×
×
homepage logo
SUBSCRIBE

Eagle Mountain’s downtown plan comes into view; City Council to review final concept design soon

By Curtis Booker - | Feb 1, 2025
1 / 3
A rendering shows a near-final concept design of a gathering space in the future Eagle Mountain Downtown plan.
2 / 3
A rendering shows a near-final concept design of a gathering space in the future Eagle Mountain Downtown plan.
3 / 3
A rendering shows a streetview concept design in a near-finalized design for the future Eagle Mountain Downtown Plan.

Eagle Mountain leaders haven’t been shy in expressing their desires to capitalize on the growth the city is experiencing.

Officials are working toward an ambitious goal of developing a downtown area for Eagle Mountain residents and those from nearby communities to enjoy.

Over the past several months, MHTN Architects has worked closely with city leaders and the community to develop a preferred design for the downtown.

After garnering mounds of feedback and suggestions from the Eagle Mountain City Council members, residents, business and landowners, MHTN Architects drafted a “preferred downtown concept plan,” which was reviewed by the council last month.

Ryan Wallace, director of planning and urban design at MHTN, presented the near-final concepts of the Downtown Master Plan during the council’s Jan. 21 work session meeting.

The design shows how Eagle Mountain’s potential future downtown would be split into multiple districts — one that would include a civic center with a new city hall, library and space for another civic building; another meant to serve as an all-season gathering place with a central feature, a permanent amphitheater and multipurpose space; and a festival street, primarily a pedestrian environment meant for small businesses, eateries, shopping and more.

Wallace described the concept’s goal of providing the desired amenities community members would want in a downtown area while also being mindful of access points for various transportation modes and incorporating key landmarks that citizens can easily familiarize themselves with.

“You want that in your downtown, you want a space to say — meet me at Basecamp Plaza, or meet me at you know, one of the other landmark locations, those become important as people orient themselves in the downtown,” Wallace said as he outlined the design before the council.

The plan would support year-round activities, creating an atmosphere for citizens to enjoy and businesses to thrive in.

The design was met largely with positive reaction by council members, though some concerns about parking and accessibility for seniors were raised.

Beyond conceptual designs, Eagle Mountain leaders said it also includes architectural and landscaping recommendations, guidelines for hosting events, strategies for maintaining the area over time and detailed implementation planning.

“The vision we have for this downtown will bring many people to visit, but to shop small businesses, spend time at events, go on walks, have great food and utilize a variety of amenities,” said Evan Berrett, economic development director for Eagle Mountain, in an email.

The proposed design shows access points into the downtown area from Pony Express Parkway and Mid Valley Road.

The downtown plan would seemingly align with long-range transportation plans in the city.

With the upcoming extensions of Mid Valley Road westward to Eagle Mountain Boulevard (and the future Cedar Valley Highway) and east through the Lake Mountains to Mountain View Corridor, and the connection of Old Airport Road to Cory Wride Highway later this year, Berrett said the future downtown area is in a very convenient location for transportation access.

As one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, Eagle Mountain’s population surpassed 60,000 residents last year, according to census data.

The population could grow to more than 140,000 residents by 2050, according to projections by the Mountainland Association of Governments.

The downtown initiative is part of a larger effort to meet the growing needs of Eagle Mountain’s expanding population, city officials said.

Neighboring Saratoga Springs and nearby Lehi, both which are also exploding in populations, are also exploring their own respective future downtown plans or revitalizations.

Berrett said Eagle Mountain plans to acquire about 20 acres of land to execute the downtown plan.

Following a discussion of the nearly-finalized concepts at the work session meeting last month, MHTN is in the final stages of revising the Downtown Master Plan.

It is anticipated that the completed draft will be presented to the city’s steering committee in the coming weeks. From there, the City Council is scheduled to review the plan again for possible adoption at its Feb. 18 meeting.

If approved, Eagle Mountain City will begin working on implementation of the plan immediately, according to city officials.

Buildout would happen in phases and would likely take several years before completion.

In the meantime, feedback remains paramount and residents are encouraged to stay informed and voice opinions on the project’s webpage.

“This downtown, designed truly to match the character, identity and potential of Eagle Mountain, is going to be fantastic and I can’t wait to walk through it in hopefully just a handful of years from now,” Barrett said.