By Zach Collier
On Monday, University Place opened The Orchard – an urban park now at the heart of what was once simply University Mall. Over the last five years, the Woodbury Corporation has been working to transform the mall into a completely refurbished, mixed use development. Land for the new park (an orchard north of the property) was originally purchased in 2012. In 2014, the corporation announced its plans to invest $500 million over ten years on the overhaul. It’s been building ever since. The Orchard will eventually be completely surrounded by shops, office buildings, and residences.
“Nearly the size of two football fields, it will be a versatile venue with a packed schedule of events year round,” reads a statement on the University Place website. The park features an indoor/outdoor children’s play area, choreographed water fountain shows, an outdoor stage, outdoor seating, and a large field. University Place has planned a week of events as part of its grand-opening celebration.
Tomorrow, October 7th, Foreign Figures will be headlining a free show at 7PM. The Solarists are slated to open. Saturday, October 8th, James The Mormon will perform in the park at the same time. His wildly popular rap music will be prefaced by the lively, horn infused pop of Motion Coaster. For information on future events planned at the park, visit the official University Place website. You can watch Foreign Figures’ latest video – a mashup of Coldplay’s biggest hits – below.
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