Parkview Mountain House has just launched a new creative residencies program intended to reinforce the house's identity as a creative retreat. The way it works is very simple: If you're an artist, designer, creative or a brand doing culture-shaping work, you can now apply for a free three-night stay at the house. In exchange for the stay, we ask that creative residents produce and share original content that reflects their experience in the mountains of Utah and at Parkview Mountain House. This could include photography, videos, written pieces, branded campaigns (such as a lookbook), and maybe even an artifact for the house. Long term, the idea is to assemble a kind of cultural archive with credit being given back to each individual creator and/or brand. We're really excited to see what this residency program produces and we hope that the results will be design-focused, globally minded, and rooted in a deep love for the mountains.
If you'd like to apply, or know of someone who would be a good fit, here's the link.
Salt Lake City has two recently completed luxury multi-family developments. Or perhaps I should say, at least two.
The first is The Worthington by Chicago-based developer Convexity Properties. It has 31 floors and 359 apartments. Leasing started last summer and seems to be going well.
The second is the Astra Tower by Kensington Investment Company, which is being managed by Greystar. It has 41 floors, 377 apartments, and is 451 feet tall, making it the tallest building in the state of Utah. Construction was completed at the beginning of this year and, according to Building Salt Lake, it's already about 30% occupied with full stabilization forecasted for summer 2026.
It's interesting to compare these projects to multi-family developments here in Toronto.
First of all, the reported average rent for Astra is US$3 per square foot, which works out to ~C$4.19 psf for us Canadians at today's exchange rate. I would say that this is at least ~15% lower compared to where I would expect most Toronto developers are underwriting new projects. This suggests to me that it's more cost effective to build in SLC.
The product is also different. On Astra's website, they have two virtual tours.
The first is for a studio apartment at 554 sf and the second is for a one bedroom at 788 sf. These are meaningfully larger than new apartments in Toronto. Here, the first would have to be a one bedroom and the second would be
Parkview Mountain House has just launched a new creative residencies program intended to reinforce the house's identity as a creative retreat. The way it works is very simple: If you're an artist, designer, creative or a brand doing culture-shaping work, you can now apply for a free three-night stay at the house. In exchange for the stay, we ask that creative residents produce and share original content that reflects their experience in the mountains of Utah and at Parkview Mountain House. This could include photography, videos, written pieces, branded campaigns (such as a lookbook), and maybe even an artifact for the house. Long term, the idea is to assemble a kind of cultural archive with credit being given back to each individual creator and/or brand. We're really excited to see what this residency program produces and we hope that the results will be design-focused, globally minded, and rooted in a deep love for the mountains.
If you'd like to apply, or know of someone who would be a good fit, here's the link.
Salt Lake City has two recently completed luxury multi-family developments. Or perhaps I should say, at least two.
The first is The Worthington by Chicago-based developer Convexity Properties. It has 31 floors and 359 apartments. Leasing started last summer and seems to be going well.
The second is the Astra Tower by Kensington Investment Company, which is being managed by Greystar. It has 41 floors, 377 apartments, and is 451 feet tall, making it the tallest building in the state of Utah. Construction was completed at the beginning of this year and, according to Building Salt Lake, it's already about 30% occupied with full stabilization forecasted for summer 2026.
It's interesting to compare these projects to multi-family developments here in Toronto.
First of all, the reported average rent for Astra is US$3 per square foot, which works out to ~C$4.19 psf for us Canadians at today's exchange rate. I would say that this is at least ~15% lower compared to where I would expect most Toronto developers are underwriting new projects. This suggests to me that it's more cost effective to build in SLC.
The product is also different. On Astra's website, they have two virtual tours.
The first is for a studio apartment at 554 sf and the second is for a one bedroom at 788 sf. These are meaningfully larger than new apartments in Toronto. Here, the first would have to be a one bedroom and the second would be
Every market has its nuances. In the case of SLC, the model suites appear to be very clearly competing with low-rise housing. The one bedroom has a dedicated entrance foyer, there's a separate dining area, and the bedroom has carpet, among other things. It reminds me of earlier multi-family vintages in Toronto.
Of course, one really unique feature you get here is views of the Wasatch mountain range (see cover photo above). It's a special feeling being in an urban center where you have mountains all around you, and it's one of the primary reasons why an increasing number of people are being drawn to Utah.
Congratulations to the team on successfully completing such an ambitious project. It's exciting to see SLC continue to grow and urbanize.
Cover photo via the Astra Tower
Neat B and I were in Park City this past weekend for our last runs of the season. (Now it's time to pull out the impossibly tight spandex for road biking!) This is a trip we do often, but given the current geopolitical situation, we weren't exactly sure what to expect. But I will say that we were pleasantly surprised. When we picked up our rental car at SLC, the attendant, who was from Texas, immediately said that he was trying to figure out how to become the next Canadian province. He then proceeded to inquire about the quality of our brisket in a way that made it sound like a firm prerequisite. And virtually everyone we met on the mountain was extremely apologetic once they learned we were Canadians from Toronto. Frankly, they came across embarrassed, and they made it clear that they do not approve of what their government is doing right now. This made us happy to hear.
I still love you, Park City.
Cover photo by Alex Moliski on Unsplash
Every market has its nuances. In the case of SLC, the model suites appear to be very clearly competing with low-rise housing. The one bedroom has a dedicated entrance foyer, there's a separate dining area, and the bedroom has carpet, among other things. It reminds me of earlier multi-family vintages in Toronto.
Of course, one really unique feature you get here is views of the Wasatch mountain range (see cover photo above). It's a special feeling being in an urban center where you have mountains all around you, and it's one of the primary reasons why an increasing number of people are being drawn to Utah.
Congratulations to the team on successfully completing such an ambitious project. It's exciting to see SLC continue to grow and urbanize.
Cover photo via the Astra Tower
Neat B and I were in Park City this past weekend for our last runs of the season. (Now it's time to pull out the impossibly tight spandex for road biking!) This is a trip we do often, but given the current geopolitical situation, we weren't exactly sure what to expect. But I will say that we were pleasantly surprised. When we picked up our rental car at SLC, the attendant, who was from Texas, immediately said that he was trying to figure out how to become the next Canadian province. He then proceeded to inquire about the quality of our brisket in a way that made it sound like a firm prerequisite. And virtually everyone we met on the mountain was extremely apologetic once they learned we were Canadians from Toronto. Frankly, they came across embarrassed, and they made it clear that they do not approve of what their government is doing right now. This made us happy to hear.
I still love you, Park City.
Cover photo by Alex Moliski on Unsplash
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