Brigham Young University has completed the sale of a 716-acre farm, known as the BYU Farm, that is located near Salem City in Utah County. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the University Endowment and serve future generations of students.
The farm was originally acquired by BYU through a series of purchases beginning in 1957 and served as a production agriculture learning center for decades of students. As the new millennium came, the importance of laboratory-based academic work made the university’s use of the farm obsolete. Since 2004 the farm has been leased to a commercial farming operation.
In deciding to sell the farm, BYU determined that if it were acquired by a developer, it should be developed as a master planned community, which would provide enhanced cohesiveness. The intent was that the plan should also include amenities that would benefit both the community and the city.
D.R. Horton, Inc., a national homebuilder, has now purchased the farm and intends to develop a master planned community to be known as Viridian Farms. After a rigorous governmental review processes, the plan for Viridian Farms has received annexation and zoning approval by Salem City. Viridian Farms will be developed over an approximate 10-year period and will include numerous parks, trails and community-serving facilities.
