The Layton Hills Mall as originally proposed – With a lake and more!

IMAGINE a Layton Hills Mall development with a lake, a separate sport mall and including one of Utah’s largest grocery stores. It could have happened …

One of the first public references to the Layton Hills Mall was in the Salt Lake Tribune of Oct. 7, 1977. Written by Robert H. Woody, the story outlined details of the project, some of which changed over time before the Mall was completed.

For example, the Tribune story stated that Smith’s Food King was a major tenant, which never happened.

        This is the original artist's conception drawing for the Layton Hills Mall, about 1977.
                                                                   (Photo from the Heritage Museum of Layton's collection.)

Another non-existent element was that a sports mall, complete with six outdoor tennis courts, six racketball and handball courts, an indoor-outdoor swimming pool, steam room, sauna, exercise room and more.

It also appears that the apartments, homes, condominiums and office plazas plan was also downsized.

Still another missing feature from the original plans was “a natural lake that will be used to enhance the atmosphere,” the Tribune story stated.

It is likely that cost and other factors created the changes and downsizing in the completed mall project.

The Layton Hills Mall opened in 1980.

                                An original sketch of the Layton Hills Mall layout.
                                                                 (From the Heritage Museum of Layton's Collection.)