Salt Lake City's Big Projects: What's Finished, What's Under Construction and What It Means for Nearby Homes
The airport rebuild is finished, the Delta Center is two-thirds done, and the Salt Palace closes in fall 2027. Here is where Salt Lake City's largest projects stood in November 2026 and what each means for owners and buyers nearby.
A buyer touring a downtown Salt Lake City condo in late 2026 can stand on the balcony and count the cranes. What the listing rarely says is which of those projects is finished, which will be a construction zone until 2031, and which is still a drawing. That difference decides how many years of closed lanes, night work and event traffic come with the address.
This article sorts the city's largest projects by where they stood in November 2026, then covers what each means for nearby owners and buyers.
Salt Lake City Projects by Status in November 2026
| Project | What it is | Status in November 2026 | Key date | Reported cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City International Airport rebuild | A new terminal and two concourses with 94 gates | Complete. The last seven gates were scheduled to open Oct. 27, 2026 | Completion celebrated Oct. 24, 2026 | $5.1 billion |
| Pioneer Park | Pavilion, restrooms and ranger station, playground, basketball and pickleball courts, larger dog park, more than 80 new trees | Finishing. Construction began in March 2026 | Grand reopening scheduled for Nov. 13, 2026 | About $18.4 million in approved city funding |
| Delta Center renovation | Rebuilding the seating bowl so the arena works for both hockey and basketball | Under construction. Two summers of work done, about two-thirds complete | Final phase in summer 2027 | Shares up to $900 million in city sales tax revenue with the district below |
| S-Line streetcar extension | About a quarter mile of track east from Fairmont Station to Highland Drive near Simpson Avenue, with a new station | Under construction | Work expected to continue through 2027 | Not listed on UTA's project page |
| Power District, North Temple | More than 100 acres west of the Jordan River planned for offices, housing, retail and a possible Major League Baseball stadium | First building under construction (a 10-story Rocky Mountain Power headquarters). No MLB team has been awarded | None announced for the stadium | Up to $900 million in public stadium funding approved by the state |
| Sports and entertainment district | 6.5 acres of Salt Palace land east of the arena, planned for a 6,000-capacity concert venue, a hotel and housing | Approved, not started. Land sale to Smith Entertainment Group expected to close in early 2027 | Construction expected to begin in 2027 | $55.4 million land price |
| Salt Palace Convention Center rebuild | Salt Lake County's reconstruction of the convention center with two ballrooms | In design. Hosting events through summer 2027 | Closed from fall 2027 for about three years. The county estimates completion by January 2031 | Part of a downtown plan described as $1.8 billion |
| Interstate 15, Farmington to Salt Lake City | Five general lanes plus one Express Lane each way, with separate walking and biking paths | Environmental decision signed, in design | Construction 2027 to 2031 on UDOT's May 2026 schedule | $3.7 billion estimate; $2.96 billion funded as of May 2026 |
| Ballpark NEXT | Redevelopment of the 13.5-acre former ballpark site at West Temple and 1300 South with housing, a library, a fire station and a creek park | Plan approved, site rezoned. Developer search for a 4.7-acre parcel expected in 2027 | Construction could start in 2028 | Not reported |
| Expanding Housing Options zoning rewrite | Would allow small-lot homes in the city's single-family zones | Before the City Council. Hearings set for Nov. 10 and 17, 2026 | Vote tentatively early December 2026 | Not applicable |
| TechLink TRAX changes | A new Orange Line from the airport to the University of Utah and Research Park, plus Red Line service through the Granary District | Study finished January 2025. No construction funding | None | Not funded |
Agencies describe most of these dates as estimates.
Downtown Core: Six Years of Work Around the Arena
The blocks between the Delta Center and the Salt Palace carry the heaviest schedule in the city. Smith Entertainment Group has finished the lower bowl and the north end of the upper bowl, the Deseret News reported in September 2026, with the south end planned for summer 2027. Hockey capacity now stands at 14,111, and a 439-space garage for season ticket holders was built on 400 West.
Salt Lake County said demolition of the back half of the Salt Palace, between 200 West and 300 West, is expected to begin in February 2027, KSL reported. The convention center then closes in fall 2027 for about three years. The district's zoning allows buildings up to 600 feet, and plans include a hotel and possibly more than one housing tower, with no unit count published, the Deseret News reported in October 2026.
