Small Town A
Emerging Town Center
Small, focused changes can have a big impact in growing rural communities. Imagine introducing a few flexible, mixed-use buildings near your town center, providing a place to visit a friend, maybe enjoy breakfast, or pick up a gallon of milk. This modest, incremental approach could help your community become more self-reliant—offering more housing choices, local services, and a stronger sense of place—while preserving land and using infrastructure efficiently.
1-2
Floors
4-10
DUs / AC
2-3
Jobs / AC
Block Pattern
Surface Parking
Call and Ride Shuttle
Existing Conditions
Many rural Utah towns share a familiar rhythm—quiet streets, a flashing yellow light at the center of town, and open fields stretching beyond. Their charm comes not just from scale, but from a strong connection to the land and a shared desire to stay small and grounded. Here, change doesn’t mean starting over—it means building carefully on what exists.
Future Scenario
A few new, traditionally designed mixed-use buildings can blend into a town’s fabric and reinforce community identity. These flexible buildings support apartments or condos above, and shops, restaurants, offices, or studios below. With doors and windows facing sidewalks and plazas, and parking tucked behind, they support walkability and a gathering space that can become a focal point—hosting community events, markets, or simply offering a place to meet and connect.
New Amenities and Gathering Area
Close Up: New Amenities and Gathering Area
Close Up: New Amenities and Gathering Area
A carefully designed corner includes a gathering area with space for small shops, restaurants, and offices, and even some upper story housing.
Focused Mixed-use
Compact development blends housing
with flexible ground floor spaces for
small-scale shops, offices, or
residential uses. Buildings near the
streets create a walkable environment
centered on everyday convenience.
Screened Shared Parking
Shared parking includes on-street
parking and surface parking tucked
behind buildings. Parking is adequate
but not prominent, keeping the
streets walkable and pleasant.
Gathering Space
Multi-use public space supports
businesses and serves as a focal point
for community events.
Housing Variety
Townhomes, condos, or apartments
above flexible ground floor
commercial or residential create
activity and vibrancy.
Live-work Uses
Flexible building design combines
living space with optional ground
floor small business or studio spaces,
supporting entrepreneurship and
vibrant street life.
Transit Demand
Added housing increases demand for
call and ride shuttle or bus service as
an additional transportation choice.
New Amenities and Gathering Area
This modest, incremental approach could help your community become more self-reliant and offers more housing choices, local services, and a stronger sense of place.
Focused Mixed-use
Compact development blends housing
with flexible ground floor spaces for
small-scale shops, offices, or
residential uses. Buildings near the
streets create a walkable environment
centered on everyday convenience.
Screened Shared Parking
Shared parking includes on-street
parking and surface parking tucked
behind buildings. Parking is adequate
but not prominent, keeping the
streets walkable and pleasant.
Gathering Space
Multi-use public space supports
businesses and serves as a focal point
for community events.
Housing Variety
Townhomes, condos, or apartments
above flexible ground floor
commercial or residential create
activity and vibrancy.
Live-work Uses
Flexible building design combines
living space with optional ground
floor small business or studio spaces,
supporting entrepreneurship and
vibrant street life.
Transit Demand
Added housing increases demand for
call and ride shuttle or bus service as
an additional transportation choice.
Small Town B
Central Crossroads
Small, focused changes can have a big impact in growing rural communities. Imagine introducing a few flexible, mixed-use buildings near your town center, providing a place to visit a friend, maybe enjoy breakfast, or pick up a gallon of milk. This modest, incremental approach could help your community become more self-reliant—offering more housing choices, local services, and a stronger sense of place—while preserving land and using infrastructure efficiently.
2-3
Floors
5-12
DUs / AC
3-4
Jobs / AC
Block Pattern
Surface Parking
Call and Ride Shuttle
Existing Conditions
Many rural Utah towns share a familiar rhythm—quiet streets, a flashing yellow light at the center of town, and open fields stretching beyond. Their charm comes not just from scale, but from a strong connection to the land and a shared desire to stay small and grounded. Here, change doesn’t mean starting over—it means building carefully on what exists.
Future Scenario
As a town grows, it may add an additional mixed-use building or two, or some live/work buildings or townhomes on the opposite side of the street, to provide workspace and housing for those who are just starting out. New homes may also occupy vacant parcels, blending into the town’s historic pattern of growth.
More Residential and Commercial Opportunity
Quite Off-Street Plaza
More Residential and Commercial Opportunity
Over time, a small town center could expand across the street to include more commercial and upper story housing. At this point, all four corners of a prominent town crossroads include engaging community amenities, from expanded access to goods and services and additional housing options to places to gather and play together.
Focused Mixed-use
Compact development blends housing
with flexible ground floor spaces for
small-scale shops, offices, or
residential uses. Buildings near the
streets create a walkable environment
centered on everyday convenience.
Screened Shared Parking
Shared parking includes on-street
parking and surface parking tucked
behind buildings. Parking is adequate
but not prominent, keeping the
streets walkable and pleasant.
Gathering Space
Multi-use public space supports
businesses and serves as a focal point
for community events.
Housing Variety
Townhomes, condos, or apartments
above flexible ground floor
commercial or residential create
activity and vibrancy.
Live-work Uses
Flexible building design combines
living space with optional ground
floor small business or studio spaces,
supporting entrepreneurship and
vibrant street life.
Transit Demand
Added housing increases demand for
call and ride shuttle or bus service as
an additional transportation choice.
Adaptive Reuse
An older home or building
thoughtfully converts into a bed and
breakfast, blending historic charm
with a new, community-serving use.
Quite Off-Street Plaza
Tucked between two attractive buildings, the plaza provides a pleasant space to connect with friends and neighbors.
Focused Mixed-use
Compact development blends housing
with flexible ground floor spaces for
small-scale shops, offices, or
residential uses. Buildings near the
streets create a walkable environment
centered on everyday convenience.
Screened Shared Parking
Shared parking includes on-street
parking and surface parking tucked
behind buildings. Parking is adequate
but not prominent, keeping the
streets walkable and pleasant.
Gathering Space
Multi-use public space supports
businesses and serves as a focal point
for community events.
Housing Variety
Townhomes, condos, or apartments
above flexible ground floor
commercial or residential create
activity and vibrancy.
Live-work Uses
Flexible building design combines
living space with optional ground
floor small business or studio spaces,
supporting entrepreneurship and
vibrant street life.
Transit Demand
Added housing increases demand for
call and ride shuttle or bus service as
an additional transportation choice.
Download Resources
Interested in using visualizing centers resources in your community? Download the desired package from the links below.
