Demolition marks 'new era' for Taylorsville.

• Author: Christensen, Lisa
• Position: SALT LAKE AREA

Taylorsville -- What was once the heart of the southern Salt Lake Valley business community turned to rubble and dust as demolishers made way for a new development at the CROSSROADS OF TAYLORSVILLE. The bulk of the 68-acre Family Center--125,000 square feet of it--will be demolished in favor of a new shopping center that will include a Regal Cinema 12-Plex.

Taylorsville Mayor Larry Johnson says the retail area was once a landmark in the valley.

But over the decades, the center has fallen out of popularity as newer centers spring up in nearby communities. Johnson says the new development will revitalize an area that was once a bustling hub of commerce.

"While 30 years ago this was the only major shopping center [in the southern part of the valley], that's no longer the case. The valley has built up around us," he says.

Bill Stone, principal at San Diego-based S-Squared Development, which is constructing the...