What We Did
Location
Salt Lake City, Utah
Years
2017 – Present
With the purchase of 9.5 acres of underutilized property located on the edge of Sugar House; an amazing opportunity was created not only for investors but also for the community. When news broke that the current property tenant, Shopko, was going out of business, the new owner Westport Capital received a flood of interest from potential partners and speculation about what the property would become began instantaneously. Called Hello Sugar House!, we put into action a community engagement plan.
Along with our partners Wilkinson Ferrari & Co., our team identified key stakeholders and community groups in the Sugar House area that could guide opinion and share information with larger audiences. We interviewed stakeholders individually and presented to larger community groups in order to understand what opportunities and challenges they saw in Sugar House.
With the initial community feedback in hand, we reconvened a group of 12-15 community stakeholders to further explore ideas for the development. During a two-hour exploration session, we refined project solutions for connectivity, building uses, massing, and overall look and feel.
The project received Planning Commission approval in June 2017 and we began marketing outreach to the community including teasers about the development as we transitioned into branding the new project.
The unnamed project first needed a name. A three building center, the developers wanted the project branding to exude a sophistication and high-quality modernness that would be present in the final development. Noting that the project sits between and connects two parks through a new road: Sugar House Park and Fairmont Park, we named the project Park Ave.
The project consists of three buildings: a University of Utah Health Care center, a modern office building with sweeping views of the mountains and city, and an upscale apartment building located in the heart of Sugar House.
We created a visual identity and brand for the new center that took cues from both the name, history of the site, and integrated community feedback. We also created a brand launch video for the brand that helped begin the leasing process.
Our team assisted the client in planning several construction milestone events including the groundbreaking ceremony and “topping out” of the steel on the first building. Both events included designing an impactful celebration, creating the program, coordinating logistics, and facilitating media coverage. We also worked with commercial brokers to help develop sales material to lease space in the office tower.
We designed the Park Ave SLC website to accomplish a multitude of tasks. Initially it was used as brand amplification tool to showcase the project to the public as interest was high in what would be located at this important intersection. Ultimately, the website is being used as a tool for leasing, describing not only the project, but why Salt Lake City and Utah as a whole is such a great home for business.
The site showcases the project location, information about the actual project and each of the three buildings, construction updates, and press releases. It’s also used to continue gathering and communicating with the public audiences interested in what’s happening between the parks.
