Utah leaders break ground on first phase of ‘The Point’ construction

DRAPER — State leaders marked a major milestone Tuesday in the development of the site of the old state prison.

Gov. Spencer Cox, legislative leaders, and community members broke ground on what will be the first phase of construction on the 600 acres of state-owned land at the Point of the Mountain.

The first 100-acre plot of the site, which is known as The Point, will feature shopping, entertainment, a main street, and some high-density housing. A longtime chapel — the only part remaining of the state prison that wasn’t demolished last year — will also be included in the new development.

A rendering of a new development at the Point of the Mountain which will replace what used to be Utah’s state prison. The development is now known as “The Point.” (Courtesy The Point)

“It’s really one of the best locations in the nation,” said House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper. “What will happen here over the next decade or two will really help propel Utah moving into the future.”

Schultz and other state leaders jumped into excavators Tuesday morning and symbolically turned over dirt to kick off construction. One of the significant elements of this first phase is extending Porter Rockwell Boulevard and connecting it from the south to the north.

Leaders said the road will not just be for vehicles, but it will also include pedestrian and cycling paths.

“That’s one of the biggest transportation congestion areas in our state,” Schultz said, “so having this roadway come through here will be huge.”

Michael Ambre, executive director of The Point of the Mountain State Land Authority, said the new extension of Porter Rockwell Boulevard will likely open in two years.

Meanwhile, some buildings are also set to start going up in the next year along with other infrastructure, including utilities. Utah lawmakers set aside $165 million to pay for infrastructure at The Point, which leaders said will be loaned and paid back with interest from proceeds on future ground leases on the site.

“We’ve been planning and designing infrastructure for over two years,” Ambre said, “so to see this happen — and now it’s ‘go time’ — it’s great when you see things starting to move.”

Crews began phase one of a new development at the site of Utah’s old state prison at the Point of the Mountain, now known as “The Point.” (Greg Anderson, KSL TV)

In his remarks during the ceremony, Cox touted the “thousands of new housing units” that will be coming to The Point as a critical step toward addressing the state’s housing shortage.

When asked for specifics, Ambre said there’s still “a lot of studies right now on housing” and what it will look like at The Point.

“I can’t tell you exact numbers at this point, but there will be a lot of opportunity for housing,” Ambre said.

Ambre said the first phase of construction will include some market-rate apartments for lease, but he did not know what the breakdown of affordable and market-rate units would be. Earlier this year, leaders told KSL TV several hundred of the more than 3,000 multi-family housing units in phase one would be classified as affordable.

Workers have been busy since early this year prepping the site and installing some of the natural gas and other infrastructure ahead of Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony.

Leaders said developing all 600 acres of the state-owned land at The Point will take about 30 years. Phase one is slated to take 15 years, but Ambre said crews hope to reduce that timeline.

Draper Mayor Troy Walker said it’s satisfying to see construction starting on the development after years of planning.

“It’s a beginning, which is good,” Walker said. “We’re doing it finally.”