Long‑time residents of the 800 East corridor in Salt Lake City are rallying against a developer’s request to rezone three historic lots for a mixed‑use apartment complex called The Viv. The proposal would replace three homes built in 1901, 1906 and 1921 with a five‑story building containing 109 apartments and ground‑floor commercial space.
Historic homes at risk
Ann‑Michelle Neal, who lives in a 1906 house with her daughter Amelia, a pre‑med student at the University of Utah, says the original tile work, fireplace and other details are irreplaceable. “It’s both functional and beautiful, and those are things that can’t be replaced,” Neal told the news outlet.
Neal’s daughter added that the location is a five‑minute walk to the TRAX light‑rail, saving her from paying for student housing. “I worked really hard in high school to get a scholarship that covers my tuition, so not having that student debt is really, really nice,” Amelia said.
Neighbors’ concerns
Other homeowners, including Christina Linsehoten, who has lived next door for about five years, say the uncertainty makes it difficult to plan for the future. “We need to find a place,” Linsehoten said, noting her household has no alternative housing ready.
Debora Wrathall, a vocal opponent of the rezoning, says more than 100 neighbors have signed a petition to keep the three lots under their current moderate‑density multifamily zoning. The group supports new housing on the corner lot, which is already zoned for mixed‑use development, but wants the historic residential parcels preserved.
City process
The Salt Lake City Planning Commission voted 4‑3 to recommend approving the rezoning while voting 6‑1 to recommend denying the amendment to the Central Community Plan that would allow the mixed‑use development. The commission also tabled a separate design review, according to city records.
A public hearing on the proposal was held by the Salt Lake City Council on May 5. As of the latest update, the council has not taken a final vote. Council staff member Kate Werrett indicated that District 4 Council Member Jennifer Napier‑Pearce has been in negotiations with the developer, though details of those talks were not disclosed.
Community response
Neighbors plan to gather at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the intersection of 800 East and Linden Avenue to ask the council to reject both the rezoning and the community‑plan amendment. “I would appreciate being part of the discussion,” Wrathall said, emphasizing the importance of community input.
Hardage Hospitality, the property owner, has not responded to requests for comment.
Why the fight matters
For residents like Neal, the issue is not just about parcels and density; it’s about preserving the people who call these homes their own. “When people talk about these things and this rezoning, they talk about parcels and they talk about capacity and density. They don’t talk about the people,” she said.
The outcome will affect the character of a historic district, the availability of affordable housing, and the balance between new development and preservation in Salt Lake City’s growing downtown area.
Original reporting: FOX 13 KSTU (Salt Lake County) — read the source article.
