The courthouse was designed by Thomas Phifer of the Thomas Phifer & Partners architectural firm in New York . While the courthouse is unnamed , locals have nicknamed it the '' ' Borg Cube ' '' after the Borg , the villainous alien race in '' Star Trek '' . The building 's nickname was a reference to its cubical profile ( the Borgs of '' Star Trek '' used cubical spaceships ) and " austere aesthetic . " The courthouse project took twenty years to secure funding and property before groundbreaking took place in January 2011 . Design for a new courthouse began as early as 1997 , but security updates were added after the September 11 attacks in 2001 , and Congress only appropriating funding in 2010 . The total cost of the project was around $ 186 million ; this is less than the original budget request of $ 211 million or $ 226 million . Ultimately , the funding delay allowed the courthouse to be built for less , because construction and material costs were lower during the Great Recession
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
United States Courthouse for the District of Utah