Keep the following in mind when developing Cache Valley Marketplace – Cache Valley Daily

To the editor:

In my opinion, any new construction in Cache Valley should fulfill the following: reducing traffic, providing more housing, preserving our beautiful spaces, and increasing affordable access to necessities, arts, entertainment, and recreation.

It’s for that reason I am very excited about the idea of turning the Cache Valley Mall into a place of high-density housing and renewed business. I think this is a huge step in the right direction for Logan.

However, I hope the city will keep the following in mind when bringing this project to fruition:

• Please ensure that the housing is affordable. Right now Logan is in a serious housing crunch, and while any housing is likely to help alleviate this, affordable high-density housing is especially important for so many people in Logan facing skyrocketing rents while wages remain comparatively steady. I also strongly encourage growing upward instead of outward to preserve our agricultural and natural areas.
• Consider using affordable local businesses and small grocers. Mixed-use zoning is the way to reduce traffic as Logan grows. The convenience and speed of stepping next door (or simply going to the bottom floor of your apartment complex) for necessities or luxury items, as opposed to driving 1-10 blocks cannot be understated. I think affordable local businesses and small grocers would make more sense than a business like Target.
• Include infrastructure to encourage pedestrian, biking, and public transit use. In tandem with the above, making Logan easier to travel by methods other than cars is imperative. Pedestrian / wheelchair / biking overpasses or underpasses, more bus stops, and a larger bus fleet that operates 24/7 should be high priorities alongside projects like this.
• Nix the hotel in favor of more housing. While I am a big proponent of the project overall, the idea of a hotel in this area seems counterproductive to reducing traffic and alleviating our housing crunch. Instead of the hotel, I would suggest expanding the high-density housing to fill the hotel space.

Overall, I am definitely looking forward to seeing more projects like this spring up all around Logan – as long as they are done in a holistic manner that will reduce traffic, provide more housing, preserve our beautiful spaces, and increase affordable access to necessities, arts, entertainment, and recreation.

Sincerely,
Casey Rock

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