Work starts on Pleasant Grove project

PLEASANT GROVE — Pleasant Grove officials have broken ground on a 700-acre gateway business project along Pleasant Grove Boulevard, but they say efforts are under way to ensure the effort does not negatively impact existing downtown businesses.

Economic Development Director Paul Blanchard says he and his team are working hard to make sure the downtown remains viable.

Ground was broken on the first phase of the mammoth development project Wednesday. Retail shops, big box stores, restaurants and multi-family dwellings are expected to eventually fill both sides of the roadway leading from the new freeway interchange.

"We're just excited to see this. We've worked long and hard on this, our first major development project as a council," said Pleasant Grove City Councilwoman Cindy Boyd. "Everybody's working like a team."

Boyd said she isn't worried about the impact on the existing Macey's grocery store or the businesses located around the intersection of State Street and the boulevard because she believes competition tends to stimulate economic growth.

Blanchard said he is working hand-in-glove with downtown business owners to ensure their survival.

"We want to balance the growth and the plans so this doesn't overwhelm the downtown," Blanchard said. "We're bringing in an expert on downtown revitalization because the downtown has some unique challenges."

Downtown merchants have complained for years that their interests were being ignored while city officials focused on other areas and new businesses.

Melanie Miller, the owner of Melanie's Gourmet Gardens, spearheaded a move a year ago to bring the 45 downtown merchants together because she feels the city isn't committed to helping save the historic district.

"I do feel neglected. We are extremely low priority on their (City Council) list," she said. "We should be a destination off of that exit."

Blanchard said every effort is being made to help the downtown merchants.

Meanwhile, the gateway project kicked off Wednesday with the Dana Point Commercial Center, which will put a 20,000 square-foot, multi-tenant store flanked by several pad-site businesses along 10 acres on the east side of the boulevard in its first phase.

In the second phase, a 12,000 square-foot multi-tenant building will be built on the south end of the property.

In approximately one month, the developer for the west side of the boulevard is expected to break ground.

The property to the south is owned by an Idaho developer who intends to bring in big-box retail and professional office buildings, Blanchard said.

Around those areas, there is a "huge amount of residential activity" planned, he said, mostly multi-family and townhouse type homes.

"There are currently 3,000 homes under construction or approved," Blanchard said.

Pleasant Grove has not bonded or offered incentives to the developers other than to participate heavily in the $16 million road leading to the freeway which is landscaped beyond what is found at most exits.

"That's gone a long way to attract the businesses," Blanchard said.

---

E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com