The University of Utah Physical Development Plan (UPDP) will guide how the physical campus - buildings, infrastructure and outdoor spaces - will support and sustain the University's vision to inspire, innovate and serve the residents of Utah.
The plan will address the next 10 years of development, preservation, innovation, and sustainability for the University. Think of it as a physical representation of our strategic growth plans - providing detailed strategies to support the goals in the University's Impact 2030 Strategic Plan, including:
- Accommodate and plan for 40,000 students by 2030
- Provide a vibrant campus life that includes living, learning and belonging
- Enhance research facilities to support increased innovation and discovery
- Ensure quality outdoor and open spaces
- Ensure a sustainable campus
- Reduce reliance on single occupancy vehicles
The plan will provide detailed strategies for how to accomplish the following objectives:
Your input is important to help us shape the future of this great campus. The UPDP outreach process has 3 stages, we are currently at the second:
- Current Campus Conditions: We've been reaching out to students, faculty and staff to better understand how they move through and around campus. What are favorite and least favorite campus destinations? What are the preferred routes across campus? And what big ideas do stakeholders have to make the campus even better. (January - April 2024)
- Emerging Ideas: Review our emerging ideas and initial development concepts. Over 500 comments were submitted on the draft PDP materials - see the Participate page for a summary of the feedback. (May - September 2024)
- Draft Plan: The Draft Plan is currently being developed with your input. Stay tuned! (October - February, 2025)
UPDP Background
Why Does the University Need a Master Plan?
Institutions across the country utilize "campus plans" to guide how their campuses will evolve to meet the changing needs and expectations of the communities they serve. The University of Utah has developed campus plans over the years to give physical form to the University's mission, vision and strategy. Those include the 2008 Campus Master Plan, 1997 Long Range Development Plan and its update in 2003, and the 1998 East Campus Plan. In addition, planning studies address specific components of campus systems related to infrastructure, space, programs, sustainability, etc., all of which provide a strong foundation to our current planning effort.
The UPDP will build on this great body of planning work as it creates a physical plan for our strategic growth. It will respond to the U's future-forward Vision & Initiatives and the needs of the greater SLC community it serves.
What Will The Plan Address?
The UPDP will consider the University’s goals for growth on and off the main Salt Lake City campus in areas including academics, research, healthcare and student housing. The campus plan will provide a framework for decisions about where to locate future facilities and programs and will offer a campus-wide frame of reference for the University’s capital plan. Here are some of the specific areas that will be informed by the plan:
- Student life
- Campus living
- Outdoor experiences
- Infrastructure improvements
- Athletics
- Health and wellbeing.
Who Is Leading the Process?
The University of Utah has retained the services of NBBJ, a planning consultant, to provide leadership and coordination in developing the new University of Utah Physical Development Plan. The NBBJ team includes experts in campus and healthcare planning, space planning, historic preservation, sustainability, and transportation and parking. NBBJ will develop the plan over the course of fourteen months in collaboration with the University of Utah and its campus and community members.
Who Is Involved?
The UPDP team is engaging with both the U’s internal and external community - including campus faculty, staff, students and alumni as well as neighboring residents, businesses and visitors to the U. The engagement will include online engagement tools, campus events and virtual meetings. The campus community will be notified on project updates and upcoming events via this UPDP website, the At the U website and the University’s social media channels.
Idea Board
How do you see campus changing? What would make this campus even better? Add your ideas to the board and give us feedback on those already posted.
The Physical Development Plan process was initiated in September 2023. Spanning across 15 months, the planning process is defined by three key phases:
- Campus discovery and data gathering;
- Developing campus needs and concepts; and
- Delivering the final plan recommendations.
