- The Larry H. Miller Company has hired Field Operations to revitalize a section of the Jordan River in Salt Lake City.
- Plans include habitat restoration, water quality improvements and native species reintroduction.
- The project aims to transform the area into a community asset with mixed-use development.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Jordan River has always been a vital piece of the Salt Lake Valley, well before the pioneer settlement and industrialization of Salt Lake City.
However, it's always seemed to have taken a back seat as the city has grown, says Steve Starks, CEO of the Larry H. Miller Company. He believes it has been neglected and forgotten in many ways.
"We believe the Jordan River should not be the back door of development. It should be the front porch of community," he said Thursday, as geese honked from the river a little over 100 feet from him on a warm, sunny afternoon.
The company is now doing something about it.
Larry H. Miller Company officials announced Thursday that they've hired Field Operations, a renowned landscape architecture firm, to bring their vision of a riverwalk within the new Power District to reality. The company will assist planning efforts to transform a forgettable section of the river next to Rocky Mountain Power's old plant into the city's next outdoor gem.
The project calls for habitat remediation and restoration, as well as water quality improvements and the reintroduction of native vegetation and aquatic species within a half-mile section of the Jordan River at the Power District. It's part of a larger plan for a walkable, mixed‑use environment throughout the district and neighboring Utah State Fairpark.
"They're going to design, restore, clean up and transform this Jordan River corridor ... into a true community amenity," Starks said.
Field Operations has a reputation for turning neglected waterfronts and other cityscapes into desired areas in many other U.S. cities., including New York City's High Line, Seattle's Waterfront and San Francisco's Presidio Tunnel Tops.
The Miller Company approached the firm about the vision for the Power District last summer, said Richard Kennedy, partner at Field Operations. Its vision, first unveiled in 2023, is to transform 100 acres of Rocky Mountain Power land on Salt Lake City's west side into a mixed-use community, possibly turning it into the city's next Sugar House.
It could also include a Major League Baseball stadium, should Utah receive an expansion team. While many have discussed tall buildings and stadiums in the area, there has also been some online skepticism over whether the river could ever be turned into the type of space it's been depicted as in renderings.
Field Operations planners reviewed the site and their drawings and saw the opportunities, Kennedy said. They were drawn in by the river's proximity to communities, linking the valley together.
"Having been involved in projects that have (undergone) radical transformations of their place from areas of underutilization to being calling cards for their cities, we see potential. We see the possibilities," he told KSL.
However, it's still unclear when residents will begin to see meaningful change around the river.
Some environmental remediation efforts are now underway, while Field Operations and the Miller Company piece together timelines for major transformations. All projects are different depending on variables, but it will likely take years to turn the river into something different.
Planners will continue to review documents and meet with local and civic leaders, residents, and others to understand the layout of the land and what people want to see the space become.
"I think they're hesitant to give a timeline, but progress will start today," Starks said.
While the project focuses on a half-mile section of the river in Salt Lake City, work is also underway to rehabilitate other sections of the river. Salt Lake City and other upstream cities have worked to improve stormwater drainage into the river, as well as to address other environmental challenges, said Soren Simonsen, executive director of the Jordan River Commission.
Knowing Field Operations' portfolio gives him hope for the Power District.
The Jordan River is also a topic of this year's legislative session. SB130, sponsored by Sen. Lincoln Fillmore, R-South Jordan, seeks to direct $2 million in state funds to restoration efforts across other parts of the river, removing invasive weeds and restoring native environments. The bill is a House vote away from reaching Gov. Spencer Cox's desk.
Local leaders see it all as a crucial step toward improving the environment, safety and recreation in the area.
"(It's) more than generationally meaningful," said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall.
