Developer cleans Sugar House site

Salt Lake City officials are satisfied with a Sugar House developer's cleanup and landscaping of the once-blighted construction site on the corner of 2100 South and Highland Drive.

Developer Craig Mecham met the city-imposed July 3 deadline to remove debris, complete or clean up demolition work, secure a perimeter fence and landscape the site, said Helen Langan, spokeswoman for Mayor Ralph Becker.

"The biggest concerns were safety and that it was more aesthetically pleasing for the community," Langan said. "We feel they've addressed both of those concerns adequately."

City building officials met and exchanged letters with Mecham and his attorney in May and June over community concerns about the state of the then-stalled project and the developer's failure to live up to his commitment to landscape the site.

Mecham twice requested extensions on the start and completion of landscaping, arguing that the work would have to be removed when construction resumed. The city stayed firm on both occasions, holding the developer to conditions outlined in his demolition permit.

Trees, bushes and flowers now line the construction site along 2100 South and Highland Drive, and a sprinkler system has been installed to sustain them.

In addition, the shell of the former Blue Boutique building has been completely torn down, along with its neighbor to the west that formerly housed the Maridadi Gallery and the (M)adam & (St)eve erotic bakery.

The Blue Boutique building, owned by Mecham, shared its west wall with the neighboring structure, a building owned by Rockwood Investment Associates. Demolition of Mecham's building stalled in April when crews determined the building could not come down without significantly damaging Rockwood's building.

Mecham, who owned the wall, gave Rockwood until the end of June to prepare for the wall's removal.

Mecham plans to construct a high-end residential, office and retail development at the site, though the timetable for that construction is unclear. The project has not yet been presented to the Planning Commission for approval.

Mecham did not return phone calls seeking comment.

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