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SALT LAKE CITY — Allen Park has remained mostly the same since Salt Lake City acquired the unique 93-year-old property a little over four years ago, but city planners now have a better vision of what it could look like in the future — and how much it will cost to renovate.
The Salt Lake City Public Lands Department on Friday released the final version of its Allen Park adaptive reuse and management plan, which maintains the "arts and sciences in the wild" concept that emerged from public feedback gathered before a draft version of the document was released late last year. It also advises that implementing all of the outlined changes could cost between $19 million and $25 million.
The 261-page document outlines how historic elements — including many of the old, tiny homes lending to its nickname of "Hobbitville" — will be preserved, while its stream corridor is revitalized and more "passive" recreation is included. The city also plans to include new education opportunities including some plans for inside of the renovated homes.
"The concept balances the ecological needs, arts and historical needs of the site in a way that invites visitors to enjoy this oasis in the city," Salt Lake City Public Lands Department planners wrote.
The revised plan
Most of what's included in the layout remains the same as the draft version released in December 2023, but there are some changes, says Katherine Andra, planner for Salt Lake City's public lands department.
The biggest adjustment is that a 12-stall parking area by a new south entrance at 1400 East near Westminster Avenue was removed in favor of a bike rack next to the pedestrian path leading into the park. Andra explained that there were concerns brought up about it drawing traffic in a "densely residential" area, while the heavier traffic along 1300 East, near its main entrance, made it difficult to build out parking without digging into the park.
"It was very clear that parking was a concern as we open this park up as a regional amenity," she said.
The plan recommends that the city pursue alternative options instead, such as amending some street parking restrictions for the residential streets near the park or reaching parking agreements with nearby Westminster University. Andra said more public transit options are also encouraged to help get people to the park.
The planning document does recommend some new parking near the 1300 East entrance, but that would fit the needs of people with disabilities. A few other small adjustments were made based on other feedback collected since December.
Key elements of the final Allen Park plan:
- A new entrance will be made at the park's southern end at 1400 East. It won't have a parking lot, but some parking near the 1300 East entrance is recommended to fit the needs of people with disabilities.
- Nine of the buildings inside the park, including the Roost and Allen Lodge, will be preserved and converted into a mix of uses. The Allen Lodge will be used for park offices and a history museum, whereas the 1384 Duplex building will be turned into a public restroom space with four all-gender bathroom stalls and the Roberta house will be used as a maintenance facility space. The rest could be used for arts, sciences or community studios — or may remain to "protect against trespass."
- The culvert where Emigration Creek runs through the park will be removed and a bridge will connect the park's east and west edges.
- Fences protecting the historic homes will eventually be removed and more traditional park space will be opened, especially at the southeast corner of the park where three homes will be removed. New gathering areas will be added at the west end of the park toward 1300 East.
- The aging main park road will be converted into a bike-friendly trail. New pathways will exist linking a new entrance at 1400 East to the main park road at two locations. A path will also link the main road with two of the buildings that are currently closed off.
- Restored or new pedestrian lighting will be added throughout the park as needed.
- The city will retain an option for a potential future path extending past the park's eastern boundary that could eventually link up to 1500 East or nearby parking lots in the area.
- The plan recommends that the park retain its no-dog policy, initially created after incidents between dogs and the peacocks that roam around the site. It doesn't recommend a policy on peacocks in the park, and a final decision on the future of peacocks in the park will come from city administration.
- Poppy fields will be improved near Allen Lodge; new or improved "major art objects" will exist near the lodge, too.
A short, online public comment period opened last week before the plan is officially adopted by the city. Andra said the department sent the document to city leaders, but it may be implemented toward the end of September without a Salt Lake City Council voting process since it's not a master plan.
Though that may be the case, she explained that there would likely be some form of communication between the city department and city leaders before the plan is carried out.
"We do kind of want to get a thumbs-up on it (from city leaders) before we move forward," she said.
Paying for upgrades
Salt Lake City already paid $7.5 million in park impact fees to acquire the property in 2020. The city bought the private residential land amid concerns the unique property — built between the 1930s and 1960s — could be demolished and turned into new development.
An $85-million general obligation bond residents passed in 2022 included $4.5 million toward some site improvements.
So, how can Salt Lake City cover the rest of the cost of a potentially $25 million project from sources outside of the city? The document outlines possibilities for grants, donations and/or partnerships with government or nongovernment organizations tied to outdoors, history, art and education.
It also recommends construction be carried out in different phases over multiple years — possibly even in the next 25 years — to spread out construction and cost impacts.
"We will definitely need more money to, specifically, work on the structures," Andra said. "The vision concept that we released is kind of a 20-year vision — like what ultimately do we want the full build-out of the park to be?"
Easier steps such as repaving the main path, replacing the culvert with a bridge and removing buildings slated to be demolished are recommended to take place first.
More detailed planning for the first changes outlined in the document is expected to begin later this year. Andra expects that the first phase will likely go through about a year of planning and design work, as the city determines which projects can be paid for through the money already allocated to the park.
Construction on initial improvements would begin as early as 2026.
The more lofty goals, including renovating the buildings slated for preservation, are recommended later. That allows the city more time to figure out funding sources to turn the park into the vision outlined in the management plan.
