As University of Utah Health’s planned hospital is getting closer to actual construction, community representatives of West Valley City and adjacent communities are launching efforts to gather more information about the health care and other needs of westside residents.

Members of U West Valley, a partnership of the University of Utah, West Valley and surrounding areas in northwest Salt Lake County, met virtually in late April to lay out plans to better determine and serve the needs in a part of the valley they say has long been underserved, particularly in the area of health care. 

Troy D’Ambrosio was recently appointed as chief of staff for University of Utah President Taylor Randall and his vice president of innovation for two years before that. “One of his main goals is for the university to have greater societal impact and this is really the tip of the spear for that initiative,” D’Ambrosio told U West Valley members. “This is very close to his heart as to what he wants to see happen in this part of the valley,” D’Ambrosio said of his boss.  

Another entity helping U West Valley create a vision for additional services and resources on the west side is the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. “We’re planning on doing research into the West Valley region over the next couple of years and publishing some fact sheets that can spread reliable data and research about the West Valley area,” said Heidi Prior, a policy analyst at the institute. Part of that research is to be gathered through a survey that the institute circulated among U West Valley members in May to help narrow the focus of its analysis. 

University Health’s proposed full-service hospital on 22 acres at 3750 South and 5600 West is a key part of enabling the University of Utah to deliver on its evolving mission to enhance the quality of life on the valley’s west side. Funding for construction received a kickstart in March when it was announced that The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation was donating $75 million. The current estimate for the full project is at least $855 million, much of which will be covered by the issuance of $800 million in bonds that the Legislature has authorized for the university. 

It was also announced that a groundbreaking ceremony for the first phase of the hospital construction will be held during West Valley City’s annual WestFest celebration in June. Details were pending as of May. Phase one is expected to be completed in 2028. λ