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Cottonwood Heights Journal

Harmons Grocery coming to Holladay Village

Jan 19, 2017 02:06PM ● By Kelly Cannon

Rendered image of re-development slated for 2300 E. Phylden. (Holladay City Planning)

By Aspen Perry | [email protected]
 
If everything goes according to plan, by the fall of 2017 Harmons will be the new neighborhood grocer for Holladay Plaza, located at 2300 E. Murray Holladay Road. In February, demolition will begin where Rice Basil, Great Harvest and Top It were once located.
 
Though this will mean saying goodbye to a few local favorites, Harmons is pegged to be a welcome addition to the village. However, some residents are sad to see these restaurants like Rice Basic move to Murray.
 
Residents who frequent the Great Harvest will be relieved to know that during the demolition and construction phase of Harmons, Great Harvest hopes to move into a space across Murray Holladay Road in the Holladay Village. If all goes according to plan, Great Harvest will move back into the Holladay Plaza area once the new buildings are complete.
 
Viewing the redevelopment of this block as an opportunity, most residents welcome having a Harmons on this block, with a few others having some concern over the increase in traffic the new development would bring to 2300 E. Murray Holladay Road. Holladay City addressed this concern by having A-Trans Engineering conduct a traffic study. Their report concluded the roadways surrounding the village to have “sufficient capacity to accommodate the projected increase in traffic demand for the proposed redevelopment.”  
 
In addition to conducting a traffic study of the area, Paul Allred, community development director of Holladay city planning, said, “The city is studying traffic signalization and turn movements to increase efficiency and minimize frustration.“
 
The Harmons of Holladay will not be as large as the typical store found throughout the majority of Salt Lake County, but will still have the amenities that keep locals loyal to Harmon Grocers.
 
“This will be a unique location being in a smaller space, but will have a cooking school and bakery. Final blueprint is still being drawn, but is expected to be a 16,500-square-feet footprint featuring three stories with a basement, store level  and mezzanine … we’re excited to better serve Holladay,” said Lindee Nance, director of marketing at Harmons.
 
While all Harmons stores are well known for keeping shelves stocked with quality produce and local goods, according to Harmons’ website only five Harmons currently have a cooking school, soon to be six with the Holladay addition.
 
In addition to Harmons, a preliminary site plan from January 6, 2017, includes a plan for a two-story mixed-use building, similar to the design of the building on the Holladay Plaza square, located at the intersection of 2300 E. and Phylden.
 
The purpose of the mixed-use project will also resemble that of the plaza square, with retail shops designated on the main level and office space on the second level.
 
Given the popularity of the Holladay Plaza since its completion, it is not surprising to hear the majority of residents are looking forward to another development offering new places to shop and dine.
 
“Generally, people are excited about the new opportunities for shopping, eating and socializing that will come to the Village area with the development on this block,” Allred said.
 
According to Holladay City Planner Jon Teerlink, at this time there are no finalized building completion timelines or tenant agreements for the potential shops and dining that might inhabit the new development. However, the uncertainty of who may move in should not concern residents.
 
Teerlink stressed the vigilance the city takes in approving applications. “Standards for the Holladay Village development are set fairly high. While we strive to meet the property owners’ timeline for completion, it does take time for the planning commission to carefully analyze each application to ensure the projects will meet those standards,” Teerlink said.
 
Harmons Grocery aside, although there is uncertainty in who will move and exactly when the new development will be completed, the majority of residents are looking forward to the potential this change will bring to the Holladay Village area.