Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Redevelopment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Holiday outlines Cottonwood Mall redevelopment, creek improvements and new housing
Summary
Holiday city engineer and officials described the long-running redevelopment of the 57‑acre Cottonwood Mall site, noting about 400 residential units entitled, nearly 300,000 sq ft of office/retail under construction, major Big Cottonwood Creek channel improvements and a target to increase on‑site open space to roughly 25% over the next five years.
John Taylor, Holiday city official, described the Cottonwood Mall site’s multi‑decade transformation and current construction activity. "Cottonwood Mall was the east side's version of Fashion Place," Taylor said, tracing the site's history from its 1950s–60s heyday to a 2006 master plan that reimagined the 57‑acre property as a mixed‑use center.
Taylor said the site has been shaped by multiple planning efforts and flood‑control projects, including Army Corps and state work to channelize Big Cottonwood Creek. Those improvements, he said, reduced flood risk and helped restore riparian vegetation: "the cottonwood trees came back within a year and a half," a speaker observing the area’s tree regrowth noted during Q&A.
Taylor said the current, locally owned developer has entitled roughly 400 residential units and nearly 300,000 square feet of office and commercial space now under construction; much of the site is already under vertical construction. He added that approximately 80% of the 57 acres is currently occupied by buildings or pavement and that the city hopes to increase open space to about 25% as the project completes, a process Taylor said could take about five years.
City staff and attendees discussed traffic and active‑transportation connections. Taylor and Holiday staff described a 7‑ft public path along Big Cottonwood Creek the property owner has granted public access to, and said the city has a grant to study pedestrian and bicycle access improvements along Highland Drive. In response to a question about nearby commercial redevelopment, Taylor said surrounding property owners are rethinking plans but face current zoning limits.
The presentation concluded with staff offering to share master plans and a project website in the meeting chat, and noting ongoing work on a bridge reconstruction at Bickerstaff Creek and an improved signalized intersection serving a new Trader Joe’s access.
The TAC did not take formal action on the Cottonwood Mall presentation; staff offered to provide links to the master plan and to answer follow‑up questions offline.
