January 27, 2022

Salt Lake City has issued a Request for Information (RFI) in relation to the City-owned Fleet Block, located at 850 South 300 West. The City’s Department of Community and Neighborhoods is exploring future uses of the property and related benefits to the community. The property is approximately 8.75 acres and covers nearly an entire block. In exploring viable options for development of the property, the City is seeking to learn from the prior experience of others in developing urban infill projects.

“The Fleet Block is nearly nine acres of underutilized land in our capital city,” said Mayor Erin Mendenhall. “While the block has been a vacant eyesore for years, it has recently become a site of layered meanings. We want to see the site become a useful asset to our community that remains true to the community-building focus that has become associated with it – all while creating something beautiful and impactful in ways that the current use of the property isn’t,” Mendenhall continued. 

The City is committed to an open, inclusive, and transparent process for development of this underutilized public asset to ensure the forthcoming project reflects the community’s values. As such, the RFI is part of a larger strategy to gather input from the community, create an art healing process for the surviving relatives of local police interactions, working with underrepresented residents and businesses, community based organizations, and those marginalized by governmental processes, to save a meaningful seat at the table early in the process.

The Fleet Block property has been used for industrial purposes since at least 1911 and most recently as a Salt Lake City fleet vehicle repair and storage facility. The buildings have been used by the City or were leased until 2020 when deficiencies in the structures led to the abandonment of active uses at the property. During the summer of 2020, in response to calls for social justice, the property was utilized for community grief from police brutality, protest, and a call for social change, resulting in community-initiated murals on the property.

The property is located in the Granary District, which is emerging as an epicenter for inclusive creativity, art, food, and entrepreneurship while honoring the District’s industrial and past. The City intends to preserve the character of the neighborhood while fostering equitable, innovative, multicultural and sustainably safe spaces for historically marginalized residents.

“The Fleet Block holds some great opportunities for the City. We look forward to hearing responses from community members who are able to help us further realize the great potential this block has to grow and become a unique asset for the city while including the diversity and character of those who live and work here. We are excited about engaging with the local community to make the block thrive,” said Salt Lake City Council Chair Dan Dugan.

Development values, priorities, and concepts will be refined through public engagement processes, with preliminary ideas calling for a walkable, contextually-sensitive development that incorporates public space with mixes of residential, commercial, retail, or other functions. The forthcoming project is not only anticipated to uphold exemplary architecture and urban design standards, but to also incorporate community-focused benefits that center on social and economic inclusion.

Several community benefits are being considered, including public space to promote gatherings and free expression, and the incorporation of art and placemaking to build neighborhood identity, express community values, and heighten awareness of social issues. The City also intends the property to provide opportunity for historically marginalized residents, which may include affordable commercial space, access to jobs, mixed-income housing, critical neighborhood services, and other community assets.

The information gathered through this process may be used in further community engagement processes and may help inform a future Request for Qualifications/Request for Proposals process. For more information and to submit a response to the RFI, please visit the Utah Public Procurement Place and search for number SLCI22049. Responses will be accepted through February 25, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.