When the Summit County Council votes on a new development agreement for the land next to Skullcandy’s headquarters in Kimball Junction, it’s not voting on the entire future of the area.
Developer Dakota Pacific Real Estate is looking to build housing west of Skullcandy. To the east, where the library is, the county has plans for a land swap to expand the transit center and replace the Sheldon Richins Building.
“There's some conflating what we're wanting to do on our Richins parcel and your project,” Councilmember Chris Robinson told Dakota Pacific Oct. 23. “They are related, but what we want to do on our property should not hurt you.”
Since residential development was formally proposed 5 years ago, the overall vision has shrunk in density but grown in complexity.
The three big pieces are: a 750-unit neighborhood west of Skullcandy, a civic center with more housing east of Skullcandy and the state’s pending traffic improvements for the entire area.
Dakota Pacific’s Director of Commercial Development Steve Borup said the traffic piece can only be resolved after the neighborhood and civic center are decided.
“From what I understand, [the Utah Department of Transportation] and the legislature are waiting for us to act, to come to an agreement,” he said Oct. 23, “then they will act—not the other way around.”
The county council is expected to vote on the neighborhood development before the end of the year. That’s before the state legislative session in January—lawmakers have previously passed bills to hurry the proposal along.
The adjoining civic center also needs council approval, but it will be a partnership between Summit County and Dakota Pacific sharing the costs. A master plan shows a mixed-use plaza, pedestrian bridge and better civic services, including a new library and transit center.
Dakota Pacific initially brainstormed a budget where the county contributes $39 million to the public-private partnership.
Oct. 23, Robinson proposed an even 50-50 split, which Borup said he understands but can’t commit to without an internal conversation.
“Between what the county is going to benefit, versus what our development’s going to benefit—I don't know how you quantify that,” Borup said.
The parties will dive deeper into the financials next week ahead of a Thursday, Nov. 7, public hearing.
The hearing begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Newpark Hotel near Newpark Boulevard and Highland Drive.
