The East Bench has a new August rhythm, and it starts at the Foothill Village plaza. August 6, 2026 For years, the East Bench's late-summer evenings ran on a familiar loop. A walk on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail before the sun cleared the ridge, errands at Dan's Fresh Market, a Red Butte concert if you had tickets, and a drive somewhere else for dinner. Foothill Village was the errand stop, not the destination. By 7 p.m. the parking deck emptied out. That pattern has quietly reversed this summer. A $25 million redevelopment, a brand-new pedestrian link to Curtis Park, and a bigger-than-usual Red Butte calendar have turned the stretch between 1400 South and Red Butte Canyon Road into something the neighborhood didn't have before: a walkable evening room with a real anchor. If you live off Foothill Drive, the way you plan an August Tuesday is different than it was last year. What actually changed at Foothill Village. The short version is that Asana Partners, which acquired the center in 2021, has spent the last several years remaking it. Asana has invested $25 million to redevelop Foothill Village, the 260,000-square-foot grocery-anchored center in the East Bench, adding a new central plaza, open-air breezeways, six new tenants and two levels of retail shops, anchored by Dan's Fresh Market. The center first opened in 1954, and the facelift began shortly after the 2021 acquisition. The tenant mix is where the change shows up on a Tuesday night. Here is what has landed, and what is still coming this year: | Tenant | Status | What it adds | | JD Flannel Donuts & Coffee | Open (June 2026), first Utah location | Morning coffee and grab-and-go | | Mo' Bettahs | Open | Casual Hawaiian plate lunches | | [solidcore] | Open | Fitness slot the center didn't have | | Magnolia Bakery | Q4 2026, 1,500 sf | Second Utah location after Holladay | | Zao Asian Café | Q3 2026 | Fast-casual dinner option | | MD Hyperbaric | By end of 2026 | Service tenant, not food | JD Flannel Donuts, Mo' Bettahs and [solidcore] have already opened at the center. Magnolia Bakery intends to open a 1,500-square-foot space by the fourth quarter of 2026, after opening its first Utah location in Holladay earlier this summer. Zao Asian Cafe plans to open in the third quarter of 2026, and MD Hyperbaric also plans to open by the end of the year. Read against the existing lineup, this is a real shift. Flower Child and Slice House by Tony Gemignani, both first Utah locations for their brands, arrived during earlier phases of the redevelopment. Slice House by Tony Gemignani and Flower Child both opened as first Utah locations at the center, and more than 50 businesses now have locations in the area. Add in the long-standing tenants like Red Butte Café, Sports Den, and the Dan's bakery counter, and the center now covers coffee at 7 a.m., a workout at 9, lunch, dinner, and dessert without a car move in between. The Curtis Park connection Is the sleeper detail. The tenant news got the KSL and Deseret coverage, but the physical change that will matter most to residents is quieter. The final phase of construction, a partnership with Salt Lake City connecting the center to Curtis Park, was completed in June, with a ribbon cutting marking the plaza's completion set for mid-July. If you live in the blocks north of 1300 South, this changes the calculus of getting to the center on foot. Curtis Park sits directly behind the property, and until this summer the walk from the park side involved cutting through the parking deck or looping around. The new plaza and open-air breezeways give the center a front door on that side. Patrons can expect community programming in the open space year-round. That means the plaza is being positioned as a gathering space, not just decorative pavers between the storefronts. The practical read: the center is now walkable from a residential edge it used to turn its back on. If you're the kind of resident who has been driving to the center for a single errand, the calculus for walking over just changed. Red Butte's home stretch, read against the new plaza. Red Butte Garden's amphitheater sits less than two miles up Foothill Drive, and this year's concert series is the biggest the venue has run. Red Butte Garden brings 31 shows for the 2026 season, with tickets going on sale in two waves starting Monday, April 20. The interesting stretch for East Bench residents is the back half. Most calendars are already thinking about the season winding down; Red Butte's calendar has a lot left. A short list of what's still ahead: * Aug 7 - Garden Member Block Party at Red Butte * Aug 23 - Ray LaMontagne with The Weather Station * Sept 12 - Intermountain Hoop Dance Competition * Sept 22 - The Revivalists close the season Ray LaMontagne, who was forced to cancel his 2025 performance because of an unexpected surgery, will perform with The Weather Station on Aug. 23, and tickets from last year's sold-out show carry over to this year. The season opened with Big Head Todd and The Monsters