Right as you get off or on I-15 in Salt Lake City, you'll notice a huge construction project called the Post District. It's located on the block between 500 S. and 600 S, and 300 W. and 400 W.
After decades of urban decay, there's finally new life for this main entrance into Salt Lake City.
"Here you can hop off the freeway and you're here. It's really just accessible for the whole valley," explains Ben Lowe of Lowe Property Group, one of the project's developers.
The Post District is a $350 million neighborhood including residential, retail, restaurants and offices. Lowe and his long time friend Brandon Blaser, of BCG Holdings, started work on this dream project four years ago.
"We spent years talking and dreaming together about let's do something! It would be so much fun to work together and build something together," Blaser said.
On A 2News tour of the site, we walked through part of the residential section which includes 580 units. Rent ranges from $1,200 a month for a studio unit, to $4,000 for a luxury apartment.
Lowe said the higher priced living comes, "With big amenities, indoor/outdoor swimming pools, roof top decks."
The project is a blend of new construction and old refurbished buildings, some going back to the 1930's.
"We're really part of the old industrial fabric of Salt Lake City," Blaser said. "And now we've been able to restore and bring in new companies, new restaurants, and new retail into a whole new neighborhood."
The old Newspaper Agency Corp. building will be the new home to Traeger Grills, with more than 500 employees.
"This is where the newspapers were printed and distributed from for many many years," Blaser said.
Traeger will now have up to 90 thousand square feet of modern creative office space.
You might notice towering billboards scattered across the property. Blaser said that's not by design.
"There's five billboards we are not allowed to touch, we can't build in front of them, to the side of them, block the view corridors, or restrict access in any way shape or form," he said.
They even took a notch out of a building for one of the billboards. But there are no hard feelings, Blaser said, and for now the advertisements kind of fit the urban feel of the Post District.
Blaser and Lowe say they plan to have seven to nine restaurants. Urban Hill is already open.
"They are a family restaurant. They have a location in Park City," Lowe said. "I think people are looking for interesting, different and unique. And I think Urban Hill has done that. It has a very unique vibe, unique food and gathering spots."
The developers tout the Post District's location as a big plus for people who live in communities outside Salt Lake.
"This is so accessible for the whole valley, where a lot of downtown locations you have to get off the freeway and drive seven or eight minutes in a winding way. Here you can hop off the freeway and you're here," Lowe said.
In the coming months more revitalization is on the way for the blocks surrounding the Post District.
Both Blaser and Lowe said they're excited to help give the city's entrance a new, vibrant first impression.
"This is coming home, I mean I spent 20 years outside the state," Blaser said. "This is my backyard, and it takes on a whole different meaning to me. I just feel very, very fortunate to be a part of this project."