Vegas visit opens Layton's eyes
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By BRYON SAXTON
Standard-Examiner Davis Bureau
bsaxton@standard.net
LAYTON -- The city's leaders are hoping to borrow a little neon glow from Las Vegas commercial developers to make the 25-acre Fort Lane Shopping Center, and Layton's old downtown, glitter like gold.
Although the city doesn't own the shopping center site, near Gentile Street and Fort Lane, officials received approval from land owner Rep. Kevin Garn, R-Layton, to promote redevelopment of the property.
Four city leaders recently attended the International Council of Shopping Centers show in Las Vegas to network with commercial developers and businesses.
The group also toured commercial developments in the Las Vegas area so they could see what might work at the Fort Lane Shopping Center site, said Peter Matson, Layton's long-range planner.
The trip resulted in more than a handful of commercial tenants expressing an interest in expanding into Layton, including a group planning a visit in June, officials said.
"This is the largest retail convention in the world," said Ben Hart, city economic development specialist and organizer of the May 18-20 trip.
Joining Hart and Matson were Councilman Michael Bouwhuis and Mayor Steve Curtis.
Garn, a local developer and business owner, also had representatives attending the convention.
"We really wanted to understand what was appropriate for the Fort Lane Shopping Center," Hart said. "We went down for the purpose of scouting and (doing) research in finding what developers the city can work with."
City officials said they are encouraged by what the Fort Lane property offers in terms of redevelopment.
Working in favor of the property is its "walkable component" because of its proximity to Commons Park, the Kenley Centennial Amphitheater, Layton High School, the Davis County Central Branch Library and the FrontRunner commuter rail stop, Hart said.
The developers who met with city leaders have the ability to make projects like an open-air commercial center, a town center or a multiple-use commercial project work, Hart said.
"We talked with some of the biggest developers in the country," he said. "We got a very positive response, leading to some developers (agreeing) to come out and do a site trip (of Layton)."
A group from Omaha, Neb., is scheduled to visit the city June 10 for a tour of available commercial properties, including the center site, Curtis said.
City leaders told retailers and land developers how Layton is a progressive city and that their businesses could benefit by expanding into the area, he said.
The tenants showing an interest in Layton are very strong, Curtis said, and can bring to the city a unique commercial development that is more than just a shopping center.
"It is going in a direction that we have envisioned Layton should progress," Curtis said. "It's a window of opportunity, the development of old town, that we don't want to see shut."
Garn said his representatives also received a good response from commercial tenants.
"We won't develop the center unless we have an anchor," he said. "You just need an economic driver in a shopping area."
Outside of the need for an anchor tenant, Garn said he is open to concepts of interest to the city.
"One of the sticking points has been ... that they (the city) wanted all small shops with no anchor," he said. "The shopping center is unfeasible without an anchor."
Attending the convention appears to have softened city officials' thinking.
"I think we have overcome that hurdle," Garn said.
The city initially wanted to develop a lifestyle center, similar to The Gateway in Salt Lake City, he said. But developments like that need a higher population base and don't work as well in a suburban community.
Garn said he also has caught some of the vision city leaders have for his property.
"We could put a really nice anchor tenant there," Garn said, "and still have room for some small shops."
The shopping center needs to be high quality and include such amenities as running water and fountains, he said.
"We're very open to the concepts. We still have some time. We still have got to get that (south Layton Interstate 15) interchange built."
Other insight city leaders said they gleaned from the three-day convention was a better understanding of the type of development that needs to surround the Layton Hills Mall and how to better utilize the city's economic facilitators, such as the Davis Conference Center.
"This is the first time we have ever gone," Curtis said of the convention. "I think it was very beneficial."
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I think this is so great.. when I have went to Las Vegas and came back I always thought to myself how depressing it is around here and why don't we make things better around here. It will be very benificial.. It will make Layton a happier place and not so depressing..