Provo MSA Development Thread

[delts145]

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Provo-Orem metro area from 2017 to 2021. United Nations population projections are also included through the year 2035.

https://www.macrotrends.net/cities/23107/provo-orem/population?q=

The current metro area population of Provo-Orem in 2021 is 793,000, a 3.52% increase from 2020.

The metro area population of Provo-Orem in 2020 was 766,000, a 3.79% increase from 2019.

The metro area population of Provo-Orem in 2019 was 738,000, a 4.24% increase from 2018.

The metro area population of Provo-Orem in 2018 was 708,000, a 4.73% increase from 2017.



Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Salt Lake City metro area from 1950 to 2021. United Nations population projections are also included through the year 2035.

https://www.macrotrends.net/cities/23126/salt-lake-city/population

The current metro area population of Salt Lake City in 2021 is 1,180,000, a 0.94% increase from 2020.

The metro area population of Salt Lake City in 2020 was 1,169,000, a 0.95% increase from 2019.

The metro area population of Salt Lake City in 2019 was 1,158,000, a 0.96% increase from 2018.

The metro area population of Salt Lake City in 2018 was 1,147,000, a 1.41% increase from 2017.



Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Ogden-Layton metro area from 1950 to 2021. United Nations population projections are also included through the year 2035.

https://www.macrotrends.net/cities/23087/ogden-layton/population

The current metro area population of Ogden-Layton in 2021 is 725,000, a 1.97% increase from 2020.

The metro area population of Ogden-Layton in 2020 was 711,000, a 2.16% increase from 2019.

The metro area population of Ogden-Layton in 2019 was 696,000, a 2.2% increase from 2018.

The metro area population of Ogden-Layton in 2018 was 681,000, a 2.71% increase from 2017.

.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by wrendog

Sheesh. Provo MSA over 1 million possible in the next decade. Crazy

^^^Yeah, I was surprised that it had already arrived at almost 800,000. I think that the growth rate along the Wasatch CSA will actually move upward for the next couple of years, not slightly down as in the previous year or two. There is a
definite trend of Californians moving to Vegas, Utah, and Texas. Also, it's not just Californians anymore. It will be interesting to see how the Wasatch Front handles this explosive growth.


Update February 2021 - Facebook to expand Utah data center again by 900,000 square feet

https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/ne...ah-data-center-again-900000-square-feet/

Facebook has announced that it is expanding its Eagle Mountain Data Center in Utah for the second time by more than 900,000 square feet (83,600 square meters) with two new buildings due to be built at the facility.

Facebook’s plans for a $750 million, 1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 sqm) data center campus in the state, near to Salk Lake City, were first made public in 2018. A first expansion of 500,000 sq ft (46,000 sqm) was announced in 2019.
As with the previous expansion, this new announcement is significant in size, growing the facility by more than 50 percent.

For more breaking data center news, features, and opinions, be sure to subscribe to DCD's newsletter

“Since we first broke ground in 2018 we have continued to build and expand on this site, and we anticipate keeping construction crews busy for years to come, with approximately 1500 workers on site at peak,” a statement on the
data center's Facebook page says. “Work continues on the first three buildings on site. As of today, over 4 million work hours have gone into construction and we have erected over 12,000 tons of steel and poured over 100,000 cubic
yards of concrete.”

Green expansion for FB in Utah

The social network operates 17 data centers around the world, and is making a concerted effort to embrace renewable power. In September, the company bought 235MW of solar power in Utah from Rocky Mountain Power.

“We have worked to bring more than 500MW of new solar energy to the Utah grid and we have invested in a project that will restore water to the Provo River,” said the Facebook post. “Once completed, the Eagle Mountain Data Center
will be supported by 100 percent solar energy from projects here in Utah.”

In an additional comment on the post, Facebook says the facility recycles millions of gallons of water back to the community each year for public use, and together with the Central Utah Water Conservation District and Trout Unlimited is
working restore water to the Provo River.

“Facebook’s sustainable expansion in Eagle Mountain shows the long-term commitment this global tech leader has to Utah. Since 2018, this data center has been a tremendous boon to the local economy and we’re extremely grateful for
Facebook’s ongoing investment in our state,” said Governor Spencer Cox.

“This additional investment from Facebook is amazing news for our community and a testament to Utah’s forward thinking policies that continue to encourage investments in our state,” added Representative Jefferson Moss.

February 18th

Facebook’s data center in Eagle Mountain is under construction on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. Spenser Heaps, Deseret News

.

