Developers received the green light on a plan to turn an old office supply commercial space between downtown Salt Lake City and the University of Utah into an off-campus student housing hub.

Members of the Salt Lake City Planning Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to approve design standards modifications that the Utah development firm Cole West requested for its property at 410 S. 900 East, formerly the site of an OfficeMax that shuttered years ago. The approval set the stage for the construction of a 252-unit housing complex geared for the city’s higher education student population.

“Students come here to be educated; we want to help them fall in love with their city, stay here after graduation and contribute to its growth and vibrancy,” said Walker Wood, vice president of developm

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