KSL+

Redwood Swap Meet vendors out by Dec. 22 as redevelopment edges ahead

Dec 1, 2024, 8:04 AM | Updated: Dec 21, 2024, 4:48 pm

West Valley City leaders approved plans paving the way for redevelopment of the Redwood Swap Meet s...

West Valley City leaders approved plans paving the way for redevelopment of the Redwood Swap Meet site despite strong opposition from many at a meeting on Sept. 17. (Photo: Tim Vandenack, KSL.com)

(Photo: Tim Vandenack, KSL.com)

WEST VALLEY CITY — Vendors at the Redwood Swap Meet have to vacate the site by late December to make way for planned new housing.

Redwood Swap Meet managers advised the vendors last week that the Dec. 21-22 weekend would be the last one for the popular outdoor bazaar, presenting them with a formal written notice of the departure date. “They went stand-by-stand, making us sign the paper,” said Cristian Carbajal Gutierrez, a vendor who has helped spearhead efforts protesting the city’s plans.

Beyond that, he’s not sure about the timeline for redevelopment of the 26-acre site, which doubles as the Redwood Drive-In, one of the last drive-in theaters in Utah. Draper-based EdgeHomes plans to clear the site and build 300 housing units at the location at 3688 S. Redwood Road, including 244 two-story townhomes, 40 three-story condominiums, and 16 single-family homes.

EdgeHomes reps on Monday didn’t respond to queries seeking comment and a West Valley City official referred queries to the developer. While city officials approved the rezoning of the commercial property on Sept. 17 — allowing the housing project to proceed — they otherwise aren’t involved in the development.

“We have zero role with the swap meet,” said West Valley City spokesman Sam Johnson.

The proposed housing layout at the Redwood Swap Meet and Drive-In site in West Valley City. Swap meet vendors have until Dec. 22 to vacate the site. (Photo: West Valley City)

The development proposal pitted the vendors, many of them Latin American immigrants who rely on the income they earn at the swap meet to survive, against a developer and the intense demand for new housing. Carbajal Gutierrez and other vendors had pressed city officials to maintain the commercial zoning designation, hoping to preserve the property for use by the small business operators and perhaps other businesses as well. Proponents of the change, though not legally bound to approve the rezone allowing the residential proposal to move forward, stressed the importance of the landowner’s property rights.

An entity called De Anza Land and Leisure Corp. of Los Angeles, California owns the Redwood property, but the principals in the family-owned business are aging, which spurred their plans to sell the land to EdgeHomes. Along the way, vendors and their proponents showed up at varied gatherings of West Valley officials as they weighed the plans to air their concerns, sometimes crowding the municipal building and holding signs reflecting their opposition.

While the timeline to clear the expansive Redwood site hasn’t been publicly revealed, Carbajal Gutierrez said he and other advocates for the vendors have been searching for a new site where they can relocate. “They’re not sure what to do, where they’re going to store their items, how they’re going to get money. … (For) a lot of people, that’s their only way of getting money,” he said.

Swap meet sales typically go down in the winter, though, and he’s hoping a new location can be pinpointed in time to have the vendors back up and operating by next March. Potential sites include the Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City, Centennial Park in West Valley City, and the grounds of Salt Lake Community College in Taylorsville. “All of these that I’m mentioning, we’re still in talks with them,” Carbajal Gutierrez said.

KSL 5 TV Live

KSL+

The DC-7C airliner took off from McChord Air Force Base on June 3, 1963, with 101 passengers and cr...

Feliks Banel, KSL Podcasts

Unsolved Histories episode 1: ‘Brothers’

When Greg Barrowman waved goodbye to his teenage brother Bruce at an airfield, he had no idea that the events that would transpire on that day would affect his family for the next six decades.

4 months ago

A 41-year-old woman living in Taylorsville was sentenced to a year of home detention and five years...

Collin Leonard, KSL.com

Pilates instructor ordered to repay 15 years of disability benefits

A pilates instructor living in Taylorsville was sentenced to a year of home detention Monday after Social Security agents found her exercise videos on social media while claiming disability benefits.

4 months ago

An Orem man is facing a criminal charge after police say he ran over a man who had fallen in a road...

Pat Reavy, KSL.com

Orem driver charged with running over man in Provo

An Orem man is now facing a criminal charge accusing him of running over a man who had fallen in the street and not stopping to help.

4 months ago

An officer helps free a car stuck on Main Street in Farmington, Dec. 14, 2015. When it comes to get...

Ivy Farguheson, KSL.com

Teen drivers should be educated on emergency preparedness

When it comes to getting teen drivers prepared for the emergencies that can arise on Utah's streets and highways, the message is the same: You have to talk literally about it.

4 months ago

Fourth District Judge Anthony Howell ruled Thursday to dismiss a defamation lawsuit lawsuit filed b...

Emily Ashcraft, KSL.com

Judge dismisses lawsuit against Millard County newspaper

A 4th District judge dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed against a Millard County newspaper in a ruling on Thursday.

4 months ago

Detective Jim Guzman, from Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office, holds a deck of cards filled with the...

Collin Leonard, KSL.com

Utah families look to new technology to solve cold cases

Despite being named the Hope Conference, many attendees have a complicated relationship with the word hope.

4 months ago

Sponsored Articles

holiday gift basket with blue tissue paper and gingerbread cookies...

Kneaders Bakery & Cafe

Holiday hacks for a stress-free season

Get more out of your time with family and loved ones over the holidays by following these tips for a stress-free season.

2 computer techs in a computer shop holding up a computer server with the "hang loose" sign...

PC Laptops

A comprehensive guide to choosing the right computer

With these tips, choosing the right computer that fits your needs and your budget will be easier than ever.

crowds of people in a German style Christmas market...

This Is The Place Heritage Park

Celebrate Christkindlmarket at This Is The Place Heritage Park!

The Christkindlmarket is an annual holiday celebration influenced by German traditions and generous giving.

Image of pretty woman walking in snowy mountains. Portrait of female wearing warm winter earmuff, r...

Lighting Design

Brighten your mood this winter with these lighting tricks

Read our lighting tips on how to brighten your mood in the winter if you are experiencing seasonal affective disorder.

A kitchen with a washer and dryer and a refrigerator...

Appliance Man

Appliance Man: a trusted name in Utah’s home appliance industry

Despite many recent closures of local appliance stores, Appliance Man remains Utah's trusted home appliance business and is here to stay.

abstract vector digital social network technology background...

Les Olson

Protecting yourself against social engineering attacks

Learn more about the common types of social engineering to protect your online or offline assets from an attack.

Redwood Swap Meet vendors out by Dec. 22 as redevelopment edges ahead