The Doxey-Layton Gamble part 7
Update: September 1965 — The Doxey-Layton Gamble
From 4100 South to 3500 South: A Shift That Shaped West Valley’s Commercial Core
Sixty years ago, the seeds of what would become one of West Valley’s most ambitious retail developments were planted by Graham W. Doxey and his development firm Doxey-Layton Company. Already known for their successful Foothill Village project, the team had set their sights west — toward Granger and Hunter — where suburban rooftops were rising and opportunity seemed wide open.
But what started as a straightforward plan to bring a major shopping center to 2700 West and 4100 South soon turned into a multi-year saga of zoning battles, shifting plans, unexpected competitors, and an eventual site relocation that would leave a permanent mark on the community.
The Original Plan: 4100 South
In the early 1960s, Doxey-Layton submitted plans and applied for zoning and building permits for a large regional shopping center at 2700 West and 4100 South — a location then zoned for residential use. Despite the challenges, the developers believed this corner had the right ingredients: access, space, and future growth.
They began courting a critical partner — ZCMI (Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution), Utah’s oldest and most prominent department store. Without a department store anchor, the center couldn't qualify as a true regional destination — the kind that could draw shoppers from across the valley and justify significant investment.
At first, ZCMI showed interest but offered little commitment. Meanwhile, Doxey-Layton quietly lined up financial backing from multiple Salt Lake pension funds — including Milne Truck Lines, Otto Buehner Co., Elias Morris, Young Electric Sign Co., and Shurtleff & Andrews Construction — with some help from investor Frank Campbell, a Utah native based in Arizona.
As the negotiations wore on, it became clear that the 4100 South location posed significant zoning obstacles. At the same time, the developers began to see strategic advantages in a different spot — one with better commercial access and greater visibility.
A Shift to 3500 South
By 1965, Doxey-Layton had abandoned their original 4100 South plan and instead secured a site 13 blocks north at 2700 West and 3500 South. This new location still required a zoning change but offered far more promise as a regional hub.
With the new location in hand, they brought in Victor Gruen and Associates, a premier national firm in mall design, to plan a state-of-the-art center. Gruen was famous for pioneering the concept of suburban shopping malls, and his involvement signaled the seriousness of the project.
At last, ZCMI committed. In September 1965, ZCMI Vice President Dean R. Williams announced that the store would abandon any future efforts at 4100 South and move forward with Doxey-Layton at 3500 South. Their target opening? Fall 1967.
It was a hard-won victory — and a critical one, as another shopping center effort was quietly gaining ground just to the west.
The Quiet Rival: A Surprise Around the Corner
Unbeknownst to Doxey-Layton, while they were navigating zoning boards and fine-tuning site plans, another powerful force was moving in just 13 blocks west. Pete Harman, the restaurateur who helped found Kentucky Fried Chicken, had formed the 35–40 Corporation and was planning a rival regional center at 4000 West and 3500 South.
That center, Westown, would go on to ignite a legal and political firestorm in Salt Lake County. But at the time, Doxey-Layton believed they had secured the one and only regional shopping center spot for the west side.
Their three-year journey — from the initial 4100 South permit to the final 3500 South launch plan — is a striking example of the complexities behind urban growth, where vision, timing, and persistence ultimately shaped the future layout of West Valley’s commercial heart.