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Salt Lake City approves Smith's Ballpark redevelopment zoning after height reduction

Salt Lake City approves Smith's Ballpark redevelopment zoning after height reduction

Built World Salt Lake City, UT local

Unanimous council vote caps buildings at 95 feet and guarantees 5 acres of open space on the former Bees site

Yesterday: New zoning adopted unanimously

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

Salt Lake City's council voted unanimously Tuesday to rezone the 14.8-acre former Smith's Ballpark site, clearing the way for a mixed-use redevelopment first proposed after the Bees left in 2024. The new zoning caps buildings at 95 feet in most areas, down from the 150 feet city planners originally recommended.

The vote locks in two community-driven priorities: a 5-acre open-space floor and a height limit responding to residents' concerns about heat and neighborhood character. The Community Reinvestment Agency now oversees ground leases and development deals, though full build-out is expected to take five to ten years.

Why it matters

The zoning vote locks in what can be built on 14.8 acres in Salt Lake City's Ballpark neighborhood, shaping housing and green space for decades.

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Key Indicators

37%
Reduction in building height cap
Max building height cut from 150 feet to 95 feet after community opposition.
5 acres
Guaranteed open-space floor
At least 5 acres of the 14.8-acre site reserved as public open space.
14.8 acres
Rezoned site size
Former stadium and parking lot, mostly public land before the change.
Unanimous
Council vote
Salt Lake City Council adopted the zoning map and text amendment without dissent.

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People Involved

Organizations Involved

Timeline

2023 October 2026

7 events Latest: Yesterday
Tap a bar to jump to that date
  1. New zoning adopted unanimously

    Latest Zoning Vote

    Council approves MU-8 and MU-5 zoning for the 14.8-acre site, clearing the way for redevelopment.

  2. City amends to lower heights

    Amendment

    Leaders move MU-11 areas to MU-8 (95-foot cap) and pledge at least 5 acres of open space.

  3. Planning commission recommends MU-11

    Recommendation

    Commission endorses zoning allowing up to 150-foot buildings, drawing strong resident opposition.

  4. City Council approves Ballpark NEXT

    Approval

    Council, acting as CRA board, unanimously approves the redevelopment plan in Darin Mano's final meeting.

  5. CRA releases redevelopment plan

    Plan Release

    Community Reinvestment Agency unveils Ballpark NEXT, including a proposed 150-foot building via a new MU-15 zone.

  6. Bees announce departure

    Announcement

    Larry H. Miller Company says the Salt Lake Bees will move to South Jordan after the 2024 season.

  7. Ballpark NEXT launched

    Planning

    Salt Lake City opens a design competition and community visioning process for the site's future.

Scenarios

1

Phased redevelopment begins with first housing RFP

Likely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Salt Lake City CRA, Building Salt Lake

The CRA is already drafting the first request for proposals for housing on the northern parcels. If this proceeds, the first construction could break ground within two years, with the stadium's partial demolition following in 2027 or later. The city plans to activate the stadium for events while the redevelopment moves forward.

2

Redevelopment stalls amid budget or lease disputes

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Developers at community panel, Building Salt Lake

Developers warned of a five-to-ten year timeline, and unresolved questions remain over ground leases versus outright land sales. City budget pressures could push sales, delaying community priorities like the library and open space. The partial demolition of the stadium may not happen until 2027 or later.

3

Height cap or open-space floor is revised

Unlikely Resolves by Oct 20, 2028

Discussed by: Future councils, developers

If the 95-foot cap or the 5-acre open-space floor makes development financially unworkable, a future council could amend the zoning. The MU-8 and MU-5 designations are now codified, so any change would require a new vote. This would likely follow developer pressure during the request-for-proposals process.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2017-2023

Turner Field redevelopment, Atlanta (2017-2023)

After the Braves left Turner Field in 2017, Atlanta redeveloped the stadium and surrounding parking lots into a mixed-use community with housing, retail, a park, and Georgia State University's new football stadium. Perkins&Will led the master plan.

Then

The project brought thousands of housing units and new public open space to the neighborhood.

Now

It became a national model for stadium adaptive reuse, showing how a vacant ballpark can anchor broader community transformation.

Why this matters now

Perkins&Will is leading the same kind of effort at Smith's Ballpark, applying the Atlanta playbook: preserve part of the stadium, build housing and green space around it, and let the site anchor neighborhood growth.

1931-2013

Bush Stadium / Stadium Lofts, Indianapolis (2013)

Indianapolis's minor league ballpark, home of the Indians from 1931 to 1996, sat vacant for years before being converted into 138 apartments that preserved the brick facade, grandstand, and outfield wall.

Then

The conversion opened in 2013 and became a model for stadium-to-housing adaptive reuse.

Now

It demonstrated that preserving a stadium's structure can create distinctive housing while honoring local history.

Why this matters now

Smith's Ballpark's planned partial demolition and reuse of the southern stands echoes this approach, keeping part of the stadium for a community venue while redeveloping the rest.

Sources

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