Mayor Nann Worel and the Park City Council on Thursday evening received unscheduled input in support of a developer’s plan to demolish a standard-bearer hotel and rebuild at the high-profile location.
Tracy Harden, a Park City resident, spoke to the elected officials about the entitlement process that continues to unfold with Chicago-based Singerman Real Estate locked in talks with the Park City Planning Commission.
Harden is a marketing and communications consultant who has performed contract work for Singerman Real Estate regarding the project. Her comments were on behalf of herself, though, and the developer did not have prior knowledge of her plans to address the elected officials.
Singerman Real Estate wants to tear down The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Park City – The Yarrow at the corner of Park Avenue and Kearns Boulevard and then rebuild.
The Singerman Real Estate concept for the land involves:
- 174 condominium-hotel units
- 60 units of restricted affordable housing
- 5,935 square feet of restaurants or bars
- 2,543 square feet of retail space
- 6,500 square feet of office space
The firm is seeking an exception to the City Hall rules regulating building height at the location. The Planning Commission in late August delayed a key decision regarding whether to grant an exception the height restrictions. That decision will be crucial since the design hinges on whether an exception is granted. The panel addressed issues like whether the project provides an adequate amount of open space and landscaping. The Planning Commission is slated to return to the discussions at a meeting scheduled on Wednesday.
Harden spoke about the importance of the location to the future of the wider Bonanza Park district and described what she sees as “the lack of progress in the redevelopment of the Yarrow hotel.”
“In last Wednesday’s Planning Commission meeting, the design and the development team was essentially sent back to the drawing board again. They are on Plan ‘D’ or ‘E.’ The team is not incompetent. They do not lack knowledge, skill or experience in the Park City planning process,” she said.
She supported the development team and Singerman Real Estate, noting the involvement of Peter Tomai, a Park City-based development partner with Singerman Real Estate, and longtime Park City architect Craig Elliott.
“Despite this knowledge, this combination of knowledge and commitment, they are still going around in circles with planning. Planning is focused on code. The development team is taking code into consideration as well as view corridors, sun exposure on sidewalks, the frontage protection zone and, importantly, a design that functions,” she said.
“It’s exasperating to witness the time and money both from the city and the development team after two and a half years,” she added.
She also requested the elected officials become involved in the talks with the location being so visible.
“Tonight I’m asking you, our city leadership, to step forward and bring the development team and planning together for a big picture design discussion that sets a united vision for this corner. If we see the corner as a gateway to Park City, let’s bring our best and brightest to the table. It needs leadership. It needs collaboration. And it needs compromise,” she said.
Harden also praised the Chicago firm itself.
“Singerman Real Estate has put an incredible amount of effort into creating something that will benefit our community. And if we lose their passion, we all lose out. Please get involved,” she told the mayor and City Council.
The elected officials did not respond to the comments. The mayor and City Council typically decline to engage speakers at the point in a meeting when Harden delivered her comments.