MURRAY, Utah — Just a few minutes east of Interstate 15, near the hustle and bustle of State Street in Murray, lies Pointe at 53rd.
"It's a prime area for not only retail and commercial activity, but housing as well. It makes it very convenient for the people that live, work, and shop in the area," said Phil Markham, Murray City's community and economic development director.
But some big changes are on the horizon, starting with the closure of the area's Best Buy next month to make space for a new development. The closure of the anchor store was something many residents thought would happen after the area was rezoned in 2021 as "Centers Mixed Use."
The zone allows for commercial and retail activity, as well as mixed-use housing. The Pointe at 53rd area is currently the only one zoned that way in Murray.
Developer Gary Howland says they're still in the planning stages, but his group's idea is to create a mixed-use product with both housing and retail.
"He can add up to 35 units per acre of housing. With some accommodations, it could go to 45, depending on the plans submitted," Markham said, "and he would also have retail activity which is there presently,"
However, not everyone is happy with what could be coming.
"I feel like within the parameters of what is possible on a property like this, I feel like we could see some good things and I feel like this developer does want a project that's good for Murray and its citizens," said Murray resident Clark Bullen.
Bullen is hopeful about the opportunities that could come with the development, especially if there are new restaurants and community amenities, but he does have some concerns about the potential height of the development as well as how it will impact traffic.
"I hope to meet with Howland Inc. to talk about concerns like that to see if we can minimize the height, to see if we can work on traffic concerns already particularly by the Chick-fil-A as it gets pretty gnarly," Bullen said.
As discussion around the future development continues to grow, Markham says there are still several things that need to happen before permits would be issued.
"He has to submit a plan to the city; a concept plan that is reviewed. Once that initial concept plan is deemed to be an acceptable concept, then he has to submit architectural plans and engineering plans that receive a thorough review by city staff and sometimes even outside consultants," he said.
Markham also assured residents that the city will keep the public informed once it receives any concrete decisions or plans from Howland.
Residents like Bullen hope that with all the new housing developments in the works, attractions can be a future priority for the city.
"Maybe we can focus more on commercial opportunities," he said, "things that bring people in to spend money, an attraction, a focal point for the city instead of leaning heavily on the housing."
