The corner of West Temple and Fremont Avenue was the site of three known drug houses as recently as 15 months ago, with the buying, selling and using of narcotics spilling over to neighboring Jefferson Park.

Today, there is no sign of those houses, and police say the criminal element they attracted has greatly diminished. In their place is a new housing project that seeks to revitalize the neighborhood and provide residents with a modern, energy-efficient alternative in home ownership.

Mayor Rocky Anderson visited RowHaus Condominiums on Tuesday morning to help celebrate the opening of what he called a "visionary" and "model project" for Salt Lake City.

The new housing complex at 1130 S. West Temple incorporates several energy-saving and environmentally conscious elements, making it a "model for generating a minimal carbon footprint," Anderson said.

The nearly 2,000-square-foot, three-story condos were built with 12-inch-thick insulated concrete forms, described by developer/builder Mark Wisniewski as "oversized foam LEGO blocks" that provide "superior energy savings for cooling and heating."

Large tinted windows and energy-saving appliances also contribute to the row house-style dwellings' Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, signifying that the project meets the highest performance of green-building standards. RowHaus also is less than a five-minute walk from a TRAX station and close to restaurants, shopping areas and Franklin Covey Field.

"This is the kind of project that is definitely a trend-setter," said Anderson, a longtime champion of environmental causes.

Because of the green-building measures, the $300,000 condominiums are attracting residents who are concerned about the environment and the community. As of Tuesday, seven of the 24 units had been sold.

The removal of drug houses and construction of RowHaus has gone a long way toward reducing crime in the area, Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank said. Children can now be seen playing at the park.

In the two years prior to the homes being demolished, police received "dozens of calls for help" from the area, Burbank said.

"There were drugs going in and out of these houses," he said. "The three homes were the site of six search warrants by Salt Lake City police alone during that two-year period."

Before the houses were demolished, developer Blue Conservancy allowed the Salt Lake City Fire Department to use the houses for controlled training burns.

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E-mail: jpage@desnews.com