Mayor Bob Gray hopes to entice some of those people to linger awhile - and possibly move in.
"We're built out, with old, tired housing and businesses in need of revitalization," says Gray of his 7-square-mile city sandwiched between Salt Lake City and Murray. "It's important for us to be very careful about how and what we develop. We want to maintain our small-town feel while increasing services."
That said, South Salt Lake's renaissance is already under way, says Gray.
The Residences at Central Pointe, a 76-unit condominium project at 2150 S. Main, goes public today with an open house from 4-7 p.m.
So far, 32 units have sold - the two- and three-bedroom condos range from $170,000 to $250,000 - and residents will start moving in Friday.
Situated within a few blocks of the light-rail station at 2100 South and 300 West, this five-level, mixed-use development - seven retail bays, each 1,100 square feet, occupy the main level - represents the start of something bigger.
Bob Aste, managing member of Cascade Development Partners - based in Park City and San Francisco - hopes to break ground next spring on the second phase, known as Market Station.
"We're interested because of what it offers in terms of mass transit and accessibility to Interstates 15 and 80," says Aste. "We saw it as a wonderful opportunity to offer people an alternative to downtown Salt Lake City, at less cost per square foot."
Aste envisions Market Station as a community center that provides everyday services to nearby residents and the workday population.
"We assembled 13 acres between Main and State, from 2100 to 2400 South - just north of the easement for light rail into Sugar House," says Aste.
Aste hopes his developments will bolster Utah Transit Authority's chances for federal funding to build the Sugar House light-rail spur.
"If that spur doesn't get built, it would be a shame," says Aste. "But our project will move forward with the idea it [light rail] can be incorporated later."
Market Station will provide 500 to 600 units of across-the-spectrum urban living, says Aste, to include student housing, condominiums, town homes, industrial lofts, brownstones and flex space with combination live-work units.
No existing businesses will be condemned or forced out of the Market Station area, and some have indicated they want to stay and expand within the high-density development, Aste promises.
Both projects - the $16 million Residences at Central Pointe and Market Station, estimated to cost about $250 million - are privately financed, says Aste, mostly by out-of-state investors.
The city's support of Aste's efforts has been to streamline the permit and inspection processes, says Gray.
"It ties in with the city's goals to revitalize our housing stock and commercial base," Gray says. "We're hoping it will be a catalyst for further development."
cmckitrick@sltrib.com
