YOUR AD HERE »

Veteran Park City developer joins Bonanza Park team

Jay Hamburger THE PARK RECORD
Rory Murphy, shown with the Bonanza Park district partially in the background, has joined the Bonanza Park development partnership as a consultant. Murphy is a veteran developer and once served on the Park City Planning Commission. Jake Shane/Park Record
20160624__9cityp1

A veteran Park City developer with projects stretching from Empire Pass to the edge of Thaynes Canyon has joined the Bonanza Park team, adding a figure with broad experience as discussions continue about the future of the district.

The Bonanza Park partnership, consisting of Mark J. Fischer and business partner John Paul Dejoria, has tapped Rory Murphy as a project consultant. He appeared at a Park City Planning Commission meeting on Wednesday. Fischer announced Murphy’s position with the partnership at the meeting. The meeting on Wednesday was not an important one for Bonanza Park, but there is expected to be a series of critical dates in coming months as the partnership presses forward with the project.

Murphy is among the most recognizable figures in Park City development circles. He held an executive-level position with United Park City Mines, the modern-day successor to a series of historic silver-mining firms, as the company in the 1990s secured a hard-fought approval of a project that would be developed as Empire Pass in Deer Valley. Empire Pass, known as Flagstaff at the time of the approval, remains the most contentious development dispute in Park City’s history.

Murphy later left United Park City Mines to lead the Silver Star development efforts on the edge of Thaynes Canyon. More recently, he was the figure that shepherded the Rio Grande project in Old Town through the approval process.

Murphy, who has lived in Park City since 1993, is also a former member of the Planning Commission, serving a partial term from 2007 until 2009. He said the agreement with the Bonanza Park partnership covers an undefined period of time through at least a decision by the Planning Commission.

"I think I can help the process from the developer’s perspective and also with my background on the Planning Commission and other city boards," Murphy said.

The Bonanza Park partnership over the past decade-plus amassed a patchwork of properties roughly bounded by Park Avenue, Kearns Boulevard and Park Avenue and holds ambitious plans to redevelop the parcels. The partnership envisions a shopping, dining and entertainment district that would complement Main Street in addition to numerous residences spread through Bonanza Park.

The partnership has engaged the Planning Commission with an application encompassing upward of 335,000 square feet. Some of the parcels included in the discussions include the location of a Maverick gas station, the building that temporarily houses the Kimball Art Center and the building that houses Anaya’s Market. The partnership intends to demolish much of the development already at the sites and then rebuild.

The Planning Commission process, though, could be difficult. There are concerns about topics like the height of the proposed buildings and traffic. The panel is expected to spend months considering the details. There seems to be a range of opinions in Park City about the future of Bonanza Park. Some see the redevelopment of Bonanza Park as something that will reinvigorate what has long been seen as a utilitarian district. Others, though, are concerned that a redone Bonanza Park could price out businesses and residents. There are concerns with the designs as well.

"The thought of a mixed-use development project in the Bonanza Park area makes a great deal of sense," Murphy said, adding, "I think there are tremendous opportunities for arts district type of uses and to be a commercial and gathering center for locals."

Murphy identified the location of the Maverick station as the most critical parcel involved in the application to City Hall. It is located at the busy intersection of Bonanza Drive and Kearns Boulevard and is seen as one of the entryways to the Bonanza Park district. The partnership wants to develop the site with a commercial building.

"It’s the most prominent piece, visually, from outside the site," Murphy said.

Fischer said the experience Murphy brings to Bonanza Park is attractive, saying Murphy understands the City Hall planning and zoning processes "as well or better than anyone." Murphy is respected and is balanced as a developer, Fischer said.

"I see a guy who’s able to get it in the end zone," Fischer said. "He’s had great success in three previous large projects."

Park City


See more

Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Park City and Summit County make the Park Record's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.