By Peri Kinder | [email protected]

The Point of the Mountain State Land Authority announced its development dream team in mid-July, selected to undertake the first phase of The Point project. Lincoln Property Co., Colmena Group and Wadsworth Bros. will bring the board’s vision to reality on the 78-acre mixed-use development called The Hub.

The Hub will consist of mixed-use retail, housing, entertainment, transportation, open space and gathering places, taking up just a portion of the 600 acres of state-owned land at The Point.

“Our commitment is to provide the citizens, and the children of the future, with the ability to move, work and play and not have to always be in your car,” said Draper Mayor Troy Walker. “It is our goal that this will be a place where the car is not king. This will be a place where transit can be the king.”

The Lincoln-Colmena-Wadsworth team was selected after a nationwide search for developers leading the industry in large-scale, sustainable community development.

State Rep. Lowry Snow, R-St. George, co-chaired the land authority board with Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson. He said feedback received from thousands of Salt Lake Valley residents, will guide the development and “Create a legacy that will last for generations to come.”

 Input included promoting a high quality of life, creating parks and open space, enhancing mobility with sustainable and strategic growth, and protecting the environment.

“Our guiding principles and goals of this board have been to always promote the public interest,” Snow said. “What is in the best interest of our state, not just the Wasatch Front, but the entire state.”

Walker said he’s been working on this project for the 14 years of his tenure in elected office. He sees the development as a way to promote quality of life. “This is the opportunity. This is the future.”

Deputy Mayor of Regional Operations for Salt Lake County Catherine Kanter, said The Point’s regional vision was not created out of thin air, but carefully crafted through a robust engagement process with communities.

“At Salt Lake County we strive to collaboratively work with state and local partners and organizations to leverage everyone’s strengths. This Point project has provided us an exceptional opportunity to do just that,” Kanter said. “The vision that’s come out of this is really something that reflects the public interest. That is really our guiding star.”

The Point is expected to be a new type of green development and a truly walkable city. It’s been said the project has the potential to become a world-class innovation hub, serving as a model for both sustainable and smart growth.

Using ingenuity to help solve problems, the Lincoln-Colmena-Wadsworth team will help create “visionary development” that will use less water and energy and work with surrounding communities to ensure the project benefits the region and the state.

Dubbed the largest and most significant development in Utah history, the project will include a special feature, designed to represent the area. Whether it’s an installation, sculpture or landscape art, “The Focal Point” will be an iconic and fundamental element to attract visitors and define the site. Residents are invited to share ideas for The Focal Point at ThePointUtah.org.

“The site provides an incredible opportunity to do some things we’ve not seen before,” said Alan Matheson, The Point executive director. “Those of us who are working on this project feel a heavy responsibility, representing more than 3 million residents of this state, to make sure we take this site and take this investment that they’re making and provide a return. Certainly an economic return but also a quality of life return for those today and those who will follow.”