Smith’s Food and Drug will be the anchor grocery store for the development at the former Cottonwood Mall in Holladay. Activity at the 57-acre multi-use project stopped at the start of the recession. Marsha Gilford is vice president of public affairs for Smith’s. She says the new 78-thousand square foot store will be built just north of Macy’s and have two levels of below-store parking.
“It’s exciting to be able to reach into a community where we’ll be able to welcome people who live a block from our store and walk in everyday and those also that need to drive,” says Gilford.
Robert Dahle is the mayor of Holladay. He says the announcement by Smith’s marks a major turning point for the city.
“That’s been kind of the key piece to the puzzle and so though they’re not formally announcing they are going to start the project, we feel like this announcement really is the beginning of very exciting news to come very shortly from Howard Hughes Corporation,” says Dahle.
Dahle says the city has been in negotiations with the current developer since it took over the project from bankrupt General Growth Properties. He says he discovered during his recent campaign for mayor that this project was by far the number one issue on the minds of Holladay residents.