A town center for our community to gather, celebrate, and connect.

Cottonwood Heights has an opportunity to create a unique town center that serves as a true gathering place for residents: offering local dining and shopping opportunities, and providing open space, mountain views, and amenities that strengthen our community and create a stronger city identity.

The Heights: A town center with community at the core

In 2023, Cottonwood Heights purchased the former Hillside Plaza, a 10-acre parcel of land located at 2300 East and Fort Union Blvd., to serve as the city’s new town center (as envisioned in the City’s 2005 General Plan). With the help of a 12-member Community Advisory Committee, the city conducted surveys, held town meetings, and facilitated discussions to understand what residents valued most.

The result is a town center plan, called 'The Heights,' designed and built around community features and benefits. The restaurants and retail are centered on public spaces that will be used for various events, including holiday celebrations, farmers markets, art fairs, and more. Green spaces and kid-friendly areas encourage residents of all ages to play and connect. Identity-building elements like public art, landscaping, and signage will convey the Cottonwood Heights way of life. Additionally, a well-planned design prioritizes walkability and accessibility for all users, while maximizing mountain, city, and sunset views.

A public-private partnership that provides a balanced approach

To ensure that the town center includes these community-driven elements, the city is interested in providing an upfront investment to help cover the cost of public improvements to the site. This public investment will assist with the costs of public open space, pedestrian improvements and infrastructure, and public parking.

The city proposed a $30 million General Obligation bond to secure upfront funding, with residents given the opportunity to vote on this measure in the 2024 ballot.

The City is thrilled to announce the successful conclusion of the Town Center Request for Proposal (RFP) process, culminating in the selection of a preferred development partner. This milestone is crucial for the city's plans to design, engineer, develop, and operate the upcoming town center project.

Following a thorough review, the internal RFP selection committee—comprising Mayor Weichers, Councilmember Newell, staff representatives, and the city’s brokerage consultant, Mountain West Commercial Real Estate—reached a unanimous consensus. They chose Onyx Development and Thrive Development as preferred partners for this significant project.

An award letter has been issued to the Onyx and Thrive team, and the city is now moving forward with formalizing a letter of intent to proceed with the initiative. Key representatives from the selected development team recently attended a Council work session to introduce themselves and engage with the full City Council about the project.

This development represents a major advancement in bringing the vision for the town center to life, promising to enhance the community's landscape and create new opportunities for growth and engagement.

Mayor Weichers expressed his excitement regarding the announcement: “We are thrilled to have the chance to work with Onyx/Thrive. Their attention to detail and enthusiasm during the bidding process truly impressed us, and we look forward to partnering with them on a project our residents will cherish.”

A town center for our community to gather, celebrate, and connect.

The Heights: A town center with community at the core

A public-private partnership that provides a balanced approach

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This development represents a major advancement in bringing the vision for the town center to life, promising to enhance the community's landscape and create new opportunities for growth and engagement.

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