Developer proposes mixed-use project for parcel next to Liberty Park
The area surrounding Liberty Park is continuing its incremental growth. Developers, Projection Three, plan to add to the area’s growth with a mixed-use development on the southwest corner of 500 East and 1300 South.
Based on planning documents, the project will consist of surface parking and two, two-story buildings that will include a mix of restaurants, creative professional office space and one-bedroom apartments.
“We feel that this mixed-use zoning deserves a true mixed-use structure (s) which is brand new, up to current code, more attractive for the area and attracts people in the community development and business/personal growth,” wrote the developers in their application to the city.
The project replaces two commercial buildings on 0.39 acres.
The developers are requesting front and side yard setbacks to allow them to build closer to the street. The first building will front 1300 South with a proposed 6-foot setback from 1300 South and 3-foot setback from 500 East. The building will include two potential ground floor retail spaces and four creative workspaces. The upper floor will consist of six one-bedroom apartments that will range in size from 419 square feet to 640 square feet. Renderings of the first building show a rooftop garden and gathering space.
The second building will include four residential units and four workspace units on both the ground floor and second floor with eight units of both types. The residential units in the second building will be larger with each unit around 550 square feet in size. The ground floor workspace units will front 500 East and include a terrace and the second-floor units will include a balcony.
In their application to the planning division, the developers argued that the setbacks were necessary to accommodate the needed parking and that the reduced setbacks “allow the building to be closer to the corner streets which promotes more walking traffic and entices shoppers to enter the building/restaurant.” Additionally, the developers argued that by building up to the street corners the project would better engage with Liberty Park patrons.
The proposed Liberty Park development is one of the several recent developments on the 1300 South block of 500 East. Last year two new projects opened directly across the street, the Liberty Park Place development, a six-unit live/work condominium project, and Amour Cafe.
Because of the setback exceptions, the developers need to go before the Salt Lake City Planning Commission for a conditional building and site design review.