[delts145]

Old Provo City Center to be demolished and New Mixed-Use Center to be developed.

Genelle Pugmire for the Daily Herald - https://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/c...e728f62-7ba1-5063-b003-46a56c1d106b.html

...Now, with a new city hall under construction, residents will, yet again, see another change on the 300 West and Center Street location.

With the construction of the new Provo City Hall well underway, Mayor Michelle Kaufusi recently announced a developer has been chosen to demolish and redevelop the existing City Hall building.

Pictured, Current City Hall to be demolished

“The redevelopment of our existing City Hall block is a forward-thinking, once-in-a-generation opportunity for Provo,” Kaufusi said in announcing the demolition. “It will bring long-term economic vibrancy to downtown Provo while complementing the new Provo City Hall. It will help further our goals of energizing Center Street.”

Last May the city put out a request for proposals on the project. Eight suitable responses were considered, four were asked to provide additional details on their vision for the community.

“One goal of the RFP process was to attract developers from outside of Utah to our state and town. We achieved that with three of the top four being from outside Utah,” Kaufusi said. “Ultimately, McWhinney Development from Denver, Colorado, was selected as the developer to redevelop the footprint of the current Provo City Hall.”

McWhinney is a comprehensive real estate development, investment and management firm that prides itself in creating exceptional places for future generations, according to Kaufusi.

“We are excited that one of those great places will be Provo,” Kaufusi said.

McWhinney was a key partner in the historic redevelopment of Union Station in downtown Denver and is an active mixed-use developer in Colorado, Texas, Massachusetts and Southern California.

“McWhinney is a great example of a company that uses experience-based design. They will add vibrancy in Provo’s downtown,” said Scott Henderson, project manager for the construction of the new Provo City Hall.

McWhinney Development and Provo City will cooperatively develop an Exclusive Right to Negotiate and a Joint Development Agreement as the next steps in the project, according to David Walter, Redevelopment Division director.

Walter said for the next six months or so McWhinney and Provo will go through discussions, public meetings and hold charrettes about how the property should be developed.

McWhinney will analyze the property and the market. It also will remove any hazardous material from the existing City Hall building and demolish the structure after the city moves into the new City Hall, according to Walter.

“Our long-term goal is to re-energize this portion of Center Street,” Walter said.

Business owners across the street from the new development have been contacted and encouraged to enlarge or spruce up their business in the next few years if possible, according to Walter.

The proposed mixed-use development will have retail, residential, office and entertainment components. McWhinney will make a presentation to the Provo Municipal Council in the next few months.

The new city building should be completed in May of 2022. Offices will then be moved over the next month. After the old building is cleared, demolition is expected to begin, according to Henderson.

.

[delts145]

Brixton Capital seeks zone amendment for potential Provo Towne Centre projects - Looking at the redevelopment of the Provo Towne Center Mall

Genelle Pugmire for the Daily Herald - https://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/c...82dda59-6d12-56fc-bc24-da45a3da4fca.html



https://www.okland.com/app/images/cms/gal_166_2259.jpg

Provo residents curious about what might develop at the Provo Towne Centre mall may just have received a brief clue.

Brixton Capital, operating as Brixton Provo Mall, LLC, has applied for an amendment to the zoning map on the northern portion of the Towne Centre which is in a Regional Shopping Center Zone or SC3 zone.

This rendering depicts the 26-acre area at the Provo Towne Centre mall that Brixton Capital LLC is asking to be changed from an SC3 Zone
for regional shopping centers to a TOD Zone that is Transit Oriented Development zone. It includes the old Sears building on the north end of the mall. March 18,2021 - Courtesy Brixton Capital LLC

Brixton is requesting a zone change to a Transit Oriented Development Zone or TOD zone. It is to facilitate the planning and future execution of the prospective developments that may occur, according to Brixton’s application.

Attached to the application are renderings of approximately 26 acres, including the old Sears building, of the 40-plus acres of the mall that would have the zone change.

“Brixton Capital is exploring numerous multi-family developments across the country that are; 1) located in close or immediate proximity to regional or open-air shopping centers; 2) located in immediate proximity to mass transit infrastructure; and 3) adjacent to major arterial roadways...

...“We look forward to the bright future of this property as we lay the groundwork for a re-development this community can take pride in,” Desco said in an email.

Images provided show a variety of other locations in the Brixton portfolio and how they visualize multi-family dwellings. The company appears to be looking at a multi-family layout for the Provo Towne Centre site.

