St. John Properties breaks ground on master development in Pleasant Grove.

• Author: Stewart, Heather
• Position: Around Utah

Pleasant Grove -- In business, as in life, time and cultivation leads to growth. That was the theme of ST. JOHN PROPERTIES' groundbreaking for its new master-planned development In Pleasant Grove. The 62-acre development, Valley Grove, will include 1 million square feet of office, retail restaurant and hospitality space, all centered around Pleasant Grove Blvd. near the 1-15 interchange.

Daniel Thomas, regional partner with St. John Properties, said the company is anxious to see its vision for Valley Grove fulfilled. But just as a young sapling needs time and care in order to grow into a mature tree, he said, real estate development requires the patient, long-term execution of plans.

Valley Grove is intended to capitalize on the population and economic growth taking place in Utah County. Thomas said St. John Properties is "on a quest to grow Valley Grove into the epicenter of Utah County."

According to Gov. Gary Herbert, who spoke at the groundbreaking, the state demographer recently reported that "Utah County is growing so rapidly that in the next four years, the population of Salt Lake County, which is now 1.1 million, and Utah County, which is about 600,000, will be equal."

In addition to a great deal of residential construction in the area, Utah's thriving Silicon Slopes tech community is driving a lot of growth in north Utah County. Instructure, for example, will be among the first tenants of Valley Grove. The firm will move 250 of its employees into a new corporate headquarters there. Other tech companies that already lease space at Valley Grove include Whistic, options ANIMAL and Fortem Technologies.

Andrew Smith, CEO of Four Foods Group, said his restaurant franchise company plans to create a flagship restaurant at Valley Grove...