In the next 10 to 20 years, downtown Provo will be transformed into a vibrant area full of housing, dining and retail spaces.

These changes are being made in hopes to provide unique products, services and experiences that will not only attract BYU students, but also young singles, older empty nesters, renters, homeowners and affluent business owners. "Our goal is to have a thriving downtown," said Paul Glauser, the director of the Provo City Redevelopment Agency.

Glauser also said he characterizes the future of downtown Provo as a place that doesn't shut down at night.

The Provo City Redevelopment Agency chose the Economics Research Associates to conduct an analysis for two reasons, Glauser said. First, the ERA is a nationally recognized agency with high credibility, and secondly, it was the last piece of information needed to start the planning.

"We are ready to start strategic planning in the next few months," Glauser said.

The ERA has taken into account the demographics and composed an eight-point plan to successfully achieve the goal of bringing life back to Provo, implementing a stronger downtown business neighborhood and real estate environment for the future.

"We have the real thing here. Lifestyle centers, which try to copy the feeling of traditional downtowns, have replaced enclosed malls and strip commercial centers as the hot form of shopping district," Glauser said. "Downtown Provo is an authentic traditional place. People crave authenticity in their living environments."

The city will focus on attracting anchors for the business community, he said.

Large downtown businesses, a performing arts center and a conference center will attract a larger number of people downtown and thus generate more revenue for downtown shops and businesses.

"The revitalization will help the economy of the city," Glauser said. "More people working downtown and more people living downtown will provide a stronger market for shopping and living," he said.

With the new development, the city has pledged to maintain a pedestrian friendly environment and preserve the historic sidewalks, he said. The ERA is committed to maintaining a safe area for pedestrians to ensure that visitors can enjoy the historic scenery on foot.

The 35-square-block area will provide a dense mix of activities, but not every building will have a variety of uses. Some of the blocks will be dedicated strictly to retail, businessor housing.

Before the ERA conducted research, Dan Jones and Associates was asked to poll Utah County Residents about their attitudes of living downtown. After the preliminary research, the ERA's market research shows that downtown Provo will be a great place for high-scale apartment developments as well as condominiums.

The main concern for this growth seems to be the parking. The current parking availability is adequate for the current space. However, as the area grows, parking will need to be added.

"If they put more shops and restaurants downtown, I sure hope they have enough parking," said Ashley Anderson, a BYU student.

Copyright Brigham Young University 23 Jan 2007