This rendering shows a visual idea of a Brixton Apartment Building in the San Francisco Bay Area. This is a potential idea of what Brixton would like to be implemented on the Towne Center property in Provo.
March 18,2021 - Courtesy Brixton Capital LLC

Other possibilities include:

- Replacement of vacant or underutilized commercial structures.

- Improvement of accessibility to the Provo Towne Centre from Freedom Boulevard and University Avenue.

- Increase critical density in proximity to Bus Rapid Transit infrastructure.

- Redevelopment of the shopping center’s main patron entrance area.

- Possible reduction of the number of unused parking stalls to facilitate tax-generating uses.

Another example of a Brixton apartment development at its Orange County California location. An option example of what Brixton is looking to emulate in its Provo Towne Center Redevelopment.
(Palm Trees excluded of course) - Courtesy Brixton Capital LLC

Brixton points to examples throughout the city that support and are coordinated with the city’s Master Plan. That includes pedestrian-friendly designs that strongly encouraged standards of livability within urban corridors, with special concern for safety aspects of collector streets for pedestrians and bicyclists.

In its application, Brixton notes uses that complement and support the shopping mall and could provide long-term success of the Provo Towne Centre.

The application also discusses major gateway entrances into Provo that move large volumes of traffic and provide significant opportunities for development that is different or more intense than what is currently being used.

“Because these areas experience a daily in and out flow of workers and visitors to the city, the economic development potential for these areas is much greater, and should be a focus of economic development,” the application states. “This may include limited and specific more intense and dense development in and around the Bus Rapid Transit routes and stations.”

The UVX route already services the mall area and is an added bonus for potential multi-family use in a TOD zone, according to the city’s master plan...

Another Rendering option example of the Brixton Property in Rockville, Maryland. March 18, 2021 - Courtesy Brixton Capital LLC



An earlier rendering of Brixton's intent on reinventing the commercial portion of the Towne Center Mall into more of a Lifestyle Center - Courtesy Brixton Capital LLC

.

[delts145]

Downtown Provo to get housing for low-income seniors and autistic residents

Genelle Pugmire, for the Daily Herald - March 18,2021 - https://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/c...268f004-986e-5410-b045-79cb352a05c3.html

For years, the southwest corner of 100 East and 100 North in Provo has been a vacant lot collecting weeds. That is changing.

At 11 a.m. Thursday, ground was broken at 85 North for an innovative, affordable new apartment building designed specifically to support the unique sensory needs of individuals on the autism spectrum and low-income housing for senior residents, particularly those who are disabled.

With cooperative efforts of Provo city, the Provo Housing Authority and ScenicView Academy, they are taking a community approach to protect some of Provo’s most vulnerable residents.

“Provo is known and has earned its reputation as a compassionate community,” said Mayor Michelle Kaufusi at the groundbreaking. “This project is an impressive example of how a thriving community takes care of the most vulnerable citizens.”...

Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi speaking at the groundbreaking for the 85 North aparmtnets. The apartment will be specifically designed for autistic residents and provide single-floor living for low-inclome seniors. Courtesy Provo City

...The 44 rental units for senior renters will not have any negative impact on existing market rate apartments projects or existing rent assisted senior projects, according to Utah Regional Housing.

With over 3,700 seniors in the market, of which 1,200 are very low income renters without any housing assistance, the need for additional affordable units for low-income senior renters is clear. Demand for affordable senior units exceeds availability, according to Utah housing statistics.

Affordable, high-quality senior and disabled housing in Utah County is limited. There is a high need for this type of project.

With two large universities in the surrounding communities, affordable housing for single, disabled individuals is very hard to locate. Most studio and one-bedroom apartments are rented to students of the universities, where higher rents can be charged, according to Vernon and the housing authority.

Courtesy Provo City

.

[delts145]

Updates - New Provo City Hall, Provo

https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews...2032c002e4.preview.jpg?resize=1200%2C583




Courtesy Provo City


Courtesy Provo City

August 25th

Originally Posted by Mountain Skyline

Foundation work is underway.

Photo By Mountain Skyline

January 6, 2021

Courtesy Provo City

March 19th

Courtesy Provo City

.

[delts145]

Finally, it looks like the Plum Tree Square redevelopment is moving forward

Door-busting deal brings abandoned Shopko down as The Mix moves forward

Genelle Pugmire Reports for the Daily Herald @ - https://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/c...736152e-d2d6-5ede-bb2f-97abaa487b84.html

The Mix will be a 28-acre mixed-use project including a mixture of retail and office along the front with stacked flats and state-of-the-art condos lining the back. The goal is to use a great location
to create a gathering node along University Parkway, drawing in businesses and tenants to create a vibrant mixed use community, according to Brighton Development, new owners of The Mix.

