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SANDY — After years of planning, Sandy city officials kicked off construction for a new development where they hope people will enjoy living, working and playing.
The development is called The Cairns. A cairn is a man-made pile of stones indicating someone is headed in the right direction, city officials said.
Developers say the 1,100-acre project from 9000 South to 11400 South and I-15 to near State Street will connect mountain adventures with urban living.
The Cairns will feature thousands of new apartments and condominiums, dozens of restaurants, office space, new retail space and a multimillion dollar South Towne Center shopping mall renovation.
“We spent probably close to $2 million on this planning process over the last 3 ½ years to get it right,” Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan said. “We have to get it right because it is the future of our community.”
On Monday, city officials broke ground on The Prestige, a 25-story residential high-rise on the northwest corner of Centennial Parkway and Sego Lily Drive (10000 South). Dolan said density is a necessity.
“We can no longer spread out and sprawl,” the mayor said. “We have to go up. That’s not just Sandy city, but that’s the entire Wasatch Front, as we have more and more land that’s chewed up and very little land left.”
The Cairns also has The East Village, which will become the state’s largest transit-oriented development, city officials said.
“It’s the first joint venture between a transit agency and a private developer in the United States,” said Bruce Bingham, with Hamilton Partners.
The groundbreaking was held in September. The East Village will have hundreds of housing units, 33,000 square feet of retail and 365,000 square feet of office space.
Sandy city leaders also wants the city to be known as the world’s first mountain city, with both Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons just minutes away from The Cairns.
“This is the perfect fit, I believe. All the upscale amenities our guests need and expect right here at base camp, The Cairns, then just up the road, world-class skiing and summer activities,” said Bob Bonar, with Snowbird.
South Towne Center will see a significant makeover from its new owners, and a new Hale Centre Theatre is also planned as part of the project.
The project also includes a new off-ramp that will direct northbound I-15 traffic into the city center and other projects to alleviate congestion in the area.
