Utah County is finally getting its own Whole Foods Market, and it's arriving as the anchor of a sprawling new retail and dining development in Lehi. The Collective at Morning Vista, a 134,000-square-foot project breaking ground at the northeast corner of Timpanogos Highway and Morning Vista Road, is set to open in late 2027, with more than half of its in-line retail space already leased.
The development broke ground in May 2026, according to Utah Business, which reports the site sits in the Lehi foothills. KSL reported that the project is being billed as the first and only Whole Foods Market in Utah County, a milestone that's likely to turn heads among grocery shoppers who've long had to cross county lines for the chain.
Beyond groceries, the tenant roster so far includes Sephora, Lovesac, Bamboo Sushi, PopUp Bagels, Solidcore, VIO Med Spa, Petfolk and Bohme, per the same report. The mix is meant to deliver grocery, dining, fitness and lifestyle retail under one roof, with the developers promising additional tenants and construction milestones to be announced as work progresses.
Who's Building It and Why Lehi
The Collective is being developed by CenterCal Properties in partnership with Utah-based Perry Commercial. Jean Paul Wardy, described by Utah Business as co-founder and CEO of CenterCal Properties, said the project represents a meaningful investment in one of the country's most dynamic growth markets — though a separate release from prnewswire.com instead identifies him as founder and CEO of the firm.
The project is designed to serve not just Lehi but Highland, Alpine, American Fork and neighboring northern Utah County communities, the developers say. Plans call for a central park, outdoor gathering areas and patios meant for outdoor dining and community programming, all set against views of the Wasatch Mountains, according to a release carried by PRNewswire.
A City Still Booming
The timing tracks with Lehi's rapid growth. The city now has more than 95,000 residents, with its population up more than 25% since 2020 according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates cited in the Utah Business report. That kind of growth has fueled demand for new retail options in a city that's increasingly become a draw for families and workers moving into northern Utah County.
Road Questions Still Unresolved
The Collective still has to clear Lehi's city approval process, and one sticking point involves traffic. Under the city's current code, Sunrise Way must be extended west to Morning Vista Road, with a new traffic signal installed at the connection, according to Engage Lehi. That stretch of Sunrise Way currently carries only about 400 vehicles per day, but the city projects that figure could climb to as many as 3,500 vehicles per day if the connection goes through as planned.
Lehi is weighing a possible code amendment that would let the developer request an exception to build a walking-and-biking trail instead of extending the road, per the Engage Lehi page. City officials note that amending the code wouldn't automatically eliminate the road requirement, since the project must follow the rules that were in place when its application was originally submitted. One alternative scenario modeled by the city — adding a raised median on Mountain View Road to block northbound left turns onto Sunrise Way — would still produce an estimated 1,400 vehicles per day, compared with the roughly 2,500 vehicles per day the city considers generally acceptable for local streets.
Separately, Lehi's Planning Commission has already taken up at least one piece of the project's paperwork: a request from Trademark Visual for conditional-use approval of two pylon signs at 1050 West Sunrise Way, including an exception for greater height and sign area than typically allowed, according to a notice posted by the City of Lehi.
With leasing already past the halfway mark and groundwork underway, The Collective at Morning Vista looks increasingly likely to reshape where northern Utah County residents shop, eat and gather — assuming the remaining city approvals, including the road connection question, get sorted out before doors open in late 2027.
