CLAYTON SCRIVNER

1.  What is your vision for the Station Center neighborhood (200 South to 400 South; 450 West to 600 West? What investments do you think the City should make in this area?

This is a wild one to kick off with for me as I am intimately familiar with the Station Center area and the surrounding Depot District from my work at the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City over a decade ago. In fact, if you don’t like the name Station Center, well I suppose I owe you an apology. 

Station Center is full of nothing but potential and I would like to see that realized. Let’s go bold. I want a transformative effort on par with Denver’s Union Station project.

Much of this is articulated in the stakeholder-led Rio Grande Plan from just a couple years ago. It would take a lot of teamwork, but could you imagine a re-activated Rio Grande Building acting as a hub for regional and local transit? This effort, like in Denver, could be a catalyst to finally build Salt Lake’s most transit-connected neighborhood, hopefully still called Station Center, full of a healthy housing mix, local businesses, with amazing access to downtown.

2.  What are the most important initiatives and investments you will lead to create a safe and welcoming downtown for residents, workers, employers and visitors?

First off, as someone who has spent three decades living, working, and playing in the Downtown Salt Lake City area, let me say it - Downtown is vibrant, fun, and in many ways better than ever. 

That is not a statement made in denial of our challenges, we have them, and my approach would be threefold to address them:

• Listen to our Downtown stakeholders of all kinds and match their needs with City tools and lead our Council in being supportive of those needs.
• Prioritize maintenance of a clean and inviting environment and efficiently responding to reports of dangerous waste - tracking our response time and being transparent about efficiencies and deficiencies.
• Being tireless champion for increased access to mental health services, affordable housing, improved public transportation – and all other systemic barriers to creating an even more inviting downtown.

3. Salt Lake City’s Central Business District population will double in the next two years. How can the City enhance and expand green space and public spaces to support a healthy and vibrant downtown neighborhood? 

Livability doesn’t happen without green spaces and vibrant open spaces in our urban core. 

I am a staunch supporter of making Main Street an open street. This concept has been proven repeatedly in other cities where open streets enhance the health and vibrancy of downtowns and commercial nodes –  and it is time we made our Main Street an Open Street. Permanently, not pop-up.

I also support the Green Loop. We must activate our wide streets and make them green.

As Vice- Chair of the Parks Natural Lands and Urban Trails Advisory Board (shout out to PNUT) I am supporting the first block of this project via our Capital Improvement Projects fund to start on the block of 200 E. between the library and City Hall. The first building block of what will be an amazing urban park network.

4.  What is your plan for responding to the crisis of people living without shelter on the streets of Salt Lake City? Will you enforce no-camping ordinances? Please include your strategies for funding the initiatives that you propose.

Addressing the crisis of people living without shelter on the streets of Salt Lake City is a top priority for me. It's essential to approach this issue with compassion and with a comprehensive plan that combines immediate support for those in need with long-term solutions that address root causes. 

To fund these initiatives, I'll explore public-private partnerships, grant opportunities, dedicated city budget allocation, creation of more deeply affordable housing, and tax incentives to ensure a comprehensive, compassionate, and sustainable approach to addressing homelessness in our city.

5.  Please share your strategies for attracting and retaining employers and skilled workers to Salt Lake City.

I believe by investing in livability infrastructure, the arts, supporting local businesses, fostering diversity, inclusion, building community connections, and embracing sustainable practices we ensure the vibrancy and coolness of Salt Lake City. And when you up all of these factors - you are inherently attractive to businesses that want to be a part of something special. 

6.  How can the City best support the Utah Jazz’s long term residency in Downtown Salt Lake City?

The Utah Jazz can not, and will not, leave downtown Salt Lake City - not on my watch!

It’s hard to fathom that after a recent $125 million dollar remodel of the Delta Center (welcome back, Delta!) that this would be a thing, but I understand that the trend in professional sports management is to have entertainment districts surrounding new stadiums.

With a little imagination, and willing partners, that could happen right where we are now. Salt Lake City should and will be an active partner in assuring the Jazz stay exactly where they should be.

7.  What is one of your favorite dishes from a restaurant in the Central Business District?

I’d have to say a Zesty Feta Doner from Spitz. If you haven’t tried it I’d highly recommend it!

8.  What else would you like downtown property owners, merchants, employers and residents to know about your campaign?

My campaign theme is People First because I believe that when you prioritize people in every decision we make as a City, there is nothing we can’t accomplish. Downtown residents, property owners, merchants, and employers are an integral part of my People First equation. I am looking forward to listening and collaborating with these indispensable community leaders as we move forward with our shared goal of building a better Salt Lake City for future generations.