On Aug. 25 the Park City Council held the first of three work sessions with Brinshore Development, the firm selected to build the long-awaited mixed-use project at the intersection of Kearns Boulevard and Bonanza Drive.
Representatives from Brinshore asked council members about their various desires for the site during a two-hour meeting, running through topics such as housing, retail, underground parking and architecture.
Nothing has been finalized but elected officials shared several ideas for the property Monday, from an ice rink and splash pad to a diner and rooftops with public access.
Councilmembers expressed interest in reducing the density of the project and showed support for improving its aesthetic. Councilmember Ed Parigian said he doesn’t want the design to be “monolithic.”
“Just make it unique,” Parigian said. “You don’t have to have the same architecture in every building. You can do different styles.”
Councilmember Tana Toly said she wants the tone of the new district to feel familiar.
“I want it to feel a lot like Park City,” Toly said. “I don’t want it to feel like Salt Lake. I don’t want it to feel in any sort of way urban. I want to keep that mountain feeling.”
Councilmember Bill Ciraco referenced Old Town concerns about the project driving visitors away from Main Street. But he said the new district could help keep locals in town.
“This is going to replace a lot of those trips to Kimball Junction — the Redstone, Newpark sort of stuff,” Ciraco said. “Some of that mix is what we are looking to have in here.”
The city council also discussed the right balance for events.
“The goal is not to attract people necessarily,” councilmember Jeremy Rubell said. “The goal is to have an inviting community gathering space where all feel welcome.”
While talking about housing on the site, mayor Nann Worel shared worries about evacuating residents during a natural disaster.
“I don’t know if it’s 106 units or 150 units or whatever, but from my perspective, I’d really like to see us minimize the number of people that we’re forcing into this small area,” Worel said.
The city council is scheduled to meet again with the developer September 5 to further refine the site plan.
Park City Municipal is a financial supporter of KPCW.
