Park City someday could put its own stamp on a high-profile location along Main Street.
A committee is considering the future of the shopping, dining and entertainment strip, and Mayor Nann Worel and the Park City Council received a written update regarding the work in anticipation of a City Council meeting scheduled on Thursday. The update is designed as a recap of the work to date. The extent of any City Council discussion on Thursday was not clear early in the week.
One idea outlined in the materials is a town square where the Main Street post office currently is located. The building occupies a highly desirable location toward the midpoint of the street. The materials highlight the possibility of establishing “a true, central, town square in Historic Park City at the site of the current United States Post Office.” They say a town square would enhance “connectivity between Main Street and Swede Alley.”
“This space would create opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy outdoor space and linger longer in the district while also opening up additional space for public programming, activations, dining, and other activities,” the materials say.
The committee also “notes that the current U.S. post office is a registered historic site and honoring that heritage would be important. Additionally, de-registering the site would involve both city and federal governments,” according to the materials.
The statements cover issues that have been mentioned occasionally for years. Park City leaders over time have seen the possibility of creating some sort of plaza in the Main Street core, but there has been limited progress toward creating one. The post office location has appeared to be a prime candidate to be folded into the concept for a plaza with the land stretching from Main Street to Swede Alley.
Numerous topics would need to be addressed if the talks progress. The municipal government and the U.S. Postal Service would need to reach an agreement for the land. The sides would also need to devise a plan for mail delivery since many people in Old Town receive their mail in post office boxes at the location.
Park City leaders, meanwhile, would need to craft a concept for a town square that would accomplish the space’s purpose of becoming a draw for people on Main Street.
The talks about Main Street are continuing at a time of increased competition and the possibility of even more commercial growth in coming years inside Park City and in outlying areas like Kimball Junction and Wasatch County.
“The Main Street Central Plaza Concept in this report is but one of a very long list of ideas that has been discussed by the Main Street Area Plan Committee,” City Hall said in a prepared statement. “The committee — made up of residents, business owners, and other local stakeholders has just begun this conversation. Like any healthy planning process, you start by putting everything on the table and work toward successful outcomes.”
The City Council meeting is scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. at the Marsac Building. The meeting will also be broadcast online. A link to the online broadcast is available on the municipal website, www.parkcity.org. The direct link to the meeting information is: www.parkcity.org/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/39642/15.