Provo, UT—You pass by it every morning. You drive by it on your way to work. At first you don’t take much notice; it’s just another empty building. But then you start thinking. Maybe this building would offer the perfect location for a breakfast café or a new restaurant. The possibilities are endless, and it’s time to let the community take charge and voice what developments they’d most appreciate.
The Utah County Association of REALTORS® (UCAR) and Provo City are excited to announce the launch of the community’s own “I Wish This Was” campaign on June 28 at 11:30 a.m.
“I Wish This Was” is a project first started in New Orleans following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Designer Cindy Chang made fill-in-the-blank stickers and placed them on abandoned and broken down properties. People were then able to use this creative source to write down how they’d like to see the property used. With some help from local leaders, the campaign has now made its way to Provo, Utah.
“This project immediately caught my interest when I saw it being used in New Orleans, and I wanted to help bring it to Utah County,” says Chris Nichols, the 2011 UCAR president. “‘I Wish This Was’ is an inventive way to get feedback from those passing by, and the stickers are an easy tool for people to voice what they want and where they want it.”
The “I Wish This Was” stickers will be displayed on two empty buildings near Provo Center Street. The first is located at 19 N. University Ave. Owned by Richard Gregory, this building is also where the “I Wish This Was” launch will take place. The second building is located at 273 W. Center Street and is owned by Matt Baker.
“This property has been vacant for about five years,” Baker says. “I am definitely open to suggestions and ideas as to what people would want to see in the downtown Provo area. When the right idea fits the building, we’ll definitely move forward.”
The “I Wish This Was” stickers will be available and displayed at both locations as the owners collect input from the community. John Curtis, Provo mayor; Kathryn Allen, director of the Provo Downtown Alliance; Dixon Holmes, Provo economic development director; and Chris Nichols, 2011 UCAR president, will introduce the campaign. Following the short program, everyone is invited to join the mayor at lunch in support of the new Provo restaurant: Station 22 Café.
The Utah County Association of Realtors is the local voice of real estate and is committed to promoting positive economic development throughout Utah County. For more information, contact the Utah County Association of REALTORS® at (801) 226-3777 or visit them at www.ucaor.com. More details about the “I Wish This Was” campaign can be found at www.iwishthiswas.com.