On Thursday the city released a request for proposals (RFP) allowing developers to submit ideas for creating a new mixed-use destination at the center of town.
The RFP details Park City’s site goals, including affordable housing, commercial space, underground parking and a new headquarters for the Kimball Art Center.
The city wants some of the retail space to offer reduced rents exclusively for local businesses. Housing should also “ incorporate a range of unit prices and affordability levels, including deeply affordable housing.”
The cost, design and number of units in the project will be up to private developers, who will try to check all the boxes as set forth in the RFP.
The proposal further asks for a minimum of 35,000 square feet of community open spaces, including multiple small parks and a large central gathering space for events and concerts. The city wants developers to prioritize public transportation access, as well as pedestrian and bicycle pathways.
Park City Mayor Nann Worel said in a press release that the project will lead to “a local-centric destination” and “an affordable place to call home.”
The city hopes the spotlight of the 2034 Winter Olympics can help draw the attention of elite development teams.
In a statement to KPCW, Kimball Art Center Executive Director Aldy Milliken said the nonprofit is “excited to partner with Park City Municipal to select a visionary developer for this important property in town.”
"This RFP is a vital step in finding a permanent and sustainable home for the Kimball," Milliken said. "For creativity to thrive in Park City we ask the public to continue to support the arts during this next phase.”
Per the RFP, Kimball will get a “stand-alone mixed-use building on approximately 0.785 acres.”
Project plans for a reimagined Bonanza Park neighborhood have been in the works for nearly a decade.
Park City purchased the five-acre parcel for $19 million in 2017, intending to form an arts and culture district, with the Kimball Art Center and Sundance Institute as core tenants. The concept evolved to also include housing, parking and a transit center, but the project was put on hold when costs topped the $100 million mark.
After hitting the reset button, the city is gathering community opinion about the future of the property through online surveys and open houses. The city council used that feedback to work with consultants on an RFP that reflected public support for a mixed-use area with parks, commercial space and art.
The Sundance Institute has not been involved in the second phase of planning for the site, as it considers potentially leaving Utah altogether in 2027.
The site is currently zoned as general commercial, which has a building height limit of 35 feet, or about three stories. Affordable housing developments can go up to 45 feet. But Park City planners are currently undergoing a full review of the code that governs the entire Bonanza Park neighborhood. And based on the RFP, the city is open to exploring zoning that would “achieve community benefits.”
Submissions from developers are due Nov. 6. The city plans to conduct interviews in November and begin negotiations with a firm in December.