What it means for owners and buyers nearby
- Construction years: the schedules put work on these blocks from 2027 into 2031. A buyer planning to stay five years would live through most of it.
- Sales tax: Salt Lake City adopted a 0.5% sales tax increase to pay for the overhaul. It lets Smith Entertainment Group collect up to $900 million over 30 years, according to the Deseret News. Everyone who shops in the city pays it, wherever they live.
- Quieter weekdays, then busier ones: the Salt Palace hosts close to 200 conventions a year and drew more than 375,000 attendees in 2024. Downtown restaurants and shops should expect fewer of those visitors during the closure. Some events may move to the exposition center in Sandy.
- Event nights: two major-league teams share the arena, and a concert venue is planned beside it. Check street parking rules and garage access on a game night before buying within a few blocks.
- Housing supply: three downtown rental towers were leasing or about to open in fall 2025: Astra Tower (377 units), Worthington Tower (359) and Seraph (217), Building Salt Lake reported. That is 953 apartments competing with condos that are rented out.
Pioneer Park is the near-term gain, paid for with impact fees and sales tax bond money. Current downtown listings are on the Salt Lake City condos page.
West Side and North Temple: One Building Rising, One Big Unknown
On North Temple, the Larry H. Miller Company's Power District has a 10-story, 300,000-square-foot office building under construction for Rocky Mountain Power, Building Salt Lake reported in October 2026. The ballpark depends on Major League Baseball awarding an expansion team, which had not happened. University of Utah Health is also buying a 14.5-acre site at 50 S. Redwood Road for a larger Redwood Health Center.
West of downtown, the city's Community Reinvestment Agency adopted a plan for the Rio Grande District in December 2024, covering the two blocks between 200 and 400 South and 500 and 600 West. The separate citizen proposal to bury the rail lines there remains a study topic without funding. The city has also scaled back the downtown "Green Loop" park into four separate corridors built in phases, Building Salt Lake reported in January 2026. In Japantown, a streetscape estimated at just over $11 million is about 40% designed, with near-term work paused.
For buyers in Fairpark, Rose Park and Poplar Grove, a stadium is not a fact yet. The Power District buyer's guide covers the approvals and what is still pending.
Central 9th, Ballpark and the Granary: Slow Public Land, Faster Private Lots
The Bees left the ballpark at 1300 South for South Jordan in 2025. The City Council approved the Ballpark NEXT plan in December 2025 and rezoned the land in fall 2026, lowering the proposed height limit after neighborhood feedback to 75 feet by right and 90 feet with design review. The plan calls for hundreds of housing units, a library and a fire station. The city expects to seek developers for the 4.7-acre parking lot north of the stadium in 2027, and Building Salt Lake reported construction could start in 2028.
Private projects are moving sooner. A 52-unit loft building is going up at 450 W. 700 South. On the city-owned Fleet Block, the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City has proposed Granary Junction, two 12-story buildings with roughly 200 apartments, most of them income-restricted. Financing is not yet secured.
- Timeline: no construction on the ballpark land is expected before 2028.
- Transit: the TechLink study recommends new Red Line service through the Granary to Ballpark Station, but the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) says construction funding is not available.
- Supply: most new units in these districts are rentals. Buyers who want to own can compare Salt Lake City townhomes.
East Bench, Sugar House and the University
The S-Line streetcar is being extended about a quarter mile east to a new station on Highland Drive near Simpson Avenue in Sugar House. UTA says construction continues through 2027.
Near the University of Utah, student housing is the main story. A developer filed in fall 2026 to rezone the 5.33-acre Pingree Center site at Guardsman Way and Sunnyside Avenue for about 345 units and 1,010 beds in a five-story building, across the street from single-family homes. A nearly 700-bed project on 400 South is under construction and slated to open for fall 2028.
East-side owners are also the most affected by the zoning rewrite. The Expanding Housing Options proposal would let small homes be built on lots as small as 2,000 square feet in single-family zones. The details are in this explanation of the zoning rewrite. How the 2034 Winter Games fit in is covered in the 2034 Olympics project list.
Airport and Freeways
The airport is the one project on this list that is finished. The Salt Lake City Department of Airports marked the end of a 12-year, $5.1 billion program in October 2026, and its fact sheet states that no local tax dollars were spent on it.
