When I walk the Avenues and talk with neighbors, I keep hearing the same things: we need more green space, more housing, more families, and more small businesses. The site where  LDS Hospital now stands offers us a once-in-a-generation chance to make progress on all four fronts.

This property is one of the most strategically important parcels in Salt Lake City. Just as the prison site in Draper was a regional opportunity for the Wasatch Front, the LDS Hospital site is a neighborhood-defining opportunity for the Avenues. The choice before us is simple: will we let it be redeveloped haphazardly, or will we be intentional about shaping it into something that strengthens our community?

I believe Salt Lake City should pursue either a direct purchase through the Redevelopment Agency (CRA) or a public-private partnership with Intermountain. Either path requires leadership and vision.

A Park for the Avenues

This corner of the Avenues lacks a true park. And yet, the hospital campus already functions as a gathering space. Let’s build on that connectivity. Imagine a central park anchoring future Avenues Street Fairs, weekend concerts, or neighborhood picnics. A green commons would be a daily amenity for residents and a civic space for the entire city.

Small-Scale Retail

We’ve seen how businesses like Avenues Proper and Hatch Family Chocolates draw people from across the valley. This momentum can be expanded. Let’s model the district after 15th & 15th: a wine bar, a bookstore, an artisan grocery. Local retail can be the rising tide that lifts all boats—providing jobs, enriching neighborhood life, and creating yet another reason people want to live here.

Family-Sized Housing

The North Star for housing here should be for-purchase townhomes under $500,000. These units would give people the ability to build equity, and unlike micro-apartments, they’re large enough to raise families. Our elementary schools are far below capacity, and enrollment across Salt Lake City School District declines year over year for the next decade. We can reverse that trend by creating housing stock that allows families to stay and thrive in the Avenues.

Addressing Congestion Concerns

Neighbors have rightly raised concerns about traffic and parking. These are important, but context matters. Today, LDS Hospital brings thousands of daily visitors, staff, vendors, ambulances, and even helicopters. Compared to that, any residential and retail mix would be far quieter and less disruptive than what exists today. And we’re not starting from scratch: the site already has two large parking garages and is served by bus route 209.

What’s Needed Now

The frustrating reality is that the city has no formal dialogue open with Intermountain about the hospital’s future. We are already behind. Too often Salt Lake City reacts instead of leads. This is exactly the type of issue where we must be proactive.

If elected, I will convene a task force on Day One to bring Intermountain, city leaders, and neighbors together to hammer out a vision. The time is now, not five years from now. The Avenues deserves leadership that takes initiative, not one that waits for someone else to decide our future.

The LDS Hospital site is a chance to add a park, family housing, and neighborhood retail—the very things residents say they want most. If we act with foresight, we can strengthen the Avenues for decades to come.