding the entitlement process and the importance of thoughtful urban integration.
This was also the first project where I regularly attended Owner-Architect-Contractor (OAC) meetings, remaining involved throughout construction from foundations to final finishes. Being present during construction allowed me to better understand how drawings translate into built work. During this phase, we identified a subcontractor installing exterior siding incorrectly and not in accordance with the approved construction documents. The issue required removal and reinstallation, reinforcing the critical lesson that construction administration requires active oversight and verification rather than assumption.
