2100 South - Central Pointe Station

2100 South station, at 2100 South and 300 West, involves two jurisdictions, Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake City. The site is a developed urban area containing commercial and light industrial uses, established residential neighborhoods and very few undeveloped properties. The area contains auto-oriented commercial and industrial development located south of 2100 South and along 300 West. North of 2100 South there is a greater residential presence. Two major north-south corridors bind the study area - I-15 to the west and State Street to the east, with freeway on and off ramps at 2100 South.

Economic Opportunities and Constraints

South Salt Lake City is a mature part of the Wasatch Front region with much slower projected overall population and employment growth rates than the region as a whole over the next 25 years. In order for the area to become a vibrant place to live and do business, new growth will have to take the form of infill development and strategic revitalization projects. The area around the TRAX station is currently a commercial district, with a residential concentration north of 2100 South and industrial activities to the south. New residential product types into the area immediately adjacent to the TRAX station and an appropriate mix of activities along 2100 South will maximize the opportunity for transit oriented development. An overview of real estate market conditions and economic trends suggests the following options for station area development:

• There is strong demand for new housing in the area but land supply is perceived as constrained.
• TOD guidelines for the area will signal the development community that new housing can be produced by redeveloping existing underutilized sites, addressing land supply concerns. New residential neighborhoods should connect to existing residential neighborhoods. This existing neighborhood is in Salt Lake City and commands higher real estate values than comparable units in South Salt Lake. Creating an image for the TRAX station area that is associated with the cache of Salt Lake City establishes higher value for new units and creates incentive for developers to build infill projects.
• Most retail uses in the area around the TRAX station are auto-oriented and serve a regional market. There is currently less demand for smaller-scale local serving retail amenities. While these uses can be viable, TOD guidelines for this area should concentrate pedestrian-oriented retail to key sites along 2100 South and limit the amount of ground floor retail so as not to over-saturate the limited market.
• There is virtually no demand for significant new office space in this area. The 2100 South area likely will never become a significant office node. Therefore, while office uses should be allowed in the TOD guidelines, they should not be considered a primary or catalyst use.
• The existing concentration of light industrial uses in the 2100 S. area appears stable and should be incorporated into future plans for the area, but should be appropriately buffered from residential uses.

Proposed Land Use and Urban Design Guidelines

Implementing TOD at the 2100 South study site involves addressing zoning issues, land consolidation, dual city involvement, and settling on an appropriate development scale. The 2100 South workshops focused on the reuse of underutilized industrial and commercial properties and the enhancement of established residential neighborhoods. Workshop participants felt that the area needs new residential opportunities, and improved pedestrian routes between residential areas and the station. Future area opportunities include a proposed TRAX extension to West Valley City to the west and rails to trails eastward toward Sugar House, with a longterm potential for a TRAX extension, both of which would bring more people through the study area that new development could capture.

Workshop participants recommended higher-density development along 300 West, which currently houses big box commercial buildings that sit far from the street behind large surface parking areas. New development would locate mixed-use buildings near the street and increase parking lot walkability by adding shade trees and designated sidewalks.

A new street within existing blocks just west of the rail corridor would provide links from the north and south to 2100 South, and allow for smaller scale, mixed-use development within walking distance of the station along a pedestrian-friendly street. Mixed-use development, primarily commercial with office above, is seen as critical to bolster the viability of a pedestrian-oriented zone along 2100 South from 300 West to State Street. With the draw of local employment centers and the existing and proposed residential neighborhoods, increasing the walkability of 2100 South would help support businesses that provide daily services for those who live or work in the area.

East of the station and south of 2100 South would contain a new higher-density residential neighborhood, accommodating a variety of income levels and local amenities within walking distance of the station. This area currently comprises many small properties. New residential development in this area would feather out into surrounding light industrial and commercial area using live/work units as a transitional building type. Currently, South Salt Lake increases to three times its population during the day due to the influx of workers, and would benefit from increased home ownership opportunities.

Future development near 2100 South Station relies on the consolidation of commercial and industrial properties within the study site. Currently, large-scale development of catalyst projects is limited due to the large number of small property owners and small average parcel size. To achieve redevelopment-scale properties through site consolidation, property owners and South Salt Lake City prefer the voluntary joining of properties and similar options over the use of eminent domain. However, the use of the RDA may still be a consideration.