By Kelly Cannon | [email protected]

Community ombudsman Bill Knowles reported on the current state of construction projects within the city to the Sugar House Community Council during its April 5 meeting.

Knowles began his report by saying as the weather starts to improve the city is going to see more construction projects happening.

The first project Knowles addressed was the Sugarmount Apartments on the corner of Sugarmount and McClellan, a project he described as being obvious since it has been going on for quite some time. The complex will have 300 apartments and is slated to be complete in late 2018.

“They have been busy and active. They’ve got the foundation and footing laid down,” Knowles said. “They’re sinking a few hundred support rods into the earth to help support the building with the type of earth they’re dealing with.”

Knowles said he informed the neighbors that now construction is about to begin, it may get noisy.

“It’s relative to the person hearing it. It may be louder than (they) think it is so do call. Make sure we’re not causing pain to businesses,” Knowles said. “Let’s keep an eye on it and see what happens. It could be very annoying.”

The construction crew has a permit to work from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. but Knowles believes they won’t work that late into the night and will most likely end their days earlier in the evening.

Next, Knowles discussed the Mecham Development, located at 2200 S. Highland Dr. The project was going to be a University of Utah medical clinic. However, the university has since pulled out of the project.

“It’s being redesigned internally for commercial office use,” Knowles said. “The footprint of the building will not change but they’re restructuring it to not include the medical clinic stuff.”

According to the last report given to Knowles, the project owners plan on going into construction by the end of summer.

“There’s some incentive to do that. They have to do that or they have to completely landscape that site following demolition and they can’t do any additional demolition,” Knowles said. “That’s something we’re keeping an eye on and getting updates on.”

According to Knowles, the Legacy Village project is wrapping up. Located at 1200 E. Wilmington Ave., the senior residential housing started in 2015 and is on schedule to open this year. Knowles said this is a critical fact since the Woodbury Corporation, who owns Legacy Village, can now move onto a hotel project just east of Legacy Village.

“Those plans have been approved. It’s been teed up and ready to go,” Knowles said. “Woodbury said it’s going to start as soon as he finishes Legacy Village.”

Another big project is an apartment complex located around 100 East and 2100 South. Demolition has begun and the construction is set to begin.

“They’ve got the equipment on site,” Knowles said. “They’ll begin excavating. It is finally an active project.”

Other construction projects happening in Sugar House include the Westport Capital Project at the former Shopko site. According to Knowles’ report, the owner plans to submit plans to the city and begin the review process with city departments. The project description is a University of Utah medical clinic, commercial office space and residential areas.

Final approval for a CVS Drug Store near 1300 East and 2100 South is completed and construction is imminent, according to Knowles. The chain drug store is slated to be complete by spring 2018.

The last project on Knowles’ report is an update on the Questar Gas line replacement. The project started in February and affects 1700 South between 700 East and 1300 East, as well as on 1300 East between 800 South and 1700 South.

For questions or reporting issues or concerns contact Knowles at 801-580-2626 or email him at [email protected].