Expanding boundaries comes with growth in Central Ninth
In the real estate world, one sign of an up-and-coming neighborhood is when its boundaries continue to expand (Sugar House for example). That is becoming the case with the Central Ninth neighborhood.
According to planning documents, Alec Harwin of Sojourn SLC is asking the city for a partial vacation of a city-owned alley. The vacation would allow the developer to buy the air rights over a portion of the alley to build the Central Ninth Lofts, a six-story residential building on the 100 West block of Goltz Avenue, a block south of the 900 South onramp (usually considered the southern boundary of the Central Ninth neighborhood).
The development would occupy the entire southern stretch of the block between 200 West and Jefferson Avenue on Goltz Avenue with four floors of residential to be built above the alley. The project will also maximize the height limit allowed under current zoning. The proposed development is zoned R-MU (Residential Mixed Use District), which allows for heights up to 75 feet. The project will need a favorable recommendation from the Salt Lake Planning Commission and approval from the City Council to acquire the air rights over the alley before they can build.
The project will include 105 residential units that will most consist of one-bedroom apartments with a few studios and two-bedroom units. The residential units will occupy floors three to six while the first two floors will be a structured parking consisting of 151 stalls. The parking will be accessed via the alley.
Courtyard and outdoor space will be included on the third floor and rooftop level.
Although the project is south of what would typically be considered the Central Ninth neighborhood, real-estate boundaries are historically flexible. The project is one of many under construction or in the works in or around the Central Ninth neighborhood.
The Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City (RDA) has made the Central Ninth a focus area for redevelopment. Construction has started on the Central Ninth Market, a mixed-use retail and commercial project adjacent to the Blue Copper Coffee Room on the 100 West block of 900 South.
In September the RDA board approved a loan to Form Development to build a to build a four-story, 43-units residential building at the corner of Fayette Avenue and Washington Street.
The Salt Lake Planning Division will include the development in this month’s Open House on Thursday, December 17th at 4:30 p.m. at the fourth floor in the City County Building.
