Reinvesting in Provo

Provo City was founded in 1849 which makes Provo the second oldest city in Utah. Although we’ve aged gracefully there is always room for a little improvement. This month’s Provo Advantage focuses on companies choosing to reinvest in our community and breathe new life into some of our older real estate.

What began as a simple idea when Colby Bauer lost his wallet, has now become a multimillion-dollar company, having grown 1,900% in the last five years. When Colby came to us expressing a need to expand, we identified the old Model T Ford car dealership at 241 West Center. Thread plans to make this location their new corporate headquarters and are spending millions to reinvest in downtown Provo. Watch this video to see this building begin its transformation.

Get a glimpse of some of the impressive reinvestments energizing our local economy.

On a dark cold night in October of 2022, if you had been driving on Freedom Boulevard around 600 North, you would have seen the large spotlight array and a normally dead parking lot full of life and activity. But you could never imagine what the space inside the old dollar store had become. Watch this video to see how Jason Walton transformed this site into a modern corporate headquarters with a $4 million investment.

Modern Shoe has been an anchor in Downtown Provo for 83 years! We were thrilled when they invited us to their ribbon cutting this year in their expanded location on Center Street. See what the Store Manager, Will Nettleton, had to say.

At the corner of Center Street and University Ave is an iconic structure know as Provo Towne Square. In 2021 Liberty Santa Monica Properties purchased the half empty, tired, mixed-use building. See what their passion and vision for downtown Provo is transforming this landmark location into.

And finally, if you want more detail on the numerous businesses that are reinvesting in Provo and the impact this is having on the community, check out our White Paper.

Download White Paper

Provo is America's #1 City for Worker Satisfaction

We've always known that our beloved Provo is a special place to live, work, and enjoy life, but now, we have an official recognition that backs up our sentiment!

According to Glassdoor, a leading platform for job and company insights, Provo has been ranked as the #1 City in America with the Most Satisfied Workers! This isn't just a number or a rank - it's a testament to the spirit, resilience, and collaborative ethos that defines us as a community.

This accolade highlights the diverse industries that thrive here, our robust economy, and the exceptional companies that choose Provo as their home. Above all, it is a nod to the work-life balance, employee fulfillment, and job satisfaction that are deeply ingrained in our local culture.

As your Mayor, I feel incredibly proud to serve a community so deeply committed to professional and personal happiness. I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our local businesses. Your continuous investment in your employees, your commitment to fostering supportive work environments, and your provision of outstanding benefits all contribute significantly to making Provo the best place to work in the country.

To view the whole ranking visit, https://www.glassdoor.com/research/cities-with-the-most-satisfied-workers/

Road Closure Heads-up for the Utah Valley Marathon!

Thousands of runners are coming to Provo for the Utah Valley Marathon on Saturday, June 3, 2023. They are sure to bring passion, power and positive impact with them.

The Utah Valley Marathon, one of the fastest spring marathons around, is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon and one of the most beautiful runs. Mountains, lush farmland, cascading waterfalls, the rushing Provo River, Deer Creek Reservoir and national parks surround the runners on every turn. It’s a great event for them. It’s a great event for us.

We anticipate this premier race will bring over 8,000 runners and visitors to Provo. 27% of the runners signed up for the marathon are from out-of-state. Those racers and families fill our hotel rooms, eat at our restaurants and shop at our retails stores. It’s estimated that this race alone will bring 1.7 million dollars into our local economy.

The race will finish in our Historic Downtown which is a symbol of all the hard work we’ve put into that vital area of the City. It’s no wonder downtown is recognized on a national level and receives such high rankings. Let’s welcome them with big smiles and open arms and watch for them from 6:30 AM until 3:00 PM.

Road Closures

The outside Northbound lane on University Avenue will be closed from approximately 6:30 am until 3:00 pm. Race participants have the right of way. Traffic will be allowed to cross when there is a break in the runners. University Avenue will be completely closed between 200 North and 300 South until 3:00 pm. All traffic in Provo Canyon will be traveling in the Westbound lanes. Traffic traveling East and West will be open in one lane each way. Runners will cross at approximately 5600 N.

The 800 N flyover will remain open. We are detouring all northbound University Ave traffic west of 4800 N. All southbound coming out of the canyon will detour west at 800 N Orem.

We can all work together and get the word out about these road closures and delays and hopefully alleviate any unnecessary stress. Get more detailed information about the marathon here: utahvalleymarathon.com.