Junction Commons: A Calculated Risk

The forwarding of the Junction Commons project to the Summit County Council feels less like progress and more like a scheduled transfer of liability. Singerman Real Estate, having already committed over $20 million to rebranding and ‘facility upgrades’ – a term which invariably translates to distressed cladding – proposes a 433-unit mixed-use development. The inclusion of 205 affordable units is, of course, the performative gesture demanded by the current climate. Frankly, the reduction of 100,000 square feet of commercial space is the only sensible aspect. The architectural rendering, while unavailable for review, I assume will involve extensive use of fiber cement siding and perhaps a misguided attempt at exposed steel. The focus on pedestrian access and High Valley Transit integration is a transparent effort to deflect criticism regarding inevitable traffic congestion around the Dakota Pacific Real Estate developments and the Utah Olympic Park expansion. The Snyderville Basin Planning Commission’s concerns, echoing those of Commissioner Sagerman, are valid, if predictably ignored. The overall ROI hinges entirely on the continued influx of out-of-state capital, and the aesthetic…suffices. A tactical, if uninspired, play. Buy, contingent upon a thorough materials assessment, and a preemptive lawsuit against the Kimball Junction HOA.