on May 31 and ends with The Revivalists on Sept. 22. The Park City Artists Association Exhibit runs July 31 through August 31 with an artist reception on August 1, and the Garden Member Block Party falls on August 7. Here is the piece that matters for how the neighborhood actually uses these dates. In prior seasons, the pre-concert routine meant either eating at home earlier than you wanted or fighting downtown traffic for a reservation. With Flower Child, Slice House, JD Flannel for a late coffee, and soon Zao and Magnolia all inside a five-minute drive of the Red Butte gates, the pre-show dinner window opens up. The neighborhood's dining infrastructure finally lines up with the concert calendar it has always shared a hillside with. A walkable August evening, in order. If you're hosting out-of-town guests this month, or you just want to see what the new rhythm actually feels like, here is a sequence that only works because of what changed this year: * 5:15 p.m. - Park once near Curtis Park or walk from your block. Come in through the new pedestrian connection to the plaza. * 5:30 p.m. - Early dinner at Flower Child or Slice House. Both take walk-ins on weeknights and both were built for a fast turn. * 6:30 p.m. - Coffee to go from JD Flannel and a slow lap through the plaza and open-air breezeways. The tenant mix has shifted enough that even longtime residents will find one or two storefronts they haven't been inside. * 6:50 p.m. - Short drive up Wakara Way to the Red Butte lot. * 7:00 p.m. - Gates open for most August shows. If it's a non-concert evening, swap step 4 for a walk on the Bonneville Shoreline Trail segment that runs from the Natural History Museum parking lot to the back of This Is the Place Heritage Park, a flat 35 to 40 minute round trip with valley views. Salt Lake City's portion of the BST is a 13.5-mile trail stretching from North Salt Lake to Parley's Canyon. The Hogle Zoo trailhead is the other common entry from this side of the bench. What this means for the rest of the year. The East Bench is not a neighborhood that reinvents itself often. The bones are old, the streets are settled, and most of the change tends to be one house at a time. What's different about 2026 is that a piece of daily infrastructure the neighborhood has used for seventy years just got rebuilt around walkability and gathering, and it happened at the same moment the venue up the hill is running its biggest calendar in years. For residents, the practical shift is small but real. The center is now a place you can spend an hour in, not just a place you stop at. The concert calendar has meaningful dates past Labor Day. The pedestrian link to Curtis Park closes a gap that had quietly kept the center feeling like a car-only destination for the blocks immediately around it. None of these are the kind of change that shows up in a listing description. They are the kind of change that shifts how an evening feels. If you've been thinking about how this pocket of the East Bench fits your longer-term plans, or you're curious how these shifts are showing up in what buyers and sellers are actually asking about on this side of Foothill Drive, Let's connect. Adam Frenza has spent nearly twenty years watching how neighborhood-scale changes like this one work their way into the way people live here.

Magnolia Bakery expands to Hudson County along with major local news. Hudson County is buzzing with massive developments, ranging from world-famous sweet treats to historic milestones. If you want to dive deep into local happenings, its guide on Jersey City history offers a fantastic look at how the region evolved. This week's major news roundup covers everything from booming real estate and transit upgrades to legendary bakeries expanding into its neighborhoods. Let Destination Jersey City break down the biggest stories shaping its vibrant communities right now. Experience Jersey City: Manhattan Views, Jersey Prices Easy booking across hundreds of accommodations from luxury high-rises to unearthed brownstone treasures. Sweet treats and real estate giants. The culinary scene across Hudson and Bergen counties is about to get a major upgrade with some exciting brand arrivals. Magnolia Bakery arrives. Renowned dessert destination Magnolia Bakery has officially announced plans to expand into New Jersey with five new locations spanning across Hudson and Bergen counties. Sweet tooths everywhere are celebrating this delicious milestone. Meanwhile, commercial growth continues to thrive with Just Salad opening its second location at 99 Hudson Street. Urban dog daycare brand Dogdrop is also preparing for a much-anticipated fall debut. Frank Sinatra's roots on the market. Real estate history recently hit the market in Hoboken where a renovated four-bedroom duplex inside the former home of Frank Sinatra's parents was listed for sale at $3.95 million. It is an incredible piece of local pop culture history. Discover Your Perfect Stay in Jersey City Find available hotels and vacation homes instantly. No