SALT LAKE CITY — The development hopes to include multi-income housing, retail, childcare opportunities, and other amenities for the west side, but while some in the community are excited about the project, others have concerns."It takes me two-and-a-half hours to get here," Lopez explained.
"If we look at the [median incomes] that will be served here, it goes from 20% up to 80%," Petro said."Those are certainly the families that are being displaced. It's not just preventing their displacement, but it's allowing them to stay in their community in a dignified beautiful new rejuvenative way."
"I wasn't a councilmember when it was a problem area, I was just a mom in the neighborhood reading on the Facebook page every time a stolen bike would be found here, a new fire would break out here, or a drug bust would happen here," she said."Now that they've moved everything out of the way, I get off here every day, and I don't see nothing," Lopez said.
Nicolas Cardinas owns Nico's Mexican Restaurant across from the new development and says the neighborhood is already better off with the closure of the motel, and believes the new development will make things even better.Cardinas, Lopez, and Petro are excited about the increase in housing, retail, and community amenities for the west side, while others worry the development is another act of gentrification by the city.