Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
VINEYARD — The Point is not Utah's only urban development project, and it's certainly not the biggest.
That title would go to Utah City — a more than 700-acre development announced last week by the Flagship Companies and Woodbury Corporation, focusing on sustainability and walkability in Vineyard. At over 700 acres, Utah City is poised to be 100 acres larger than The Point in Draper.
Located on the east shore of Utah Lake, Utah City will be the state's largest walkable, transit-oriented, mixed-use community and is being designed as the "urban core" of Utah County.
"Flagship Companies and Woodbury Corporation are committed to building the state of Utah. We are heavily invested in the growth of Utah County. And we are carrying that investment forward into creating a new urban core in Utah County. A walkable sustainable downtown development known as Utah City," Jeff Woodbury, managing partner of Utah City, said in a release.
Utah City will be comprised of over 17 million square feet of combined mixed-use space, including living, shopping, dining, entertainment and hospitality — construction of the first 450 residential units is already underway.
The community will include 50 acres of planned open green space in the form of a 12-acre promenade that will run down the middle of the town center from the Vineyard FrontRunner Station to the shores of Utah Lake, as well as a network of parks and paseos throughout.
According to a Utah City website, the 700 acres will be divided into:
- Over 50 acres of parks and green spaces.
- 2 million square feet of retail and shops.
- 2 million square feet of restaurants.
- 17 million square feet of mixed-use spaces, including housing.
Additionally, Utah City is hoping to become the first LEED-certified community in the state, focusing on sustainability, net-zero and equity objectives.
"The LEED framework encompasses social, economic and environmental performance indicators and strategies with a clear, data-driven means of benchmarking and communicating progress," according to the U.S. Green Building Council.
To bring this vision to life, Utah City is partnering with Jeff Speck — internationally known as the foremost walkability expert in the world; and architect and land planning firm DPZ to design the community.
"As the county has continued to grow, we recognized the immense potential to create a world-class living experience," Nate Hutchinson, managing partner of Utah City, said in a release. "Building something incredible for our community that enhances the natural beauty of the location, right in our own backyard, that's the dream."
According to population estimates data released in March by the U.S. Census Bureau, Utah County led the state in absolute growth, adding over 16,000 new residents to push the countywide estimate over 700,000 people for the first time.
Utah City's website touts the location's close proximity to world-class skiing, diverse housing options, a bustling shopping and dining scene and community access to parks, trails and lakes.
Anchors of the project already include UTA's FrontRunner Vineyard Station, which opened in August 2022 and a recently announced Huntsman Cancer Institute facility in Utah County. This new comprehensive research center will provide over 150 patient beds and is expected to bring thousands of high-paying jobs to the county.
"Utah City is a visionary development that we are thrilled to welcome to our city as the largest regional development in Utah County," Vineyard Mayor Julie Fullmer said in a release. "By partnering with Utah City to take a proactive approach in shaping the future we desire, we can capitalize on the innovative spirit of our community and our strategically connected location to create an unprecedented experience for Utah."
While ground has broken on residential units, co-managing partner Pete Evans told KSL NewsRadio that the whole city won't be completed for approximately 15 years.
