Sugarhouse

I'm going to focus on Sugarhouse for a little while. Some people spell it "Sugar House", but I prefer one word, so I apologize in advance to anyone who's offended. The following map shows the location of Sugarhouse:

This neighborhood got its name from the founders of the neighborhood who hauled machinery in from Europe to produce sugar from sugar beets. The corner of 1300 East and 2100 South is generally accepted as the heart of Sugarhouse. The picture below is of the lot on the southwest corner of that intersection:

A couple of years ago, this empty lot was full of eclectic shops that thrived in this location with cheap rent and plenty of people milling around. The anchor was Sugarhouse Coffee, located right on the corner. In 2007, Craig Mecham, the land owner, decided it was time to redevelop, much to the dismay of many of the locals. His vision was to keep the retail component, while adding office and residential space. He got ready for construction, and tore down the old buildings. As it turned out, the timing couldn't have been worse. For months, this sat as on open pit, while Mr. Mecham kept hoping for financing to come through. Eventually, he filled in the pit and added some landscaping around the perimeter.

According to interviews that he's given to the media, Mr. Mecham is still committed to his vision. Someday, this will be a vibrant development, hopefully with at least a few locally-owned businesses scattered in. For now, this empty lot is a stark reminder of the current economic conditions.