By ANNIE GARDNER
annie@newsroom.byu.edu
Provo is known for BYU and its historical Center Street. Salt Lake City is familiar to many people because of Temple Square, the pioneers and the Jazz. But when it comes to defining Orem, there may not be any monumental buildings or historic places that make the city special, at least not at first glance.
'Orem. Isn't that where the Osmond's used to live?' aksed Crystal Workman, 20, a sophomore from Columbus, Ohio, majoring is sociology.
Orem may be famous for Donny and Marie, but it also has some other aspects that make it unique to Utah and perhaps to the world.
'I think the one thing Orem is most known for is its motto, 'Family City USA.' It may not be BYU or a fancy building, but it's more about what kind of community Orem is,' said Ken Young, Orem's city planner.
In 1994, Money magazine named Orem as the 'most liveable place in America.' Young says that even though the title was awarded five years ago, he thinks Orem is still at the top of the list.
Newly elected Mayor Jerry Washburn said he thinks the family-oriented mindset of Orem residents helps to define Family City USA.
'Orem is not unique in that is has wonderful families, but I think there is a unique population composition in Orem. There are not a lot of poor or a lot of rich families. We're middle of the road. We're a family-oriented community and I think that's the most important defining element of Orem,' he said.
Another defining element of Orem is also a controversial issue for many Orem residents -- growth. In 1980, Orem was the ninth fastest growing city in the United States, and from 1990 to 1999, Family City USA grew from 40,000 to 90,000 plus people.
Young said a lot of Orem's growth was spurred by BYU.
'Graduates wanted to stay in the area, but wanted a nice family setting to raise their children in, and Orem was a natural place for that growth to happen,' he said.
Young also said that Orem has undergone tremendous economic growth in the last few years that has helped to define the city as a regional shopping center for Utah county.
A 155,000-square-foot Costco Wholesale Warehouse recently opened near the newly renovated University Mall, which is expecting a Nordstrom department store in the spring of 2000. Large and small businesses are finding their way into Family City USA, benefiting residents with more than just good shopping.
'Businesses in Orem have generated better tax dollars resulting in Orem being a financial and economic powerhouse in Utah County,' Washburn said.
Despite the benefits that increased business is bringing to Orem, many residents are concerned that the growth is going to change their residential community into one big shopping center.
Linda Herbert, a life-long Orem resident, said she's seen more economic growth in the city during the past year than in her whole life.
'I've been here since the cherry orchard days. Growth in Orem is inevitable, but I think it's important that residents be able to adapt to that growth and that there be a balance between business and residential growth in whatever Orem decides to do,' she said.
Harold Whittwer, a resident on 800 South who will lose his home this spring because the city needs to widen the road to allow for increasing traffic, said he wants consistency between zoning and planning issues.
Young said some decisions regarding growth in the city are not always popular.
'But that's politics in a democracy, and it's also growing pains. Growth will happen whether we like it or not. We've built ourselves us economically for the last few years but now we're starting to pull back just a little bit. We're trying to put more emphasis on quality of life rather than on growth,' Young said.
Young said that because Orem is 88 percent built out, there's no where to build but up, which he doesn't see the city doing.
'That's what happens in downtown Manhattan, but we don't even want to get that big so we're focusing on quality growth rather than quantity growth,' he said.
Washburn said that besides being a great place for families and an economic stronghold in the county, Orem has a lot to offer the world outside of Utah.
'Many people don't realize that Utah Valley State College has one of the foremost international relations departments in the world. The Prime Minister of Outer Mongolia and his cabinet members came to UVSC to learn English and study international relations,' Washburn said.
Washburn said Orem sends the highest per-capita number of people on LDS missions.
'In a roundabout way, Orem is one of the most important influences in the world for an influence of peace,' he said.
According to Orem's Web site, http://www.orem.org, Brigham Young predicted the future development of Orem, then known as Provo Bench.
He said, 'Some day all of this sagebrush will disappear ... and this bench will become a beautiful garden spot. Here many kinds of delicious fruit and vegetable will be grown, beautiful homes will be erected.'
Brigham Young had no idea that the orchards and land would turn into an economic powerhouse for the county and that the beautiful homes would hold the reason Orem is known as Family City USA.