When fire destroyed an iconic vacant Murray factory in 2015, all that demolition crews left standing was a 286-foot-long, cinder-block wall that stood 20 feet high. The 1900s-era facility most recently operated as a fish food manufacturing plant and residents had become accustomed to the giant painting of a rainbow trout that adorned the side of the building. The remaining gray wall has been viewed as an eyesore by locals in recent years.
Utah homebuilder Hamlet Homes has now moved onto the property to build a new townhome community — the fourth of five the company will open this year — along with its corporate headquarters. Dubbed Granton Square, the new development will feature 61 three-bedroom residences along with the commercial building which will house Hamlet’s offices.
Hamlet hosted a ceremony at the site recently and along with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the company unveiled its solution to the unsightly gray wall. Hamlet has commissioned the painting of a wall-length mural on the barrier which maintains the fish motif of the old fish food factory, including a giant replication of the trout that was destroyed when the plant burned.
Local muralist David Habben and other local artists participated in the production of the giant work of art. Murray city officials, Hamlet Home owners and employees and the participating artists added more fish to the painting during the event marking the opening of Granton Square. Supplies for the project were donated by RMC Painting and PPG Paints.
“When we began developing Granton Square, we faced the challenge of making a big, solid-gray, cinder-block wall enhance the community aesthetic,” said Tami Ostmark, vice president of marketing for Hamlet Homes. “We got creative, pulled the community together, and now the Granton Square mural wall is one of the biggest community projects we have accomplished. It will leave a long-standing legacy for Hamlet Homes.”
“Moving our headquarters to a modern building marks a new day for Hamlet Homes,” said Barry Gittleman, president/COO and owner of Hamlet Homes. “We knew we needed to celebrate our new ownership with a splash, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to do that in collaboration with Murray City. We know great things are on the horizon for Hamlet Homes.”
“We are very pleased to have Granton Square, another quality Hamlet Homes development, here in Murray City,” said Murray Mayor Blair Camp. “This new community will provide homes for individuals and families who want to be a part of the Murray community in this convenient location. In addition, Hamlet’s new corporate headquarters is a magnificent addition to this previously underutilized property. Congratulations on another excellent development in our city.”
Since Hamlet Homes’ founding in 1994, it has built over 3,600 homes in 60 communities in Utah.