UVU acquires 100 acres of Geneva land for pl..

Education • Former steel mill land was valued at $20 million.

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Utah Valley University has finalized a deal to acquire 100 acres at the site of the former Geneva Steel mill, where it plans to build intramural fields and accommodate future building needs to alleviate crowding at its fast-growing, but geographically constrained Orem campus two miles away.

Anderson Geneva Development Inc. is reclaiming the 1,700-acre industrial site in Vineyard for a proposed residential and commercial development. The developer sees UVU as a "major anchor" in the project area and donated half the $20 million he says the property is worth. The university is paying $5 million and the balance is coming from redevelopment agency reimbursements.

"This purchase gives UVU some much-needed mobility as we look to accommodate growth and educate more people," said a news release quoting school president Matthew S. Holland. "Given our growth trajectory, we simply must expand to keep up with student demand and fulfill our state-mandated mission of open access. This agreement offers great potential for our campus."

The UVU site is next to a planned FrontRunner station, one stop north of the future station at UVU's main campus. The Orem school serves 32,000 students, but has little space left for non-academic pursuits. Officials envision the Geneva location as a place for student-life facilities and a 900-stall parking lot.

UVU acquires 100 acres of Geneva land for playing fields