Editor:

From day one I was a strong supporter of a mixed use development on the site of the old JC Penney building on Main Street and Pages Lane. I envisioned a smaller version of Salt Lake City's Gateway Center where they have a mix of residential, commercial retail, and commercial office space. I was pleased when the city opted for a similar mixed use development.

Unfortunately, with a four to zero unanimous vote, (council- woman Barbara Holt was absent), on Sept. 26, 2006, the Bountiful City Council approved a significantly altered site plan for the new Village on Main Street. The council adopted the contractor's recommendation eliminating about half of the planned commercial office space at the development.

The new plan reduces commercial office space from about 32,000 square feet to about 16,000. I understand the contractor's concern that it is difficult to lease commercial office space on the south side of the development where there is no street frontage, but that could have been anticipated and should have been addressed prior to the development being approved.

Commercial office space is critical part of any mixed-use development. Each part of a mixed-use development supports the other creating a synergistic effect that boosts the local economy and improves the overall living experience of the residents. Without the office space, the development is in jeopardy of becoming little more then another apartment complex with a few retail shops and restaurants.



John Marc Knight

Bountiful

john.knight@us.army.mil