Salt Lake:Official development news thread

[blazefirelight]

Originally Posted by arkhitektor

Here's something I noticed downtown the other day:

I was on my way to S.L. Central Station on TRAX and had needed to find a restroom. I was going to be early getting onto FrontRunner, so I decided to get off TRAX at Gallivan Plaza, find somewhere to go to the bathroom, then get on the next TRAX train 15 min. later and still make my FrontRunner connection.

Anyway, I tried the Wells Fargo bldg., One Utah, Walker Center, US Bank, Sam Weller's, Hotel Monaco, Scottish Imports, Rite Aid, Subway, Gateway West, Zions Bank, and none of them had public restrooms. I nearly wet my pants before I found a bathroom I could use in the South Visitor's center on Temple Square.

Am I crazy or does it seem like some of these places on Main St. could have a public bathroom? Do they have problems with security and homeless folk or something?

They have a restroom you can use in the Marriott on 200 S and Main. Just go into Starbucks and go to the east side of the store. It's through a little door right in the main lobby.

[urbanboy]

I think the Flower Patch could use a new paint job!

[Future Mayor]

So I was having a little withdrawl and decided to take a stroll around downtown yesterday evening. Seriously we have a great downtown.

Any who, I stopped into the Downtown Rising store front on Main Street and chatted with the guy inside for about 45 minutes regarding all that is going on downtown. During our conversation we were discussing the pedestrian presence on Main and the essential aspect of having more people walking around Main St. As some of us have wondered what is going on with the old Daynes building, (shown below) I now know.

One of the founder of the Bayou, which is a great establishment for those who haven't been, is creating a new Private club, a restaurant with a club license, on the main floor of the building and it is expected to open around January. It will have a similar feel to the bayou with the exposed brick and things like that but will be slightly higher scale than the bayou.

I was excited to hear about another late night option for something to do, not only in Downtown but particularly on Main St. Keys on Main has had a huge impact on the vitality of Main and this new place will continue that trend.

Originally Posted by delts145

What's that on the north side of Daynes, I can't remember? Looks like we need to get rid of that too.

[LivingInExile]

^ Nice shot, if that place was a little more fixed up, I might have confused it for San Francisco.

[LivingInExile]

ooops....double post.

[urbanboy]

To help illustrate scale:

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by urbanboy

I think the Flower Patch could use a new paint job!

I think it would be better to have the building go and replace it with a tower. Maybe a 2nd Grand America Hotel Tower and still have the Flower Patch on the ground level.

[SLC Projects]

Feds want Port O'Call shut down in early 2009

After years of unsuccessful negotiations to buy the Shubrick Building, the U.S. government on Tuesday sought to condemn the home of the popular Port O' Call social club to make room for a new federal courthouse.
Just compensation for the 29,122 square feet of land is estimated at $5,465,000, according to a condemnation suit filed in U.S. District Court. The Shubrick, at 60 to 78 W. 400 South, is just west of the present federal courthouse.
Melodie Rydalch, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, said the legal action was filed because the government and property owners were too far apart on price. She said the compensation estimate is based on an independent appraisal done last year but could change with a new review.
As part of the legal process, the government has deposited a check for $5,465,000 with the federal court. In a typical case, appraisers on each side testify on what they consider to be just compensation for the property -- in this case, an approximately 50,000-square-foot building sitting on less than an acre of land -- and a jury decides what's fair.
Kent Knowley, owner of the Shubrick and Port O' Call, was out of the state on Tuesday and could not be reached for comment. His lawyer, Paxton Guymon, said the two sides are "very far apart" on price and still negotiating how long the club can operate at its present location.
The government wants Port O' Call to close in early 2009, Guymon said, while Knowley
would like to do business there for another nine months.
The Frank E. Moss Courthouse at 350 S. Main St. was deemed unsatisfactory by government officials in the 1990s primarily for security reasons -- the building lacks the ability to route prisoners, judges and the public down separate corridors.
The new building will sit west of the Moss Courthouse on land partially occupied now by the Shubrick, which was completed in 1912 and operated as a hotel and apartment building until the 1980s.

sltrib.com

[delts145]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

So I was having a little withdrawl and decided to take a stroll around downtown yesterday evening. Seriously we have a great downtown.

