A vision for transforming the University of Utah’s campus over the next decade is coming into focus.
On March 11, the university’s Board of Trustees approved the Campus Physical Development Framework for planning a campus of the future that will match President Taylor Randall’s audacious growth goals. Ideas include transforming campus from commuter-focused to residential, centering student life and “college town magic” at the southeast corner of campus, innovating sustainable transportation and parking solutions to ease access to campus and moving the Jon M. Huntsman Center.
“This is the highlight of this new plan and the largest change—a focus on building a college town not only for students, but also for faculty and staff, where we can engage together and build community in a very different way,” Randall said. “Let’s roll up our sleeves and start executing now.”
Since his inauguration in 2021, Randall has set aspirational goals for the institution—growing the student body to 40,000, garnering $1 billion in research funding, preparing for the 2034 Olympic Winter Games and building an entrepreneurial and experiential learning infrastructure for students—that would lead to the U achieving top 10 public university status.
Developed in tandem with the U’s Strategy 2030 strategic planning process, the framework is guided by the same principles: providing best-in-class student and patient experiences, stewardship of the campus environment and ecology, maintaining and improving access and convenience, and retaining the university’s status as an employer of choice for faculty and staff.
The framework has evolved over a 14-month, campus-wide planning process that included engagement of campus stakeholders, outreach to university neighbors and best-in-class planning experts, including NBBJ architecture and design firm Aretee Consulting.
“The amount of time and thorough detail that we’ve gone through over the last months has been amazing,” said Bassam Salem, a Board of Trustees member. “It was wonderful to be able to dig into every aspect and make sure we understood everything.”
The guidelines for future planning decisions are based on enhancing six existing and evolving campus districts or “neighborhoods”—academic and research, health, college town magic, cultural, athletics and research park.
The most immediate, and dramatic, change will be moving the Huntsman Arena, which has anchored the southeast corner of campus for 55 years. The home of men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, convocation and commencement ceremonies, and thousands of alums’ memories has become dated.
In a letter to fans this week, U Athletics Director Mark Harlan noted that history, and efforts to maintain community and fan experiences, as well as the physical structure.
“This marks just the beginning of what will be a very thorough and comprehensive journey to identify the ideal location for a new arena,” Harlan said. “This gives us the opportunity to explore a completely reimagined in-venue experience to serve our athletics programs and our great fans who support those teams.”
The adjacent Jon M. and Karen Huntsman Basketball Facility and the recently expanded Dumke Gymnastics Facility will remain in their current locations. However, HPER (“Hyper”) gymnasiums and many College of Health spaces, the Turpin University Services Building (home of Print and Mail) and now-empty Safety Building (an old annex) could be impacted as the southeast corner of campus evolves. Also critical to “unlocking” that corner of campus—locating and building a new parking garage and parking lots.
Those changes will make it possible to transform the newly central southeast corner of campus and remaining Fort Douglas property into a college “town” centered around housing, food, recreation and wellness venues for up to 14,000 students. New developments for the 24/7 space could include restaurants, a grocery store and retail shops.
Responsibility for implementing the framework, and following a detailed process of approval, will be handled by the Campus Master Planning Committee. The committee will define metrics for “best-in-class” experiences and “highest and best use.”
This week, trustees authorized campus leaders to explore alternative sites for the sports arena and present recommended locations and cost estimates by September. Trustees also asked the committee to identify gaps in shared infrastructure and services, starting with dining and parking. And the trustees requested a comprehensive study of campus access and a parking strategy, including recommended locations for a new parking structure and additional lots.
See the presentation here:
