SANDY, Utah -- A multi-million dollar development boasting hundreds of apartments and easy access to public transportation broke ground Monday.
It's called the East Village and is nestled in Sandy. The project is unique because the Utah Transit Agency is partnering with a private company to construct a massive apartment complex next to a Trax Station.
"We really are changing the way we are going to live, work and play in Utah,” said Michael Allegra, the President and CEO of UTA.
It’s a $46 million project and the first of its kind in the country. About $2.1 million in funding is coming from the federal government.
"It is where the Wasatch Front will be headed in the future," said Sandy City Mayor Tom Dolan.
UTA is teaming up with Hamilton Partners, a private company to construct what they call a TOD, transit-oriented development.
"This is really a partnership of groundbreaking dimension," said Bruce Bingham, a partner with Hamilton Partnerships.
Phase one of the project includes nearly 300 apartment units, and underground parking next to the TRAX station in Sandy. Years from now there will be more than 1,200 family homes and 330,000 square feet of office and retail space.
"People are looking for, especially that millennial generation, are looking for a place where they don't have to have two cars, where they can use public transportation yet enjoy the ambiance of a suburban community with shopping, grocery stores and nightlife," Dolan said.
"You're going to be able to live here potentially, work, shop and live in the same location," Bingham said.
There are four phases to the project. The developers say Phase one has been four years in the making.
Construction starts now and is expected to be finished by the end of 2015.
People can start pre-leasing in the fall of 2015. The price range is anywhere from $725 for a studio to more than $1,400 for a three bedroom apartment.