Mayor Michelle Kaufusi put on her hard hat and jumped into backhoe Tuesday, March 23rd,2021 and added the first few swipes to demolish the old Shopko store to prepare for The Mixx at River's Edge development.
Photo By Craig Conover, Daily Herald

It has been over five years since customers visited Shopko, watched a dollar movie and then had some popular Carousel Ice Cream concoction at the Plum Tree Shopping Center...

...Issues with infrastructure, too much open Class A business space and construction costs kept The Mix at River’s Edge from coming to fruition — until now.

On Tuesday, Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi helped take a swing as construction crews demolished the old Shopko store.

It has only been days since the new owners of the property applied for demolition permits and took down the Movies 8 dollar theaters at the end of last week...

...It is also the gateway to Brigham Young University as you enter Provo from Orem on the University Parkway. For some residents, it has been a blight on the community.

“This redevelopment project has been anticipated for many years with our citizens anxious for progress to replace the retail blight,” said Keith Morey, Provo Economic Development director. “Watching the property lay dormant has been difficult, but the reality of its reawakening and transformation is truly exciting.”

Just like the newness of spring and the feelings of renewal after a long year of COVID-19, this development is just what Provo needs, according to Kaufusi.

“Successful development is always about timing,” Kaufusi said. “We now have the right timing and the right team to finally bring this development back to its thriving glory days and create a gathering place where a whole new generation can make memories.”

The Mix at River’s Edge mixed-use development, on the northeast corner of University Parkway and 2230 North, has been through numerous plans over the last five years, but it now has new ownership. The project will be commencing construction this week...

...Even the new developers have sentimental feelings about this project.

“I’ve been eating or shopping at the Plum Tree Shopping Center for over 30 years, since I was a student at BYU in 1988,” said Nate Pugsley, CEO of Brighton Development. “The location is one of the best in Utah County for development opportunities and long-term value, given its proximity to two universities and University Parkway.

“As a company we couldn’t be more excited to invest a little bit of time, money and resources to improve this part of Provo.

“We’re grateful for our financial partners, Provo City and our internal team at Brighton Development for all their hard work,” Pugsley said. “As a company, we are grateful for the opportunity to be able to work and hire great talent in this vibrant part of the state.”

Morey sees interest in Provo increasing and momentum building on exciting development projects in process.

“The redevelopment at The Mix at River’s Edge is a reflection of the broader strength of the Provo market right now,” said Morey. “Milken’s recent study identifying Provo as the ‘Best Performing Large City’ in the country is a reflection of what we have all known for a long time.

“The Mix at River’s Edge is in addition to the many projects underway in Provo right now, like the new Provo City Hall, the redevelopment of the existing City Hall block, the new class A office space being built in downtown Provo by PEG, as well as commercial and residential development in almost every part of our community,” Morey said.

The Mix is uniquely positioned to capture the attention of shoppers from Provo and Orem as they travel along University Parkway.

With the new ownership, the designs have changed slightly, but the new development will have some retail, housing and hotel options.

Hundreds of new housing units coming to Provo as major development finally gets underway

PROVO, Utah (KUTV) — Dirt is finally moving on a more than $100 million Provo development project, five years after it was supposed to begin...

Daniel Woodruff, KUTV - https://kutv.com/news/local/hundreds-of-...-major-development-finally-gets-underway

The front approach to new condos being built at The Mix at Rivers Edge is shown in renderings. March 23, 2021. Courtesy Brighton Development




Renderings are shown of apartments to be built at The Mix development. March 24, 2021. Courtesy Brighton Development

.

[delts145]

Update - Southern Metro - Saratoga Springs Temple

The temple will be three stories tall and approximately 87,000 square feet in size. An adjacent 21,000-square-foot meetinghouse will also be built. https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/temples/


https://media.thechurchnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/05153938/Saratoga-Springs-rendering.jpeg

26 April 2020 - Courtesy of Glenn LeFors


26 April 2020 - Courtesy of Glenn LeFors


2 June 2020 Courtesy of Sunroc Corporation


12 July 2020 Courtesy of Jason Gibson


9 September 2020 Courtesy of Aaron Tate - Setting final piece of steel for steeple frame


2 October 2020 Courtesy of James Turner


10 November 2020 Courtesy of Jason Gibson


15 November 2020 Courtesy of Jason Gibson




23 December 2020 Courtesy of Brian Olson - Preparing to install top panels



16 January 2021 Courtesy of Brent R.


16 January 2021 Courtesy of Brent R.


17 January 2021 Courtesy of Jason Gibson


21 February 2021 Courtesy of Jason Gibson - West (front) side of temple


28 February 2021 Courtesy of Jason Gibson - Panel installation progress around base of spire


14 March 2021 Courtesy of Jason Gibson -

.

