SALT LAKE CITY — CRG, the national real estate development and investment firm, and Cole West, a leading Utah-based real estate developer, announced the groundbreaking and full capitalization of Chapter Salt Lake City, a 251-unit, 693-bed student housing development near the University of Utah. The six-story community at 410 S. 900 East marks CRG’s latest expansion of the Chapter brand into one of the nation’s fastest-growing flagship university markets. Construction is underway, with delivery targeted for summer 2028.
Situated directly across from the TRAX-900 East & 400 South light rail station, the transit-oriented development offers students a one-stop commute to campus, which is a 10-minute walk away. Chapter Salt Lake City is a five-minute walk to the vibrant Trolley Square retail, dining and entertainment district, which includes a Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.
“We’ve just closed on the most sought-after large-scale development site in one of the country’s most dynamic university markets,” said J.J. Smith, executive vice president and partner at CRG. “The University of Utah has posted six consecutive years of record enrollment growth, bucking many national trends and now topping 38,000 students, a more than 20% increase over the past decade.
“The University of Utah shares many similarities to the University of Colorado, pairing top-tier academics with an outdoor lifestyle that is especially compelling to Gen Z students,” continued Smith. “A large part of the appeal is the incredible access to the hiking and biking trails of the Wasatch Range as well as proximity to world-class skiing in Park City and Deer Valley. We plan to tailor wellness activities and promotional events to take full advantage of these tremendous amenities and provide our residents with an unmatched collegiate experience.”
Designed by LJC, an integrated architecture and engineering firm of CRG, Chapter Salt Lake City will offer a mix of studio, one-, two- and four-bedroom residences, which will be fully furnished. Shared amenities include a fitness center with Pilates studio; sauna; ski simulator; library and study spaces; soda shop; rooftop lounge; and rooftop pool and hot tub.
The University of Utah’s continued enrollment growth has created strong demand for high-quality, purpose-built housing near campus. Chapter Salt Lake City will meet that demand with the amenities, location and programming that modern students expect.
“This project is especially meaningful for us because it allows Cole West to contribute to the housing needs of the University of Utah, the flagship university in our state’s capital city,” said Darlene Carter, CEO of Cole West. “As enrollment continues to grow, high-quality housing that connects students to campus and the surrounding neighborhood becomes increasingly important. We are proud to partner with CRG to deliver a best-in-class living experience for University of Utah students.”
Chapter Salt Lake City is CRG’s latest addition to its growing national portfolio of purpose-built student housing. The announcement follows recent groundbreakings at Chapter Alder in Eugene, Ore.; Chapter Mifflin in Madison, Wis.; and Chapter Ann Arbor in Ann Arbor, Mich. CRG’s student housing and multifamily team has developed more than 50,000 beds across more than 80 university markets nationwide. The firm will continue to seek investment opportunities near major Tier 1 and Power 5 conference universities where enrollment growth and housing demand remain strong.
About CRG:
CRG is a privately held real estate development and investment firm with deep expertise in industrial, office, student housing, and data center assets. The firm serves clients and investors from seven regional offices, benefiting from local expertise in Chicago, St. Louis, Seattle, Southern California, Phoenix, Philadelphia and Atlanta. CRG has developed more than 12,500 acres of land and delivered over 220 million square feet of assets exceeding $14 billion in value. For more information, visit CRG’s website at www.realcrg.com.
About Chapter:
Chapter is CRG’s national collection of upscale multifamily and student housing developments designed to provide spaces and experiences that help residents write their life story with greater intention. Each project is designed to offer residents the opportunity to not just live well, but also enjoy a home where experiences work together with the design to fuel one simple idea: help people write their next chapter.
About Cole West:
Cole West is a leading Utah-based real estate development firm with more than 250 active or completed projects, 5,000 delivered residential lots, and a diverse portfolio spanning residential, retail, and mixed-use ventures. Founded by Colin Wright, Cole West has grown into a dominant force in Utah real estate under the leadership of CEO Darlene Carter. For more information, visit www.colewest.com.
About LJC:
LJC is a Chicago-based full-service design and architecture firm that provides integrated delivery and full turnkey solutions across multiple industries. LJC’s services include architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, planning and urban design, sustainability and technical/quality assurance. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Clayco, a full-service, real estate, architecture, engineering, design-build and construction firm. Though LJC works closely with companies in the Clayco family of brands, more than half of its business is with outside developers and general contractors.