Salt Lake City’s Avenues neighborhood, known for its charm, historic character, and close-knit feel, is at the center of a major planning effort that could shape its future for decades to come. City planners are midway through developing a new Avenues master plan—the first update since 1987—and community feedback is playing a key role in determining what comes next.

A Historic Neighborhood with Unique Roots

Platted in the 1850s, the Avenues was Salt Lake City’s first formally designed neighborhood. Unlike the wide 132-foot streets and sprawling 10-acre blocks in the city’s original Plan of Zion, the Avenues featured smaller blocks and narrower streets. This design naturally fostered walkability, neighborly connection, and a sense of community.

The last master plan update in 1987, however, prioritized preserving the status quo. It limited development above 18th Avenue, maintained single-family housing as the norm, and downzoned areas once open to multifamily housing and neighborhood businesses. The result was a neighborhood where 97% of land is now zoned residential-only, with very little room for commercial or mixed-use development.

Shifting Priorities: From Preservation to Walkability

Today, priorities are changing. Walkability, housing affordability, and transportation safety have emerged as top issues in community feedback. Residents are asking for more accessible neighborhood businesses, safer intersections, and more diverse housing options to address rising costs.

Yet these desires bring tough questions. A truly walkable “15-minute neighborhood” requires nearby businesses, and those businesses, in turn, need a larger population base to thrive. That means increasing housing density—something past zoning decisions have historically resisted.

Current Conditions and Challenges

The city’s Existing Conditions Report reveals:

• Housing mix: 42% single-family homes, 39% apartments (mostly in the Lower Avenues), 14% condos/townhomes, and 5% duplexes or homes with ADUs.

• Transit: Only two frequent bus routes serve the Avenues, with others running hourly.

• Biking: Limited bike lanes and no protected infrastructure.

• Parks: Every household lives within a 15-minute walk of a park, trailhead, or the Salt Lake City Cemetery—a rare achievement citywide.

Community concerns identified so far include housing affordability, transportation safety, the lack of neighborhood-serving businesses, and redevelopment of key sites like the LDS Hospital.

Residents’ Visions for the Future

Survey results suggest residents are open to more housing, provided it blends with the neighborhood’s character. Popular ideas include adaptive reuse of existing buildings, small-scale multifamily housing, townhomes, and mixed-use developments.

As for commercial space, opinions are divided. Some want neighborhood businesses spread throughout the Avenues, while others favor clusters or corner properties. Streets like E Street and 3rd Avenue were mentioned most often as potential hubs.

What Comes Next

Planners will continue gathering input through spring 2026, weighing whether to recommend rezoning for more commercial and mixed-use areas, expanding housing options, or investing in better transit, bike, and pedestrian infrastructure.

The Avenues’ next chapter remains unwritten. Will it stay the same, preserving its historic character but limiting growth? Or will it embrace thoughtful change, becoming a more walkable and vibrant neighborhood for future generations?

For those who want to share their voice, the city encourages residents to engage through public meetings, email (avenuesplan@slc.gov), or the plan’s website.

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Source: Luke Garrott @ https://buildingsaltlake.com/new-master-plan-for-the-avenues-neighborhood-is-in-the-works/