Phase 1 of Downtown Daybreak opens as the vibrant commercial and cultural center of South Jordan’s Daybreak community
Photos by Scot Zimmerman
Community Party Space
With 30,000 residents, Daybreak is Utah’s newest urban area. Inspired by Envision Utah and master planned by new urbanist architect Peter Calthorpe, the community is committed to a sustainable way of life and is walkable and bikeable with greenways and 50 miles of multi-use trails plus service by the Salt Lake Valley’s light rail system. In keeping with maintaining a walkable community, Downtown Daybreak is a convenient commercial and cultural center that offers a mix of retail, dining, office space, residences, and entertainment. Okland Construction built the project.
With the Fall Fest underway, people gather in the central plaza for a Pirates and Pumpkins celebration. In this photo, the plaza is framed by a stage, mixed use office and commercial, and a multi-level residential complex nearing completion is on the right.
Anchoring one end of the plaza is the Rio Tinto Kennecott Stage for concerts and events. To the left and across a road is the TRAX light rail station and a train departing the station.
Anchoring the plaza on the other end is the home of the Salt Lake Bees, the Ballpark at America First Square. This is one ballpark entrance and the most convenient for TRAX riders; the other is at the west side. Adjacent to the ballpark is the Salt Lake Bees Team Store.
The Megaplex cinema entertainment center is a new concept that combines movies, bowling, a games arcade, and dining in one facility. A passing parent commented that it will be their family’s rainy-day destination.
Inside the spacious Megaplex is dining and bowling in the foreground, and the theaters and refreshment concession at the far end of the space. The gaming area is to the right, but unseen in this photo.
On the lower level, a variety of eateries share sidewalk dining space, and above are offices.
This corner restaurant is in a stand-alone structure.
One of Daybreak’s commitments is to playgrounds closely spaced in the community. This popular play area features nets to climb on. The mushroom-shaped concrete stools inspired children to make up their own raucous games.
In the winter, the square will be transformed into an ice rink.
I really enjoyed visiting this new downtown that I understand will ultimately comprise 200 acres. I had the opportunity to live in a planned solar community that was a precursor to new urbanism, and I thought it had a lot to offer. But although it had a community center, it lacked supporting commercial businesses. My next experience was to stay in Seaside Florida, a master planned new urbanism city, and to photograph some of the homes for a coastal cottage book. For anyone who has been to Seaside, I hope you will agree that it is a splendid, vibrant, and beautiful spot with dining, retail, and offices. How nice to see how Utahns are embracing the new urbanism concept and lifestyle.
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