Any who, I stopped into the Downtown Rising store front on Main Street and chatted with the guy inside for about 45 minutes regarding all that is going on downtown. During our conversation we were discussing the pedestrian presence on Main and the essential aspect of having more people walking around Main St. As some of us have wondered what is going on with the old Daynes building, (shown below) I now know.

One of the founder of the Bayou, which is a great establishment for those who haven't been, is creating a new Private club, a restaurant with a club license, on the main floor of the building and it is expected to open around January. It will have a similar feel to the bayou with the exposed brick and things like that but will be slightly higher scale than the bayou.

I was excited to hear about another late night option for something to do, not only in Downtown but particularly on Main St. Keys on Main has had a huge impact on the vitality of Main and this new place will continue that trend.

That is excellent news about the old Daynes Building, which is one of my favorites on Main. I'm positive that more and more of this type of development will continue on Main as CCC and 222 move closer toward completion. The continued growth and good mix of theater, restarurant, club, hotel, office, residential, and retail all bode well for Main Street's future.

[arkhitektor]

Originally Posted by urbanboy

To help illustrate scale:

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_11018309

My favorite line from the Tribune's article about the plaza renovation:

....Garrott also wondered why the renovation still includes Gallivan's existing rock-on-a-pedastal monument known as the "asteroid sculpture."

"If it's not a joke, it's unintentional comedy," he said. "It's embarrassing."....

I've always thought that thing was stupid looking. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one

[SLC Tortfeasor]

Originally Posted by delts145

That is excellent news about the old Daynes Building, which is one of my favorites on Main. I'm positive that more and more of this type of development will continue on Main as CCC and 222 move closer toward completion. The continued growth and good mix of theater, restarurant, club, hotel, office, residential, and retail all bode well for Main Street's future.

Agreed, this is wonderful news. Thanks for the information.

[eastidaho]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

Feds want Port O'Call shut down in early 2009

After years of unsuccessful negotiations to buy the Shubrick Building, the U.S. government on Tuesday sought to condemn the home of the popular Port O' Call social club to make room for a new federal courthouse.
Just compensation for the 29,122 square feet of land is estimated at $5,465,000, according to a condemnation suit filed in U.S. District Court. The Shubrick, at 60 to 78 W. 400 South, is just west of the present federal courthouse.
Melodie Rydalch, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, said the legal action was filed because the government and property owners were too far apart on price. She said the compensation estimate is based on an independent appraisal done last year but could change with a new review.
As part of the legal process, the government has deposited a check for $5,465,000 with the federal court. In a typical case, appraisers on each side testify on what they consider to be just compensation for the property -- in this case, an approximately 50,000-square-foot building sitting on less than an acre of land -- and a jury decides what's fair.
Kent Knowley, owner of the Shubrick and Port O' Call, was out of the state on Tuesday and could not be reached for comment. His lawyer, Paxton Guymon, said the two sides are "very far apart" on price and still negotiating how long the club can operate at its present location.
The government wants Port O' Call to close in early 2009, Guymon said, while Knowley
would like to do business there for another nine months.
The Frank E. Moss Courthouse at 350 S. Main St. was deemed unsatisfactory by government officials in the 1990s primarily for security reasons -- the building lacks the ability to route prisoners, judges and the public down separate corridors.
The new building will sit west of the Moss Courthouse on land partially occupied now by the Shubrick, which was completed in 1912 and operated as a hotel and apartment building until the 1980s.

sltrib.com

I am confused. I thought the Shubrick was already moved to make way for the courthouse expansion? Also, I thought the Port of Call is located on the far west corner of that block. Is the courthouse really going to take that whole block?

I think that article was very poorly written. It talks about shutting down the Port of Call, but only speaks of the Shubrick being in the way of expansion. What am I missing?

[T-Mac]

Odd Fellows Hall is the building that the federal government is moving right now. The Shubrick will be torn down next year to make way for the courthouse expansion. The building will not take the whole block but they don't want anything around it is my understanding.

[delts145]

You might be confusing the Shubrick with the Odd Fellows Hall. The Odd Fellows is in the process of being moved, but the Shubrick, which houses the Port O'Call is being condemmed by the damn Feds. edit...Ah, T-Mac you're such a swifty.

