Walk Main Street up through Old Town and count the three- and four-story buildings along the street.
Check out the three- and four-story buildings thoughout the Prospector commercial district, the Regency and Alberto’s, the Sheraton, along with the tall two-story buildings, including The Park Record’s building.
Then, by all means, go on (and on) about the three-story buildings and the one four-story building ruining everything forever across the street at the 5-acre parcel the city owns in Bonanza Park, that lovely pristine wilderness in the center of town.
Apparently, buildings twice the height of what is planned in the flats a mile or two away at the base of Park City Mountain and in the historic district are fine, but these destroy the pretty view for milliseconds at a time while driving past on Kearns or Bonanza Drive with those veritable towers shorter than trees on the site now. Never mind the small point that precisely no one is looking that way while driving there.
I don’t want to throw cold water on earnest critics, but is there some point where reality takes hold?
Or, dear God, better tear down that high school, the Eccles, the football stadium, higher yet than the development at the corner of Kearns and Bonanza now running through the Park City Planning Commission gantlet.
Tear down Alberto’s and the Regency, too. Tear down The Park Record’s building, please. It’s two stories, but a very tall two stories, like the buildings around it just about as high as three-story buildings. Must have gotten an evil exemption from a corrupt City Council and Planning Commission; aren’t all of ’em corrupt these days? But all these precious views, lost.
And that density, oh the density. Maybe 60% of those 5 acres owned by the city devoted to soviet-style big blocs? A regular Manhattan, or Moscow, yessir.
And the traffic, let’s not get started with that. Other than anyone living there would not be commuting in from out of town. That is, contributing to the morning and evening rush hours. That would be impossible, since they would already be here.
But people who work in Salt Lake City might snap up those affordable units! Or hold jobs in Heber City, while taking these affordable units. Sure. Like people struggling to find affordable housing on working-class wages couldn’t find less expensive digs closer to work. Like the Heber Valley isn’t scenic. Like they’ve swamped the other affordable housing sites in town? Which, um, hasn’t happened, but it could! It’s possible, right?
Sure, this all makes so much sense. Like a green park with symphonic concerts next to busy streets in a community full of parks and quieter venues.
Yes, we’ve heard, critics are not against affordable housing, just not at this site, or that one, or that one either. There’s always somewhere else to put that. Not here seems to be the point, always.
Or affordable housing is no longer needed. A new place just got built. Isn’t that enough?
Or let the county handle it. Property values are hurting in Park City.
More seriously, there is understandable weariness with all development. When does it stop? Sprawl indeed is something to dread along the Wasatch Back, and for more than the obvious reasons. So stop sensible in-fill too?
Ah, there’s a question: Is the plan for the city’s 5 acres sensible at this point? Is there enough public good in 88 affordable rentals and some dedicated art space for an otherwise private mixed-use development? Does 2 acres left green, buildings shorter than first contemplated, and parking tucked underground balance the exchange enough?
These are the questions I wish critics would focus more on.
Meantime, after nearly a decade now of inaction on the site, how much longer shall the perfect be the enemy of the good?
Don Rogers is the editor and publisher of The Park Record. He can be reached at [email protected] or (970) 376-0745.