On the east side of Holladay, Utah lies a 53-acre plot of land, the former site of the Cottonwood Shopping Mall. In 2006, work started on a major project to inject new life into this side of town. The plan is to turn Cottonwood Mall into a vibrant “mixed-use town center,” but before the project can fully be realized, groundwork needs to be laid. The civil engineering team at McNeil Engineering is directly contributing to this project in a number of ways.

Our civil engineering crews have been integral in every part of the planning and building process of Cottonwood Mall. We’ve provided demolition plans, street plans, and even creek relocation plans. Here’s a behind-the-scenes sneak-peek at the work our civil engineering team is doing:

Giving The Cottonwood Mall a facelift

The Cottonwood Mall project is being headed by commercial development firm DZ. According to the company’s website, Cottonwood Mall will be a “focal point and gathering place for the Holladay community, as well as new housing opportunities for residents of the Great Salt Lake Valley…The site is located at a strategic transportation intersection, and its connectivity is enhanced through links to the surrounding street network.“

When completed, the project will feature an amalgamation of mixed-use living areas and cutting-edge shopping centers. Civic spaces, paved walking areas, a fountain, and modern hardscaping will round out the overall aesthetics of the facility, providing a comfortable and inviting atmosphere for Holladay residents to interact and shop in.

Housing opportunities will be eclectic and include:

• Apartments
• Lofts
• Townhouses
• Single-family cottages
• Multi-family houses

Civil Engineering: Planning infrastructure

As you can imagine, a project of this scale requires months and months of preparation and planning. Our civil engineering team was tasked with designing a pedestrian-friendly, walkable neighborhood that was easily accessible to residents and visitors alike. However, before we could determine where the walkways and streets would go, we first had to design all of the necessary infrastructure on site.

This was a meticulous process, but we’re incredibly happy with the results of our design. When complete, the Cottonwood Mall will offer Holladay residents and visitors no shortage of entertainment, dining and living options. Once we established where major structures would be, we moved onto our creek relocation plans.

Civil Engineering: Big Cottonwood Creek

When our civil engineering team came on board, the section of Big Cottonwood Creek that runs through the Cottonwood Mall mixed-use project site was in poor condition. After a thorough inspection and surveying process, we realized that we would need to relocate it, as well as restore it to a more natural state.

The existing bridges over the creek were in poor condition and not sized appropriately for a 100-year storm event. Without updating these bridges to modern standards, storms could potentially overtop the channel and flood the mixed-use site.

McNeil Group was challenged to provide a design to relocate the creek channel, including designs for replacement of the four bridges providing access to the site. This included the hydrologic study and hydraulic evaluation of the creek, coordination with FEMA, US Army Corp of Engineers, State Division of Water Resources and Salt Lake County Flood Control.

Civil Engineering: final touches

After relocating the Big Cottonwood Creek, we then moved onto other necessary tasks like:

• Grading and drainage plans
• Site utility plans and profiles
• Demolition plans

Preliminary design work on the new and improved Cottonwood Mall has been completed, and now project managers are working hard to achieve all necessary state and federal permits. Don’t worry – we’ll keep you abreast of any further developments.

Our civil engineering team is here to help!

We’re honored to have been able to contribute to the Cottonwood Mall renovation and look forward to seeing the final product. If you’re looking to start work on a new commercial project, don’t hesitate to reach out to the team here at McNeil Engineering. Our years of experience and stellar reputation have established us as one of the most sought-after engineering firms in the Western United States.