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It looks like downtown will be the destination for many Utahns in the coming years.
The latest forecast shows 4.2 million people will live along the Wasatch Front by 2040, and one-third of them will want to live downtown or in an area that feels urban.
University of Utah Professor Arthur Nelson presented the Wasatch Front Metropolitan Report yesterday. He says the challenge will be accommodating the growth and demand. He says it means 60 percent of all new housing needs to be built in or close to downtown areas.
According to the Deseret News, Nelson said the housing shift stems from several factors including increased energy demands, revised financial realities and changing quality-of-life preferences.
When it comes to projected job growth, Nelson says a combined total of 1.8 billion square feet of commercial and office space will need to be built or rebuilt.
E-mail: aadams@ksl.com
