On Saturday, Oct. 3, more than 100 people formed a human chain at Kimball Junction and passed books by hand from the Richins Building to the new PEAK Center. There were only 24 books in the chain. All of them had been chosen for One Book One Community, the reading program the Summit County Library runs with the Park City Library and Dolly's Bookstore. The Park Record reported that most of the branch's roughly 45,000 books moved another way. Staff packed the items that were not checked out into boxes and moved them over about four weeks.
Library Director Dan Compton told the paper the community had done this before. In 1982, volunteers passed 2,000 books from the Park City Library's Main Street building to its new home on Park Avenue.
The brigade was a symbolic handoff, and so far it has been a one-way one. The library's move into PEAK was set for Nov. 4. The DMV, which the county planned to move into the same building, is still listed at its old address. For now, a county errand at Kimball Junction means checking which of the two buildings you need first.
The October "grand opening" was a preview
The Oct. 3 event was billed as the branch's grand opening, but the doors did not open for regular service that day. Compton told the Park Record the branch would not officially open for about two more weeks and that some areas were still under construction. As he put it:
"We're at the finish line."
That finish line took longer than planned. KPCW reported in July that the branch would close in August and reopen in September. Holds for the Kimball Junction branch started going to the Bookmobile on Aug. 17. The library then set Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. as the first day at the new address, 6301 N. Landmark Dr. In the end, the branch's closest patrons went most of the fall without a branch.
The library's patrons filled the wait by borrowing. Before the move, the library invited cardholders to check out up to 50 items each. Compton estimated that about 15,000 items went out in roughly two weeks, which is about 35 percent of the collection.
What the branch at PEAK looks like
The new branch has separate areas for adults, teens and children. It also has conference and study rooms, a soundproof phone booth and reading nooks. The Park Record described plenty of natural light and glass looking out on the open space around Utah Olympic Park.
The branch's posted hours are:
- Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday
Because the branch is closed three days in a row, Sunday through Tuesday, the outdoor book drop matters more than the hours do. The library's November newsletter says PEAK's outdoor book drop opened before the building did, and that returns at the new location begin Wednesday, Nov. 4. The library's earlier move announcement explained how holds were handled during the closure. They went to the Bookmobile, and patrons could choose Coalville or Kamas as a pickup branch instead.
For families, the November newsletter lists Toddler Time, Preschool Story Time, Family Story Time and Baby Rhyme Time at the new branch. On Fridays, self-directed activities are set up in a space called the Acorn Room.
PEAK is a county campus, and the library is its first public tenant
PEAK stands for Public Engagement at Kimball. The building is the former Skullcandy headquarters, and the county's reasons for buying it were easier public access and closer working ties between departments, KPCW reported in March. A county staff report from August puts the purchase price at $17.5 million. The county's plan was a government facility with a library, a DMV, Council meeting space, conference rooms and other services.
The floor plan divides the ground level in two. The library takes the west side. The east side is set aside for the DMV, a County Council chamber designed to hold at least 200 people, and conference rooms. Upstairs, the county planned space for the departments now in the Richins Building, Health Department divisions, Communications & Public Engagement, and shared workstations for Engineering, IT, Facilities and the Sheriff's Office. The county's office roster also includes space for High Valley Transit.
In August, county staff estimated the second-floor renovation would run through the end of the year. That puts the library at the front of a move that was always meant to happen in stages.
Where county errands happen this winter
The DMV was supposed to move in alongside the library. KPCW reported in July that the office was aiming for an early-to-mid August move, with the timing dependent on coordination with state officials. Utah DMV's office locator still lists the Summit County office in the Sheldon Richins Building at 1885 W. Ute Blvd., Suite 400. The locator says hours may vary and asks visitors to call ahead.
| Errand | Where it is listed | Hours as posted | Before you go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Borrowing, holds, study rooms | PEAK Center, 6301 N. Landmark Dr. | Wed–Thu 10 a.m.–8 p.m.; Fri–Sat 10 a.m.–6 p.m. | Use the outdoor book drop Sunday through Tuesday |
| Vehicle registration and DMV services | Sheldon Richins Building, 1885 W. Ute Blvd., Suite 400 | Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and 2–4:45 p.m. | Call (435) 615-3940 to confirm the office location and hours |
| County Council meetings | Planned for the PEAK Center ground floor | Set by meeting | Check the county's meeting notice for the location |
The DMV's midday break is the detail that most often wastes a trip. The office closes from 12:30 to 2 p.m., so a lunch-hour visit means waiting until the doors reopen.
Why the Richins Building matters this year
Moving the county out of the Richins Building is about more than new office space. KPCW reported that the building is scheduled for demolition in spring 2027. A mixed-use project with underground parking and apartments and businesses above it will take its place. That date sets the deadline for every service still listed at 1885 W. Ute Blvd.
The Oct. 3 event made the connection clear. Along with the book brigade, the county set up presentations on the projects that will change Kimball Junction over the next several years. Six Ridge Partners, formerly Dakota Pacific Real Estate, gave an overview of Altus Park City. The Utah Department of Transportation presented proposed road and crossing improvements. High Valley Transit showed renderings of a new transit center. Six Ridge development director Steve Borup told the Park Record he saw curiosity and "measured reserve" from the public. He said having everyone in the public-private partnership in one room gave a full picture of the site over roughly the next six years. County Councilor Megan McKenna, who joined the brigade with her family, said she had heard positive feedback about plans to turn Kimball Junction into a community hub.
Two of those projects now have dates:
- SR-224 pedestrian bridge. On Oct. 21, the Summit County Council chose Concept B, a mountain-inspired design for a crossing over SR-224 near Ute Boulevard. TownLift reported that engineering continues through 2027, with construction expected to begin in 2028 at an estimated $15 million to $20 million.
- Bobsled Express. According to the Park Record, High Valley Transit's rapid bus line on SR-224 was 50 percent built as of late October. Drainage work may continue into winter without affecting drivers, the remaining work should be nearly done by the end of 2027, and service is set to start in 2028.
For anyone driving SR-224 between White Pine Canyon and Kimball Junction, the bus line is the project with the nearest finish date.
The shopping side of the Junction is changing too
Across Landmark Drive, the shopping center once called Outlets Park City has been adding tenants under its new name, Junction Commons. Tosh's Ramen opened its third location there on Oct. 19. Owners Max and Annie Peck took over the Holladay restaurant from founder Toshio Sekikawa, and the Park City location focuses on lunch, with bento boxes, rice dishes and desserts planned. Pandora opened Oct. 2. Nordstrom Rack opened Oct. 22 in a 25,000-square-foot store at 6699 N. Landmark Drive, the chain's first on the Wasatch Back, with pickup and returns for online orders.
Fourth Space Studios, a mat-based Pilates, sculpt, yoga and strength studio from Park City instructors Kendall Banks and Madeleine Vargas, was scheduled to open in November in a space of about 2,700 square feet with locker rooms and showers. TownLift also reported that Adidas closed for a short renovation and plans to reopen before Black Friday.
That makes it possible to combine trips. A library return, a pickup at Nordstrom Rack and lunch at Tosh's Ramen are now all within one stretch of Landmark Drive. The DMV is the one stop that still means driving over to Ute Boulevard, and only until the Richins Building comes down. For more on how restaurants along this corridor have been changing, see our look at why a Michelin-backed kitchen chose Kimball Junction.
For Colony owners, Kimball Junction is the nearest place for everyday errands, and the next few years of construction there will shape life inside the gate. The Colony Sales Team follows these projects closely and can walk you through what's changing between The Colony and the Junction. Schedule a Private Tour, and we'll include the route in.
