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VINEYARD — It’s one of the fastest growing cities in America and it’s right here in Utah. What used to be the town of Vineyard in Utah County is now thriving as a city, mostly on the property of the old Geneva Steel Mill.
Back in the days of Geneva, Vineyard was home to less than 200 residents. But since the Geneva property has been cleaned up, the population has exploded to 14,000 people.
“It was close enough to Orem and Provo to be able to go to school, but far enough away you didn’t feel like you were in the hub-bub of it all,” said Dillon Durrant.
In the year he has lived in Vineyard, he’s already seen a lot of change.
“Back then there were a few condos and apartments, but not very many. They have since added two or three complexes and a bunch of restaurants by the Megaplex, so it is pretty incredible how quickly it has grown,” he said.
There is always something under construction, whether it is homes, whether it is retail,” said Stewart Park.
He is the project manager of the Geneva development, built on the 1,700 acres of the former steel mill site. What’s happening in Vineyard is unique, in that a new city is being built entirely from the ground up, allowing for mixed use of housing, retail and even light industrial. He says now that residents are living here, businesses are setting up shop.
“So we are building a city and putting in infrastructure that didn’t exist at the time, and working very close with the city to do that and make this the place that people want to be in Utah County,” he added.
And as Vineyard grows, it is starting to find its place on the map.
“Whenever we have said we live in Vineyard, we always have to specify it is the other side of the freeway from Orem, so people are starting to figure out where that is,” said Durrant.
In the near future, crews will begin clearing and remediating another 500 acres of the Geneva property, to accommodate projected growth.