Interstate 15 is the opposite. The state plans to rebuild the freeway from Farmington to Salt Lake City with five general lanes and an Express Lane in each direction. The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) estimates the cost at $3.7 billion. Its May 2026 update to legislators lists $2.96 billion in funding and construction from 2027 to 2031. Owners of homes beside the freeway on the city's west and north sides should plan for years of construction once it starts.
Where Prices Stand While All This Is Built
The median sale price in Salt Lake City is $590,000, homes take a median of 34 days to go under contract, and 967 listings are active. None of the projects above has a published study tying it to a price change on nearby streets, so a claim that a home will appreciate because of one is opinion. Recent sales data is in the October 2026 Salt Lake City sales report, and everyday costs are in the Salt Lake City cost of living breakdown.
How to Check What Is Planned Next to an Address
- Look up the zoning. The zone sets the height limit on the lot next door.
- Read the Planning Division's open houses. Salt Lake City posts each pending petition with its location and petition number, and lists Planning Commission agendas under public meetings.
- Check the reinvestment areas. The Community Reinvestment Agency's project areas show where the city owns land and plans to seek developers, including Ballpark NEXT, Japantown and the Rio Grande District.
- Check the freeway. UDOT's Interstate 15 Farmington to Salt Lake City page has the selected design, maps and study documents.
- Check transit. UTA lists the S-Line extension and the TechLink study under current projects.
- Ask the seller in writing whether any notice of a nearby petition, road project or special assessment has been received.
A finished project can be judged by visiting it and a funded one by its schedule. A proposed one should not change what a buyer pays. Listings near each of these areas, with a map search, are on Best Utah Real Estate, starting with Salt Lake City homes for sale.
Sources: Salt Lake City Department of Airports (fact sheet and Oct. 28, 2026 release); Salt Lake City Parks and Planning Division project pages; Salt Lake City Community Reinvestment Agency; UTA and TechLink study pages; UDOT's I-15 Farmington to Salt Lake City study page and May 2026 legislative update; Deseret News (June 3, Sept. 25 and Oct. 8, 2026); KSL (Sept. 19, 2025 and June 2026); FOX 13; Building Salt Lake (2025 and 2026 reports).
Posted by Kristopher Larson
Frequently asked questions
When will the Salt Palace Convention Center close for reconstruction?
Salt Lake County plans to host events at the Salt Palace through summer 2027 and close the building in fall 2027 for about three years. The county's estimate is that construction finishes by January 2031. Demolition of the back half of the building, next to the Delta Center, is expected to begin in February 2027.
Is the Salt Lake City airport rebuild finished?
Yes. The Salt Lake City Department of Airports marked the completion of its 12-year, $5.1 billion redevelopment program in October 2026, with the final seven gates scheduled to open Oct. 27, 2026. The airport now has 94 gates, and its fact sheet states that no local tax dollars were spent on the program.
Did Salt Lake City raise its sales tax for the downtown entertainment district?
Yes. Salt Lake City adopted a 0.5% sales tax increase to help pay for the Delta Center remodel and the district around it. The Deseret News reported that the arrangement lets Smith Entertainment Group collect up to $900 million over 30 years. The tax applies to purchases made in the city, regardless of where the shopper lives.
What is happening to the old Bees ballpark site in Salt Lake City?
The City Council approved the Ballpark NEXT plan for the 13.5-acre site at West Temple and 1300 South, which calls for hundreds of housing units, a library, a fire station and a creek park. The city's Community Reinvestment Agency expects to seek developers for a 4.7-acre parcel north of the stadium in 2027. Building Salt Lake reported in November 2026 that construction could start in 2028.
When does I-15 construction between Farmington and Salt Lake City start?
UDOT has finished its environmental study and says construction would begin as soon as 2027. The project would widen the freeway to five general lanes plus one Express Lane in each direction and add separate walking and biking paths. UDOT's study page lists a $3.7 billion cost estimate with $1.7 billion allocated so far.
Is a Major League Baseball stadium being built in Salt Lake City's Power District?
Not yet. Major League Baseball had not awarded an expansion team as of fall 2026, and the stadium depends on that decision. What is under construction in the Power District on North Temple is a 10-story, 300,000-square-foot headquarters for Rocky Mountain Power. The state has approved up to $900 million in public funding for a stadium if a team is awarded.
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