Utah is growing, and all of us should be more than thrilled with that. In fact, over the past 10 years, Utah was the fastest-growing state in the nation. The problem? We have too many heads and not enough beds.
So it’s no secret that we need smart development in Utah. Especially if we want our children and grandchildren to be able to afford to live in this state and not be priced out.
The recipe for affordability is diversification in housing product. Enough with the NIMBY mindset. Think of the future generations we are affecting now with our choices. Don’t be afraid of townhomes and apartments. They’re real housing options, for real people who breathe life into a city and bring businesses to your area.
Nowhere is this debate more real than the old Cottonwood Mall. This is the last remaining viable commercial space in Holladay. Everyone else is busy going for the obvious play that is developing downtown, Sugar House, I-15, Bangerter, Mountain View Corridor, northern Utah County, etc. No one is biting on a failed mall site with limited population and limited access — except for Ivory Homes and Woodbury Corp., who are well-known local builders and developers in Utah. But how can they do something no one else is willing to do? Because they’ve developed a plan to support the shopping and restaurants that Holladay residents want, but can’t have without the right number of apartments, townhomes and other residential. Bodies are the new anchor for retail!
Don’t be afraid of this project. Think smart and help Holladay move forward with a development that will benefit everyone — especially your kids and my kids who want to stay close to home.
Mark Jensen, Salt Lake City