Before long, all of Salt Lake City and maybe the whole world will be in "Sugar House"
On the Streets
By Bryant Heath
Neighborhood boundaries are one of those niche topics that, in the grand scheme of things, don't really matter that much. I, however, find them utterly fascinating. Unlike city limits—which are well-defined and legally rigid—neighborhood boundaries seem a bit more amorphous.
Community councils and their set geographies tend to be the go-to when trying to determine boundaries—but even then, disputed regions arise. Take the section directly west of Liberty Park, from State Street to 500 East and from 900 South to 1300 South, sometimes claimed by both Liberty Wells and Central City. No doubt, having Liberty Park—one of the city's crown jewels—lie within your neighborhood makes it more attractive, which explains why it's so contested.
But when it comes to expanded neighborhood boundaries, Sugar House takes the cake. Depending on who's talking, "Sugar Hood" can (but doesn't) include everything from the Tower Theatre at 9th and 9th to hip spots on the wrong side of the Millcreek and South Salt Lake borders.
To be fair, the swelling neighborhood size is mostly due to informal expansion versus any sort of official changes, as the formal boundaries have remained consistent over the past few decades. But by extrapolating out from the pace of colloquial expansion, Sugar House may very well incorporate the entire state by 2030—expect the Utah flag to change yet again to prominently feature a sugar beet (above photo).
I blame real estate agents, mostly, for the annexation of "Sugar House," as I've seen home listings as far west as State Street and as far north as 900 South reference "cute little Sugar House bungalows." Add to it the relocation of a few businesses—either due to the need for more space or the meteoric rise in rents—and the statewide takeover is well on its way to being complete.
For example, Sugar House Industries (photo below), located on State Street and 7200 South in Midvale, is likely the neighborhood's southernmost colony (for now).
Get ready folks, we'll all be Sugar Housers when all is said and done!
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