[cololi]

Originally Posted by eastidaho

I am confused. I thought the Shubrick was already moved to make way for the courthouse expansion? Also, I thought the Port of Call is located on the far west corner of that block. Is the courthouse really going to take that whole block?

I think that article was very poorly written. It talks about shutting down the Port of Call, but only speaks of the Shubrick being in the way of expansion. What am I missing?

Originally, the owner of the shubrick didn't want to be moved and his property condemned, then he did, now he doesn't again. The court house development will take up the whole block, but the building will be situated in the middle of the block and not intergrate into the street at all. It is a horrible site plan and is a terrible thing for downtown SLC.

[SLC Projects]

I wish the city could just move the Shubrick building like what they are doing with the Odd Fellows Hall.

[eastidaho]

Thanks for the quick responses. I knew I was messed up on the building names. You'll have to give an Idahoan a break on that one. That is too bad, because my thoughts quickly align with Cololi's comment...

not intergrate into the street at all. It is a horrible site plan and is a terrible thing for downtown SLC.

It seems SLC downtown has a lot of scattered brick buildings left over from decades ago, just waiting for infill to connect them and activate life on the street. I hope someone can figure this out down there.

[Orlando]

Originally Posted by urbanboy

I think the Flower Patch could use a new paint job!

I don't know if any of you remember this, but about 11 or 12 years ago when the Grand America was being proposed, the initial plans wer to have Flower Patch move, and The Grand America would build a 14 story office tower on that corner. I saw the model for it in the newspaper, and I've tried to find it. It was supposed to be in a similar white stone style. However, the owners did not want to move. Earl Holding tried to pay them off, and then get the city to force them to move through 'Eminent Domain' because of its blighted nature. But, nonetheless, the Flower Patch prevailed, and we are left with a blighted ugly building on a prominent corner of the city.

[Orlando]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

Feds want Port O'Call shut down in early 2009

After years of unsuccessful negotiations to buy the Shubrick Building, the U.S. government on Tuesday sought to condemn the home of the popular Port O' Call social club to make room for a new federal courthouse.
Just compensation for the 29,122 square feet of land is estimated at $5,465,000, according to a condemnation suit filed in U.S. District Court. The Shubrick, at 60 to 78 W. 400 South, is just west of the present federal courthouse.
Melodie Rydalch, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, said the legal action was filed because the government and property owners were too far apart on price. She said the compensation estimate is based on an independent appraisal done last year but could change with a new review.
As part of the legal process, the government has deposited a check for $5,465,000 with the federal court. In a typical case, appraisers on each side testify on what they consider to be just compensation for the property -- in this case, an approximately 50,000-square-foot building sitting on less than an acre of land -- and a jury decides what's fair.
Kent Knowley, owner of the Shubrick and Port O' Call, was out of the state on Tuesday and could not be reached for comment. His lawyer, Paxton Guymon, said the two sides are "very far apart" on price and still negotiating how long the club can operate at its present location.
The government wants Port O' Call to close in early 2009, Guymon said, while Knowley
would like to do business there for another nine months.
The Frank E. Moss Courthouse at 350 S. Main St. was deemed unsatisfactory by government officials in the 1990s primarily for security reasons -- the building lacks the ability to route prisoners, judges and the public down separate corridors.
The new building will sit west of the Moss Courthouse on land partially occupied now by the Shubrick, which was completed in 1912 and operated as a hotel and apartment building until the 1980s.

sltrib.com

I wish they could come to an agreement that the federal government would build them another building just slightly to the north on the southwest corner of Market Street and West Temple. That would be so cool! It would be close to their old location. It would be close to the restaurants on Market Street and 300 south and Pierpont. and, it would fill in the gap on that corner. Or maybe it could fill up that lot all the way to 300 south where the old blighted Zephyr club was. That would be super cool!

[DMTower]

Originally Posted by cololi

Originally, the owner of the shubrick didn't want to be moved and his property condemned, then he did, now he doesn't again. The court house development will take up the whole block, but the building will be situated in the middle of the block and not intergrate into the street at all. It is a horrible site plan and is a terrible thing for downtown SLC.

Because of terrorism the feds now require a certain amount of space around their buildings to act as a buffer zone... it's not a matter of poor design so much as a matter of security.