[delts145]

Update, Southern Metro - Intermountain Healthcare's Spanish Fork Hospital Nearing Completion

The Intermountain Healthcare hospital, located at 765 E. Market Place Drive, will be built on 45 acres east of Interstate 15 and North of U.S. Highway 6 in a spot Paul Bliss, a cowboy poet, called in a poem, “a graveyard of unproductive land.”

The $150 million hospital will have 30 beds and focus on women’s and medical/surgical services, consistent with community hospitals. It will include five labor and delivery rooms, two caesarean section rooms, two antepartum rooms,
12 postpartum beds, 12 emergency department rooms, four operating rooms and two gastroenterology suites.

The hospital will also provide imagine services, cardiopulmonary diagnostic testing and infusion therapy. There will be an on-site medical office building and an Intermountain InstaCare.

Hospital now scheduled to open April 2021

Courtesy of Intermountain Healthcare



https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t...07bd17ee06d5c52013fbd9bbe463&oe=5FB00FFD

Update, Southern Metro - Spanish Fork Hospital set to open on April 5th

By Conner Richards, Daily Herald - March 12th - https://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/s...5667979-2bc3-5efc-bb7c-bb52aa512134.html

...The hospital is not “in competition” with the nearby Mountain View Hospital in Payson, according to Gibson, but rather an effort to provide additional resources to meet the needs of a growing county.

He noted that Intermountain Healthcare is already planning for “future expansion” of the hospital “as south county continues to grow.”

“We’re going to outgrow it, but we’ve planned for that,” Gibson said. “We own 50 acres here, and so there’s plenty of room for expansion of the hospital.”

“If population growth and things continue, which we see that they are, we know what this hospital will require in 20 years.” he added.

Officials will hold a virtual ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Spanish Fork Hospital on Wednesday...

Pictured here under construction

https://intermountainhealthcare.org/-/media/images/modules/news/spanish-fork-hospital.jpg?mw=1600

[poodledoodledude]

Whoa....

600 units— up to 10 stories to be built at the old Bill Harris music store block on
300 south university avenue. Pools, lower grade retail. About 2 blocks north of the proposed 13 and 14 story millrace development across from Frontrunner.

Can someone post pictures?
Pci1980.com
Harris multi family development.

It’s MASSIVE.

[poodledoodledude]

[delts145]

Poodle, Did Genelle report on it yet in the Herald? I'll try and see if I can find the pics your talking about. Sounds exciting. I found the pics per your website post. They're quite large but worth posting all the same. It only takes a
few seconds to reduce the screen percentage to 80% for less awkward viewing.

What is the scuttllebutt on this project? What is the construction timeline, etc.?

Originally Posted by poodledoodledude

Whoa....

600 units— up to 10 stories to be built at the old Bill Harris music store block on
300 south university avenue. Pools, lower grade retail. About 2 blocks north of the proposed 13 and 14 story millrace development across from Frontrunner.

Can someone post pictures?
Pci1980.com
Harris multi family development.

It’s MASSIVE.

PCI980.com

[delts145]

I use to say some fifteen years ago that they should put some urban style housing in behind The Meadows shopping center. People laughed and good-naturedly dismissed my opinion as crazy. Good to see my vision coming about. Pleasantly surprised that its not just another grouping of six-plex-style apartment buildings.

The Meadows in American Fork now has TJ Maxx and the Alvera Apartments

Genelle Pugmire Reporting for the Daily Herald - https://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/n...b8389cd-38d0-59fb-aa1a-5e3442bbb716.html

...The retail center is anchored by Kohl’s, Walmart, Home Depot, Cinemark, Best Buy, Ross, and Bed Bath & Beyond. Target and Costco complement the project on adjacent properties. A number of restaurants add to the experience of the shopping center with a variety of food and dining options.

New to the meadows are the multi-family dwelling units known as the Alvera Apartments.

The Alvera Apartments have been under construction through COVID-19 and before, and are looking for tenants to move in later this April...

