This morning, the Point of the Mountain State Land Authority (Land Authority) will consider adopting detailed plans for the first phase of development at The Point. This important milestone for the largest and most significant economic and quality-of-life opportunity in Utah history signals a major leap forward in building Utah’s Innovation Community.
Located at the heart of The Point, the first phase of development encompasses approximately 100 acres, which is one sixth of the overall site. Plans include world-class retail, shopping and entertainment venues, a people-focused main street with biking, walking and transit options called “The Promenade,” and a place for The Point Innovation District efforts dubbed “Innovation Row.”
Development plans also include critical backbone infrastructure that will quite literally lay the groundwork for future development. Major infrastructure projects will extend Porter Rockwell Boulevard and planned transit service through the site, and construct most of the “River-to-Range” regional trail and public open space system.
“We are not wasting any time building what Utahns want at The Point,” said Alan Matheson, The Point executive director. “The phase I development plans reflect robust public feedback and will catalyze future development for many years to come.”
Immediately following the conditional selection of Innovation Point Partners (IPP) as their development partner in July 2022, the Land Authority moved forward expeditiously to refine the publicly supported Framework Plan. IPP’s extensive experience building large-scale, sustainable, and innovative communities around the world coupled with their local presence will ensure The Point is built “The Utah Way.”
“We are focused on creating a sustainable community with unprecedented economic potential that provides Utahns with world-class entertainment, innovative technology, and recreational amenities,” said Abbey Ehman, principal at Innovation Point Partners. “Our team will continue to collaborate with the Land Authority as we work together to implement a shared, publicly supported vision for The Point.”
Signature elements of the Phase I Development Plans include:
● Over 3,000 multi-family units, including affordable housing units, where every home is within two blocks of a park or trail
● 220,000 sq ft of world-class retail, shopping, restaurants, and grocery stores
● Entertainment venue that seats approximately 3,000 people for up to 200 events each year
● Over 2,000,000 sq ft of office space
● Approximately 14,000 local jobs created
● Sixteen acres of parks, including a Central Park
● Five miles of sidewalks and trails, including the River-to-Range trail and open space system
● 100% drought-tolerant landscaping
● Reductions in water use that result in the equivalent of 250 Olympic-sized swimming pools of water saved each year (compared to baseline conditions)
“The updated plan represents a natural evolution of The Point Framework Plan that is grounded in market realities,” said Ehman. “It reflects a significant commitment from our team and investors in the future of Utah.”
In the coming months, the Land Authority will further refine the phase I development plans, conduct preliminary engineering, and oversee site preparation. Demolition of the decades-old prison facilities is scheduled to continue through 2023. Construction of critical backbone infrastructure such as roads and utilities are scheduled to start as early as 2024, with vertical buildings beginning in 2026.
“We are taking a prudent approach to development that ensures we protect and maximize the public’s investment at the site,” said Matheson. “These detailed plans include built-in flexibility to respond to changing conditions while providing us with confidence that we are headed in the right direction.”
