Plan to turn old store into off-campus student housing clears Salt Lake commission

SALT LAKE CITY — Developers received the green light on a plan to turn an old office supply commercial space between downtown Salt Lake City and the University of Utah into an off-campus student housing hub.

Members of the Salt Lake City Planning Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to approve design standards modifications that the Utah development firm Cole West requested for its property at 410 S. 900 East, formerly the site of an OfficeMax that shuttered years ago. The approval set the stage for the construction of a 252-unit housing complex geared for the city’s higher education student population.

“Students come here to be educated; we want to help them fall in love with their city, stay here after graduation and contribute to its growth and vibrancy,” said Walker Wood, vice president of development for Cole West, as he explained the project to the commission.

The project itself revolves around an apartment complex that is essentially broken into two buildings with a connection between them, said My-Nga Lam, principal of the architectural and design firm Lamar Johnson Collaborative. The property maxes out at six stories and almost 83 feet in height, and over 400 feet in length in total.

Its design, she said, was influenced by nearby buildings and something similar to the downtown and East Central “neighborhood fabric.”

The property will feature several amenities, including gathering spaces, outdoor dining patios, courtyards, an art studio, a coworking lounge for students, and new landscaping. About two dozen new trees would be planted, and there would be a pedestrian-oriented design aspect to it, according to project planners. They add that there will be multiple public art murals included in the final product, along with a cafe that’s open to the public.

A parking garage within the property would feature 158 stalls. While there were no public comments in Wednesday’s meeting, some residents wrote city planners this summer to voice concerns that it’s not enough spaces and could cause traffic problems in the neighborhood.

Project officials said they picked the site because it’s also located next to Utah Transit Authority’s 900 East TRAX station and a busy bus stop, adding additional transportation options for students, especially ones who are just a stop away from the U. campus on the light-rail line.

The idea of renting it out to students, Wood says, is a “newer concept” that differs from most of what’s available on the market now. He believes that higher education student populations are currently “underserved” in the housing market.

While it’s closest to the University of Utah, he added that the complex could also provide housing for students of Westminster University, as well as Ensign, Neumont and Salt Lake Community colleges in the city. Project planners explained that non-students wouldn’t be excluded from renting, but units would be leased by bed instead of by room, and leasing terms would mirror semesters. Thus, those renting wouldn’t have to worry about what to do if a roommate moved out.

Commission members did raise some concerns with the plan, such as the proximity of a garage entry to an existing bus stop on 900 East. It could create a “significant” traffic change in the transit corridor, said Commissioner Amy Barry, recommending that the developer continue discussions with UTA on the bus stop.

But the group appeared to be thrilled that change was coming to the abandoned site. Commissioner Mike Vela commended some of the design elements and plans to keep the northeast part of the property active.

“I think that’ll be a party-happening place on football weekend, so I think it’s very nicely done,” he said before the vote.