...“It is very fulfilling to see this land The Meadows sits on, that was once considered unusable, now a flourishing mixed-use development...," said Randy Woodbury, president and CEO of Woodbury Corporation. “Soon the first living units at the project will be open, offering a walkable lifestyle to residents where they can work, live, shop and play in one location.”

As for the Alvera Apartments, the numbers tell the need and popularity of the dwelling units.

“We have almost sold out of our 1 beds for the first building,” said Andrea Rogers, project manager. “We only have 2 units left at $1,230 (per month). 2 beds and 3 beds are close to selling out of a few plans but we have at least one of each plan left.”

According to Rogers, nearly 50 living spaces are anticipated to become available this spring, followed by another 96 units later this summer.

The units are located just off I-15 and Main Street. They are pet-friendly apartments and mark the first residential options offered at The Meadows.

Amenities include a swimming pool and hot tub, large fitness center featuring a children’s play area, and an outdoor playground, according to Rogers...

.

[delts145]

The Tech Apartments - Lehi

5 Floors, 393 Apartments, 1 & 2 Bedrooms
As the newest 1 and 2 bedroom apartments to be built in Lehi, you’ll love lookingout on the mountains from your private balcony or cooking on luxury appliances in your new kitchen. Plus, you can squeeze in a workoutin the state of the art gym,
or take a dip in the pool just outside the clubhouse. Pool parties, private workouts, and clubhouse hangsare just the beginning of your Lehi Tech experience. Relax on snow
days knowing you’ve got covered parking and valet trashservice right from your door. And sit around the fire pits andenjoy an evening with friends when the weather is warmer...

.

[Atlas]

Originally Posted by delts145

The Tech Apartments - Lehi

This just epitomizes the absolutely groundbreaking urban design of Lehi.

[bob rulz]

My thoughts exactly lol

[delts145]

How quickly we forget Salt Lake Valley's recent past, even Salt Lake City proper. Seriously, much of Salt Lake Valley still has a lot of progress to be made, but now that large tracts of empty land are running out for SLC, wise density progress is coming quickly.

There is still a lot more cheap empty land in Utah County vs Salt Lake Co., especially when you consider the easily accessible expansion into Cedar Valley or Southern Utah County and Goshen. The time will come when Utah Valley is forced to be far more vertical and or judicious with its single-family residential plot sizes. We're already seeing this happen in many areas east of Utah Lake or 1-15. Also, we're already seeing an enthusiasm in Utah Valley for various modes of mass transit and the increased development of walkable city cores, even Orem is getting into the act. Something I thought would take a lot longer to come about.

Study the urban density progress of Central Los Angeles over the past 120 years or better yet Manhattan, New York over the past 200 years. All cities in Europe and the U.S. have had an evolution to go through.

L.A.'s Wilshire Corridor, 1928



Below is the same corridor area today. New mid to high-rise additions are added each year. Now that empty land is non-existent in and around Central Los Angeles, high-rise density is being added quickly along the larger commercial corridors. Without going into a long drawn out detail of Central L.A. just know that the same type of development density(of course with some improvements made from the hard-learned lessons/mistakes made by L.A.) will occur along the Salt Lake Valley portion of the Wasatch Front. Utah Valley's Capitalist Scentric developers will eventually follow suit. With its hyper-growth, it could be forced sooner than we might assume at this day and time. I have a very strong sense that the Wasatch Front moving forward will now experience the type of growth seen in Metro Los Angeles over the past century. It probably won't reach the 15 plus million mark over this century but 5-6 million is definitely something to prepare for.

I'm not making any kind of political statement here. However, as long as Utah embraces its Capitalist ways, the Wasatch Front will continue to experience the same type of evolution as Los Angeles has over the past century. Though again, I think the Wasatch Front's urban infrastructure particularly transportation will evolve more appropriately.

[bob rulz]

The difference is that the road grids and development patterns of, say, Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles - and many other older streetcar-era urban neighborhoods - lend themselves well to increased density.

The suburbanized office park development patterns of northern Utah County do not.

[Atlas]

What bob said, plus unlike LA in 1930, Utah County has the benefit of precedent and hindsight. They could have learned from these other places and had a nice urban environment now, not 50 years from now. These office parks and parking lots are going to stand and take up space for decades, long after Lehi runs out of space and loses its thunder.

Imo, in the age of remote work downtowns across the US are going to continue to benefit from being places where people actually want to be for more than just work.

[Atlas]

I heard that the building permit for Millrace was issued by Provo city today. Probably the only interesting urban development in all of Utah County, imo.