Derek Kitchen | The Salt Lake Tribune

A rendering of the proposed plans for Burnham Place at Union Station in Washington. Credit Akridge and Shalom Baranes AssociatesSalt Lake is a city on the rise. Over the next decade or so, we’re going to see a huge increase in demand for downtown living.

It’s happening already: Last week, the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City (RDA) announced big, bold plans for the property between the Rio Grande depot and the intermodal hub. This new area, “Station Center,” is almost nine acres of vacant or under-utilized land that sits next to a high concentration of homeless-service providers. It is close to the freeway, the Utah Transit Authority hub and the Gateway shopping district. This is prime downtown real estate for transit-oriented development.

The RDA is taking a very deliberate and collaborative approach to revamping Station Center, working closely with potential developers to promote housing diversity for all income levels and allowing the market to direct the shape of each individual parcel. The city will also be making utility and infrastructure upgrades that will make the environment attractive and profitable for private investment. Read more