Grassi Expansion: New Office in Park City, Utah!
Park City, Utah, Photographer: Peteys Head
Grassi recently expanded from the Golden State to the former Silver Rush town, Park City, Utah. From our satellite office, we will serve the Mountain West with the same attention to detail, crafting the caliber of private residences and public spaces that we are known for in Napa, Sonoma, and Santa Barbara. Park City offers an exciting mix of architecture from the mining boom, including simple mining cottages of the 1880s–1890s, larger Cross‐Wing cottages, and pyramid and two-story box houses of the early 20th century. As the town moved away from mining, other vernaculars evolved.
Durkin Boarding House, Park City, Utah, built in 1901
Park City began experimenting with skiing in the early 1920s and 1930s for ski jumping and small competitions. It was not until United Park City Mines Co. faced bankruptcy in the mid-1950s, when ore reserves were thinning, and silver prices collapsed, that the company pivoted to the ski industry. Bolstered with funds from the "New Prosperity Program," they launched Treasure Mountain Resort in 1963, complete with a gondola, double ski lift, and J-bar lift. Former mining residences adapted to the changes, with the Edwardian-style Durkin Boarding House catering to dedicated ski bums.
Korea’s Chil Gu Kang, Utah Olympic Park, 2002, Photographer: Jeffrey Allred
The town hit white gold when Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics. From a silver mining town, Park City transformed into one of the most established U.S. ski locations. It was the natural choice for several venues, plus the Athlete Village. The lasting impact is that the Utah Olympic Park remains, and Park City's resorts have gained global visibility, boosting tourism and solidifying their reputation as an international ski and sports destination. Now, with the development of Wasatch Peaks Ranch and other luxury communities, Grassi joins an enclave of architects, builders, and designers creating contemporary alpine chalets.
