Vineyard surprises Utah County with exploding growth
Rendering of the high-end townhomes currently under construction in the town of Vineyard.
Some 150 townhomes in the new housing developments in Vineyard have already been pre-sold.
The town of Vineyard, located between Provo and Orem, is currently experiencing a housing boom.
The little historic farming town of Vineyard, west of Orem, is beginning to take on the trappings of major suburbia as developers are working on a master plan of housing and shopping that will extend from Geneva Road to Utah Lake.
Designed by Anderson-Geneva, the plan encompasses former Geneva Steel land that developers picked up in foreclosure.
Utah Governor Gary Herbert came to the groundbreaking about a year ago and work has been quietly progressing on an area that someday could be home to as many as 27,000 people, a sizeable increase from the 235 people who now live there, according to a 2012 estimate.
Chief among the developers is R2R Ventures. Already a 300-unit apartment complex is under construction as are a series of 420 townhomes, dubbed Edgewater. Additionally, R2R plans another 468 apartments.
“This is a hidden gem,” R2R partner Greg Bird said. “We pre-sold 150 of (the townhouses) before we ever broke ground.”
R2R consists of Bird, Chad Christopherson and Bart Brockbank.
The townhomes, which carry a nautical theme, carry price tags of $215,000, $225,000 and $230,000. Inside they are decked out with high-end finishes including granite countertops, tile floors and other upgrades as standard under 9-foot ceilings.
The grounds will be fully landscaped and include a pool, a kiddie pool, splash pad, hot tub, 11 tot-lots or playgrounds for youngsters, a smaller version of a tennis court and a clubhouse, fully amenitized with a theater and exercise room.
Through the complex, developers are installing wireless hotspots for tech-savvy residents and their guests and will have Internet capability that will rival Provo’s Google fiber, Bird said.
Well under construction, the townhomes will be finished in real stone, hardyboard and some stucco. About two miles of sidewalks and trails will meander throughout the community. In total, more than 2,000 residential units are in various stages of design and construction. Sky Realty is handling sales through agents Pamela Dutcher, Natalie Gustin and BJ Jackson.
The townhouses include four major plans, the Catalina, the Bay, the Sailor and the Captain.
Two main roads will connect with Geneva Road to access the property. Mill Road has already been partially constructed and extends off Orem West Center. The second road is under construction and is to connect to Orem’s 400 North.
A major road, dubbed the Vineyard Connector, will come off Orem’s 800 North and connect to I-15. A state highway, the two-year project was recently awarded to road builder W.W. Clyde.
Meanwhile, a bridge is planned over the Front Runner tracks giving motorists a straight shot from Geneva Road to Vineyard City Hall. All in all, the new community will have three major roads in and out of it, a rarity in the country, Bird said. Additionally, motorists will also be able to access to area via Orem’s 1600 North, 800 North, Center and University Parkway.
Further into the developing area, Utah Valley University bought 225 acres, which will double the acreage of its Orem campus, and is intramural sports fields.
Closer to Geneva Road a 78,000-square-foot Larry H. Miller megaplex theater is under construction that will house the latest technology to make it one of only 65 such theaters in the country, Bird said. The west-facing theater features 13 screens plus two IMax screens.
The community’s nautical theme extends to the theater, which boasts two towers reminiscent of coastal lighthouses. A center marquee juts 100 feet into the sky and will be seen from I-15. Some 100,000 square feet of retail space on about eight acres is planned in front of the theater.
Utah Transit Authority has also joined in and has planned a Front Runner station in the community.
With much of Provo and Orem already built out, the expansion of tiny Vineyard holds much promise for the future of Utah County.
