Thursday, July 15, 2010

Provo pledges help for downtown development

The Municipal Council recently approved creating a redevelopment district on the block north of the proposed Utah County Convention Center to help create Freedom Plaza. The plaza, which will be built by PEG Development — creators of the Zions Bank Financial Center — will consist of a mid-rise hotel, parking deck, multi-family housing and commercial space. The development will be on the block bounded by Freedom Boulevard (200 West), 300 West, 100 North and 200 North.

In recent years , two high rises have taken their places in the downtown skyline, the Wells Fargo Building and the Zions Bank Financial Center. The city also renovated the former public library into the Covey Center for the Arts, a move seen by supporters as a catalyst for reviving downtown.

Utah County is gearing up to build a convention center at the corner of Freedom Boulevard and Center Street. Nu Skin Enterprises is also planning to build a major office building next to its Center Street headquarters, as well as a Gallivan Center-like plaza on 100 West. The Salt Lake Tribune