In Pictures: West Station Apartments misses the mark

Isaac Riddle on January 6, 2015

Rendering of the West Station Apartments.
Rendering of the West Station Apartments.

West North Temple’s first Transit Station Area (TSA) development, the West Station Apartments, will be a car-friendly, gated community according to the project’s website.  The West Station development is currently under construction near the 1940 West North Temple TRAX station.

The development includes 145 residential units with 212 surface parking spaces located behind the building.  Amenities will include a fitness room, outdoor pool, spa, sundeck and bicycle storage.

The project gets points for bringing density to an area dominated by big-box retail and fast foot chains. The developers have promised to build a landscaped, pedestrian walkway connecting the apartments to North Temple, which will help break up a large surface parking lot.

Although the project scored well against the TSA guidelines, it is discouraging to see a TSA development be gated off and therefore isolate itself from the neighborhood.  True transit inspired development engages with the surrounding community.  The development also provides significantly more parking spaces than there are units, which encourages driving over use of the adjacent TRAX line.

There is plenty of land ready for development along North Temple, hopefully the next wave of  development along the corridor will mirror the mixed-use walkable projects found near North Temple and 600 West, than what West Station Apartments is building.

The northern wing of the West Station Apartments as seen from the Harold Street. Photo by Isaac Riddle.
The north wing of the West Station Apartments as seen from the Harold Street. Photo by Isaac Riddle.
The south wing of the West Station Apartments with the north wing in the background as seen from the Harold Street. Photo by Isaac Riddle.
The south wing of the West Station Apartments with the north wing in the background as seen from the Harold Street. Photo by Isaac Riddle.
The northern wing of the West Station Apartments as seen from the Harold Street. Photo by Isaac Riddle.
The northern wing of the West Station Apartments as seen from the Harold Street. Photo by Isaac Riddle.
The south wing of the West Station Apartments as seen from the Harold Street. Photo by Isaac Riddle.
The south wing of the West Station Apartments as seen from the Harold Street. Photo by Isaac Riddle.
The east side and main entrance to the West Station Apartments as seen from the Harold Street. Photo by Isaac Riddle.
The east side and main entrance to the West Station Apartments as seen from the Harold Street. Photo by Isaac Riddle.
The east side and main entrance to the West Station Apartments as seen from the Harold Street. Photo by Isaac Riddle.
The east side and main entrance to the West Station Apartments as seen from the Harold Street. Photo by Isaac Riddle.
The south wing of the West Station Apartments as seen from the Harold Street. Photo by Isaac Riddle.
The south wing of the West Station Apartments as seen from the Harold Street. Photo by Isaac Riddle.

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Posted by Isaac Riddle

Isaac Riddle grew up just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. He has a BA in English literature from the University of Utah and a Masters of Journalism from Temple University. Isaac has written for Next City, The Philadelphia Public School Notebook and Salt Lake City Weekly. Before embarking on a career in journalism, Isaac taught High School English in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. Isaac is the founder of Building Salt Lake and can be reached at isaac@buildingsaltlake.com.

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