Shopping Centers Today is the news magazine of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
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the state. Low unemployment in this Utah region of 1.5 million known as the Wasatch Front, combined with a median household income of $66,000 a year and some vibrant growth projec- tions, can be expected to give the proj- ect continued momentum. Noting that the state boasts the youngest population in the country, a highly educated work force, low corpo- rate taxes and energy costs, and consis- tent economic growth, Forbes magazine rated Utah best state for business and careers in 2010 and 2011. Because City Creek Center is so strategically woven into the downtown fabric, it will appeal to conventioneers, Utah Jazz fans, ski tourists and travelers from around the state and the world, Mitchell says. The seeds for City Creek Center were sown nearly a decade ago, after a friend of the Mormon church and of Taubman's recommended that the firm be brought in as a consultant. "Eventu- ally, we struck a larger deal," Taubman said. "It helped that we were driving higher sales per square foot than anyone in the industry." Stan Laegreid, design principal on the project for Seattle-based Callison Architects, called the center "one of the most challenging malls I've helped build." He said the creek and the re- tractable-roof elements were not part of original plans. "The original freshwa- ter creek that flowed there had historic 178 SCT / MAY 2012 meaning, and we really liked the idea of paying homage to that," Laegreid said. "It makes the project more specific to Utah and gives it more of a family orien- tation as well." Much to its credit, the Mormon church went out of its way to incorpo- rate innovative ideas in order to create a destination where millions will want to linger, Laegreid says. "They didn't want to be portrayed as just writing a check," he said. The designers, includ- ing executive architect Hobbs & Black, were challenged to create separate park- The Mormon church went out of its way to incorporate innovative ideas in order to create a destination where millions will want to linger. ing areas and other delineation points for the retail portion to separate it from the office and residential components. Taubman's retail expertise was a vi- tal asset for the entire project, says Mark Gibbons, president of City Creek Re- serve. "We share an especially produc- tive partnership with The Taubman Company," Gibbons said. The firm, he says, helped create a "uniquely synergis- tic" amenity for City Creek's condo, of- fice and apartment residents. The mall opened 92 percent leased. (The residential component is proving to be slower to fill, even though former presidential candidate Jon Huntsman created a buzz by buying a two-bed- room, two-bath condo in the 30-story Promontory tower, according to pub- lished reports.) City Creek Center will not have the market all to itself by any means. Regional competition comes in the form of 650,000 square feet of retail in the 2.1 million-square-foot, mixed- use Gateway District, which opened in November 2001 for the 2002 Win- ter Olympics; Fashion Place, in nearby Murray, owned by General Growth Properties; and the 30-year-old Trolley Square mall, previously owned by Si- mon Property Group. City Creek Center stands to win a slew of design awards and has already earned praise from the Sierra Club for recycling more than 50 percent of its demolition debris and for its use of na- tive plants for landscaping. The project is LEED Silver–certified. In his remarks at the opening, Utah Gov. Gary R. Herbert called City Creek Center a milestone that will help revital- ize the state's capital city and give down- town Salt Lake City a new beginning. Noted MacDonald: "The bar has really been raised high." SCT