- A proposed seven-story hotel next to Sugar House Park faces mixed community reactions.
- The Salt Lake City Council will ultimately decide on the proposal, following a series of public meetings still to be held.
- A previous plan to convert the empty space into a gas station failed, leaving the lot vacant.
SALT LAKE CITY — A proposal to convert an empty lot next to Sugar House Park into a 90-foot hotel is about to go through a city review process, and neighborhood residents have plenty to say about it.
John Potter, CEO of Magnus Hotel Management, filed a formal request with Salt Lake City to rezone the 0.83-acre fenced-off lot at 2111 S. 1300 East in July. He filed it months after first revealing his vision for a seven-story hotel next to Sugar House Park, which would fill the space that was once the site of a Sizzler restaurant before it closed and the building was subsequently torn down.
A few tweaks have been made since his presentation to Sugar House residents in March, but the gist of his plan remains the same. The hotel would feature 145 rooms, as well as retail space throughout the building. It would have an "activity center" with recreation equipment that can be rented, along with a lobby coffee shop, a meeting/event space and a rooftop restaurant on the seventh floor.
The project also includes a 180-space parking garage that would be built below ground, with access to it coming from 1300 East by the 110.5-acre park. His request kicked off a 45-day public comment period that ends later this month, before a city process that ends in front of the Salt Lake City Council sometime in the future.
Mixed views
The concept drew plenty of questions as Salt Lake City planning director Nick Norris outlined the next steps in the rezoning process during a Sugar House Community Council meeting Wednesday night.
One resident called the project a "disaster" while asking for the best way to provide comments on the rezone process. Another resident voiced concerns that the project could set the tone for future "urban sprawl" deeper into the residential arm of Sugar House. Residents also asked if the city can intervene and direct how the space is used.
The city doesn't have the tools to force the land owner into a certain project, Norris said. It can make sure that a project follows design standards and doesn't add issues to the surrounding area. It can also require an agreement that ensures development doesn't hinder park access, and that certain community benefits are delivered as promised.
Salt Lake City previously tried to acquire the property, but the land owner wasn't interested, added Salt Lake City Councilwoman Sarah Young, whose district covers the neighborhood.
The project has been a neighborhood talker since March, and opinions have generally been mixed in that time, says Landon Clark, chairman of the Sugar House Community Council. It's likely because there are dueling concerns regarding the vacant lot.
Some fear the project will harm the allure and charm of Sugar House Park, one of the more popular parks in the city. Others fear that it will keep a prime location near the eastern edge of the Sugar House business district abandoned, which may have economic consequences.
"There are people who support the project; there are a lot of people who aren't supporting the project," he told KSL.com, explaining that the council set up Wednesday's meeting to keep residents informed about the project and the resources to provide feedback on it because he knows how important the space is to many people.
The proposed hotel isn't the first development considered at the corner outside Sugar House Park since Sizzler shuttered a few years ago.
In 2022, Kum & Go attempted to convert the space into a gas station and convenience store, but the city rejected the request amid public pushback and environmental concerns. City leaders ultimately passed new standards for gas stations built near "sensitive lands" based on data unearthed during that process, while Maverik acquired Kum & Go.
Maverik is still on the hook for a lease in the area with about 16 years left on it, Sugar House Hotel developers explained in a report attached to their rezoning request. While it's something the hotel project is working around, it's a detail that has made the space difficult to redevelop.
"Denying this project would not only halt the current proposal but would also likely deter future development initiatives," they wrote. "The site would then be highly viewed as an unfeasible location for significant capital investment."
The next steps
The 45-day public comment period on the rezone request will end on Aug. 26. Developers and the project architect will also attend a meeting on the plan scheduled for 6 p.m. at Highland High School, 2166 S. 1700 East, on Aug. 18.
It will then go to the Salt Lake City Planning Commission, where it will receive a favorable or unfavorable recommendation. A meeting to weigh in on the proposal could be scheduled in September, but would likely be in October at the earliest, Norris said.
Members of the Salt Lake City Council will pick up the conversation from there and have the final say on the rezone. There's no timetable yet for the final steps to play out.
Yet, that means there's still plenty of time for residents to provide feedback before anything is voted on.
"This is going to be a dialogue that is taking place over multiple meetings," Young said. "This topic will continually be discussed and brought up until we reach (a) conclusion."
Correction: A previous version of this article said the parking garage would be accessed from the Sugar House Park road. It would be accessed on 1300 East near the park.
