How Salt Lake Crossing is combatting loneliness with a co-living approach

For many, lockdowns and quarantine robbed them of having the stereotypical American college experience. With online classes and mandatory lockdowns, students didn’t get the social aspect of college they couldn’t wait to experience. However, an up-and-coming property development is looking to give back that opportunity.

Researchers have found that loneliness has become an epidemic in the United States that was boosted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies have shown that over 60% of American adults experience severe loneliness and that the younger population of Generation Z — ages 18-22 — were found to be the most isolated age group.

A place to foster connections

Salt Lake Crossing brings a unique co-living experience to Salt Lake City aimed at young adults with the idea to build connections and create a community atmosphere.

“Whether you’re cooking up a storm in our shared kitchen, relaxing in the communal living area, or focusing in the shared workspaces, you’re part of a community. But whenever you’re ready for a little ‘you time,’ your private unit is just steps away,” the housing website explains.

Located in downtown Salt Lake and within a one-minute walk of the North Temple Frontrunner, the new housing development is minutes away from Jazz basketball, popular restaurants, shopping and world-class mountain resorts.

The first of its kind in Utah, community manager Austin Vegh told the Deseret News that Salt Lake Crossing gives the privacy of a personal apartment with optional opportunities to socialize at any time. “The connection-oriented mission is really hitting home with a lot of people,” Vegh said. Many young people have shown interest since they began pre-leasing in late February. They are hoping to open their doors to residents by April 2024.

“Especially with Gen Z, we’re more digitally connected than ever and it’s almost like a pseudo-connection, where people get a little satisfaction out of it. But it’s not necessarily satisfying that evolutionary need that actual genuine connection will,” Vegh said. “So that’s our mission.”

Co-living housing markets to both the full-time renter and temporary traveler. Already a prime tourist destination, Vegh explained that Salt Lake Crossing is the perfect stay for short-term dwellers:

“The short-term rentals are really for someone coming to Salt Lake. Maybe it’s the ski season — they only want to be here for a month, maybe three months — so they can rent out the short-term rentals. And it’s the same floor plan as our co-living studios.”

“It’s great because a lot of digital nomads may come here on their own and it’s really hard for them to get connected with people,” Vehn said. “So we want to provide a space where we hit all three of those: You can work, you can live and you can build your friend group.”

What luxury co-living entails

Co-living represents a contemporary approach to shared living where individuals have their own private bedroom and living space, complemented by communal spaces. The new Salt Lake City development, boasts captivating benefits and luxury-style open bedroom and co-living spaces with state-of-the-art amenities that include:

• Fitness club.

• Work/office area.

• Sky deck and spa.

• Rooftop clubhouse and lounge.

• Dog park.

• Full kitchen and coffee shop.

For people staying in the co-living side of the apartment, social events and even Slack channels will be set up so they can connect with others on their floor or the whole co-living side in and of itself, Vegh explained.

“On every floor, we have a 2,500-square-foot common space with a double gourmet kitchen, a lounge area with stadium-style seating for everyone to hang out and watch movies together, plus a dining space/workspace, so they’ll meet up there, hang out, maybe have dinner cooked (or have) dinner called in, and then go out for the night. That’s like a typical weekend,” he added.

Salt Lake Crossing’s inspiration

While on a housing tour before her freshman year of college at the University of Utah, freshman Macie Brinkerhoff told the Deseret News that the private studio options at Lassonde Studios on-campus housing enticed her.

“I liked that it felt like I wasn’t on a college campus. It was different and had multiple floor plan options,” Brinkerhoff said. “I got on the waitlist for my sophomore year housing as soon as possible.”

“Plus, every floor has its own kitchen, which I felt gave it a little extra bit of luxury,” she added. “Normal college dorms just don’t have that.”

Lassonde Studios was rated by Architectural Digest in 2017 as one of the top nine best university buildings worldwide. Salt Lake Crossing was heavily inspired by University housing.

“It’s an awesome concept, but it’s on the university. It’s for students, and they have a waitlist every single year,” Vegh said regarding Lassonde Studios. “So we became aware of that and really liked the concept. And we thought that there should be something like that for kids outside of school, or that same concept for anyone really.”

“So that’s where Salt Lake Crossing was born,” he added. We decided to build a project with living, co-working and co-living studios.”