Salt Lake City could be the next metropolis: If we build up, not out.

• Author: Griffin, Elle
• Position: EDITOR'S LETTER

THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT building up Utah County and even creating islands of cities on Utah Lake--but I think we should be focusing on downtown Salt Lake City.

Hear me out: We are this close to a metropolitan city that rivals Chicago. Salt Lake City has a robust public transportation system, a Broadway theater, a ballet, and even an orchestra. Yet, we are building all of our companies in the suburbs.

What is the end goal here--to create a suburban sprawl? To pepper companies across a two-hour-long stretch of highway? To rack up traffic in either direction and create commutes that rival rush hour in Los Angeles? To build houses in every direction but not have enough affordable places for people to live?

This has me confused. For all the talk about wanting needing to recruit talent from out of state, what has Utah done...