fees, best rates guaranteed! Across the river, the Jersey City planning board approved several new real estate ventures including the Casa 824 development in Journal Square. They also greenlit a massive 17-story project near the Holland Tunnel. Festivals and community milestones. Local community festivities are ramping up significantly as Destination Jersey City celebrate cultural heritage and neighborhood landmarks. Centennial celebrations and parades. The upcoming 100th-anniversary celebration of the Hoboken Italian Festival is drawing immense excitement from residents. Similarly, the 66th Annual Jersey City Puerto Rican Parade and Festival promises incredible food, music, and community pride. If you are planning to visit these events, make sure to check out its practical tips on getting around the metropolitan area smoothly. Navigating the crowds during festival season requires a bit of local strategy. Newport's 40th Anniversary. The Newport community in Jersey City recently marked its impressive 40th anniversary in a very generous way. Organizers distributed $1 million in grants among 40 local non-profit organizations to support regional growth. For travelers looking to experience these vibrant local celebrations firsthand, finding a comfortable place to rest is essential. Explore its curated recommendations on where to stay during your upcoming visit. Infrastructure and municipal developments. Local governance and infrastructure updates are driving significant changes across the entire Hudson County landscape. Transit and city improvements. In municipal developments, Hoboken approved a mixed-use redevelopment project for the former Mario's Bar site on Park Avenue. The city also announced the installation of seventeen new street benches on Washington Street. Infrastructure improvements also made major headlines as Amtrak awarded crucial contracts for a $242 million rehabilitation of the century-old Dock Bridge. This project connects Newark and Harrison, ensuring safer commutes for thousands. Governance and Education scrutiny. In local governance news, Jersey City officials faced intense public scrutiny over proposed administrative budget cuts. These cuts unfortunately threaten vital public health services and essential personnel positions. Additionally, the Jersey City Board of Education prepared to vote on a potential Department of Justice settlement regarding admissions policies. This vote focuses directly on McNair Academic High School. There is always something new happening across its urban landscape, and planning your next local outing has never been easier. Take a moment to plan your stay and discover all the amazing things to do right here in its backyard. Discover Jersey City: Your Dream Getaway Awaits Find the perfect hotel or vacation rental. Instant booking, no fees!

UWS bakery's dessert named best in the United States by The Food Network. By Gus Saltonstall A dessert from a bakery on the Upper West Side was just named the best in the United States by The Food Network. "Food Network Top 10," a series that ranks the 10 best food items in different categories from across the country, aired its episode on "Sweet Treats" on June 30. The best dessert in the nation? The banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery, which has a location at 200 Columbus Avenue, on the corner of West 69th Street. "When we filmed with Food Network in March, we had no idea where Banana Pudding would land in the Top Ten ranking," Magnolia Bakery's CEO and Upper West Sider Bobbie Lloyd wrote on Instagram. "After watching last night's Top Ten Sweets episode, we're so honored to see it was chosen as #1." Lloyd has lived on the Upper West Side for nearly 30 years, and you can check out West Side Rag's conversation with her here: Why the West Side: Bobbie Llyod, Chief Baking Officer of Magnolia Bakery. The desserts were selected and ranked by chefs Esther Choi, Ayesha Nurdjaja, Owen Han, Kardea Brown, Rocco DiSpirito, and others. Magnolia Bakery's Upper West Side outpost has a dedicated banana pudding bar for customers. The dessert is made with vanilla pudding, bananas, and vanilla wafers. Magnolia Bakery first opened on Bleecker Street in 1996 and has had a location on the Upper West Side since 2008. You can find out more about Magnolia Bakery - HERE. Please limit comments to 150 words and keep them civil and relevant to the article at hand. Comments are closed after six days. Its primary goal is to create a safe and respectful space where a broad spectrum of voices can be heard. West Side Rag LLC welcome diverse viewpoints and encourage readers to engage critically with one another's ideas, but never at the expense of civility. Disagreement is expected - even encouraged - but it must be expressed with care and consideration. Comments that take cheap shots, escalate conflict, or veer into ideological warfare detract from the constructive spirit West Side Rag LLC aim to cultivate. A detailed statement on comments and WSR policy can be read here. 26 Comments