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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.
I remember years ago when Charlie Hoffman, the then Mayor of Draper, put me on a horse and took me on a ride over much of South Draper. There was lots of sagebrush, aspens and lots of nothing. I enjoyed seeing a family of red foxes and lots of deer. It was very beautiful with great views of the whole valley.
Charlie told me that someday all of that land would be developed and that thousands of people would be living, working and playing in the area. Well, that seemed a little farfetched nearly 30 years ago. But now I look at Draper and recognize that if anything, Mayor Hoffman was probably too conservative.
Indeed, there are thousands of homes and developments in the area. Recently, another major project has been brought before the Draper Planning Commission. Bride Spring Corporation has announced plans for a project to be called The Mansion at South Mountain. This will be a $15 million resort that will cover over eight acres in the Traverse Ridge area. Bride Spring Corporation is the initial, primary investor and other investors have also expressed interest.
Bride Spring is an Orem-based company headed by Mark Towner. Mark is planning a wedding reception center, hotel and office building on the site. The Mansion will be patterned after a 19th Century building that would accommodate several hundred people for a sit-down dinner. It would be about 18,000 square feet and have a gorgeous view of the Salt Lake Valley. The office building will also feature 19th Century design patterned after a chateau. It is planned that the space will be marketed to members of the medical profession.
The hotel will have spacious rooms and an in-house spa. Out-of-town guests attending a wedding held in The Mansion would be able to have overnight accommodations on site at the hotel. The property will also be marketed for conventions and business meetings.
DMJM is the local engineering firm working on the design and construction. It is anticipated that construction will start in the early spring.
Yes, Mayor Charles Hoffman had great foresight. Draper is exactly as he envisioned it.
For Zions Bank, I’m Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.
