Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 3

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

They are worth saving IMHO. We've already lost so many old 3 story buildings in the heart of our downtown that I would hate to see anymore be destroyed, especially ones that are in use. There are so many other places that another high rise hotel could go that are still close to the Salt Palace. Shilo, honestly would anyone miss that? The building kitty corner from the Shilo, such a nondescript after thought we don't even have a name for it. SW corner of 200 and 200.

Yes that is prime location, but how many more places in the core of downtown are we going to tear down and rebuild over and over. It's time to expand our downtown footprint, leave some older buildings in tact and expand a block or two West, East and South. I would be happy if the PAC demolition is the last demolition of a usable buildings in the downtown core.

Would you honestly prefer to have a large tower hotel on that entire NW section of that block rather than keep some historic structures and have something so unique to SLC like the Arrow Press Narrows concept? I know I wouldn't. Yes a W hotel would be cool there, but wouldn't it be just a cool on the SW corner of that same block, and having it adjacent to the Arrow Press narrows. A cool hotel and something uniquely Salt Lake City.

I just think we as a city has outgrown having single story buildings right in the city's core, especially corner lots. We complain about have "gaps" in our skyline and this is one of the reasons why. I understand not wanting to see the same lots redevelop over and over again. But how many times has that corner lot been developed?.....once?...twice? Yes, I too would like to see downtown expand outwards, but with our large city blocks our skyscrapers are spread out enough from one another how it is, hence the large caps in the skyline. Just think we need to better develop the city core before we expand it.

[Future Mayor]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

I just think we as a city has outgrown having single story buildings right in the city's core, especially corner lots. We complain about have "gaps" in our skyline and this is one of the reasons why. I understand not wanting to see the same lots redevelop over and over again. But how many times has that corner lot been developed?.....once?...twice? Yes, I too would like to see downtown expand outwards, but with our large city blocks our skyscrapers are spread out enough from one another how it is, hence the large caps in the skyline. Just think we need to better develop the city core before we expand it.

I'm all for redeveloping the corner lot into something taller, that was my original thinking. I think a creative developer could easily come up with a development 8-12 stories on that small corner lot, while still maintaining the existing buildings that add character to the area. Something close to the height of the Marriott would do wonders for the look of that intersection and could bring a lot of additional people to that area of downtown.

[StevenF]

I hate to admit it but I have to accept the fact I do believe what Projects says here for this corner. To add to it I think that if the red corner building was demolished for another building that the Naked Fish would also be on the chopping block because of its location. I would love to see the x96 building saved but it didn't look to promising when I glanced inside of it last year. If it continues to be vacant it will only get worse with time.

[ToysNoiz]

I'd like to save the old buildings, they are very nice and many of my favorite buildings DT are from the late 1800's and early 1900's. I'm often jealous of other cities with loads of beautiful old buildings.

But that red corner building is down right ugly. I'd like to see something new go there. If the city had air rights, a high rise would be awesome. But I can wait a long while before that corner is redeveloped. Let's get rid of our plentiful surface parking lots first.

[SLC Projects]

Tech jobs coming to Salt Lake in BIG on MARS expansion
By Jason Lee of KSL.com

SALT LAKE CITY — A local technology firm is looking to increase its presence in Utah.

New Salt Lake City-based mobile technology and connectivity company BIG on MARS announced that it will hire 50 to 75 people over the next 18 months for its downtown operation.

BIG on MARS is a specialized mobile connectivity communications unit that spun off from San Diego-based digital marketing, technology and data firm Digitaria. BIG on MARS works to plan, create and manage applications for the “connected life,” explained technology manager Matt Weight.

Read more at http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=29478234#XVAPVJhopkWyXqtS.99

Never heard of them before, but I found their downtown address, ( it's the red 5-story old Hardware building north of the Gateway 155 North 400 West, Suite 590,
Salt Lake City, Utah 84103
http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/17703958/155-North-400-West-Salt-Lake-City-UT/

[delts145]

I've come to the conclusion after the many comments, that the only building site on the corner of 1st and W. Temple that should be redeveloped, would be the small one story corner structure. I like Future Mayor's proposal for a mid sized boutique hotel at that corner. I would still like to see the corner structure's brick façade removed, the brick stripped of all that paint, and the façade repurposed along with any important interior elements at another location.

Something occurred to me as I was searching for more info. on the newly expanded portion of the Traverse Ridge Outlet Center. Why couldn't Gateway's retail component be made over into a posh outlet center? The Traverse Ridge Center has been phenomenally successful, and Salt Lake/Davis County could use a good outlet center. It seems to me that it would be easy to provide the kind of mix that would not duplicate CCC, and I think the convention visitors would also love something like Traverse Mtn.'s offerings(with some additional unique to the area shops) in a Downtown setting next to the convention center. Again I think Downtown residents/area locals/And out of towners would totally eat it up.

Along with the CCH, this could be a huge shot in the arm for the Gateway retail component...


http://www.vialettoattraversemountain.com

[wrendog]

Man did you butcher the name of that outlet mall!

It's called "Outlets at Traverse Mountain".

[StevenF]

Off to downtown again but mostly to the zoo because we didn't make it on Saturday. I am sure I can swing an extra trip downtown with us so close.

[Orlando]

Delts,
If I'm not mistaken, outlet malls are required to be a certain distance from city centers. Thus, the outlets at Kimball Junction, and none in central part of SLC metro, except for VF outlets in Draper, which were way out there back when they opened.

[delts145]

Yeah, of course that would be the case.

[T-Stan]

Photo I took this morning of downtown. Only 2 cranes visible. I am hopeful to see many more soon

[utenation]

SLC Ranks 10th on most exciting Mid-Size Cities list..



No. 10: Salt Lake City

Most will remember that Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, and as such we weren't really shocked when we found that the city ranked first overall for active life options. In addition to its myriad parks, a zoo and more traditional outdoor activities, the city has those that are especially befitting of a former Winter Olympics venue, such as the Gallivan Center ice rink.

SLC also did especially well when it came to music venues (which the Gallivan Center also factors into) and nightlife. It placed third overall for places to enjoy live music, with one venue for every 9,466 residents, and fourth for nightlife, with places including Brewvies Cinema Pub and Bar-X to its credit.



http://realestate.msn.com/americas-10-most-exciting-midsize-cities

[ToysNoiz]

Very interesting.

But god forbid they use any city photos for SLC. We get this...

[i-215]

The powered wheel chair really sells the place.

[Ironweed]

Sorry, but that was kinda funny.

[Comrade]

All right. I know I constantly bemoaned people calling SLC a 'major' U.S. city, however, there is no reason to clump us with some of those cities - like Eugene, Charleston, Fort Collins and Grand Rapids. Salt Lake is far and away bigger than those communities.

[wrendog]

Originally Posted by Comrade

All right. I know I constantly bemoaned people calling SLC a 'major' U.S. city, however, there is no reason to clump us with some of those cities - like Eugene, Charleston, Fort Collins and Grand Rapids. Salt Lake is far and away bigger than those communities.

Just another example of someone not understanding the difference between city size and metro size.

[StevenF]

African Savana pictures from the Zoo where the zebra's, giraffes and lion's will be located. My understanding is they will have the lion's in one enclosure and the giraffes and zebra's together in the other part. Cohabitation is something new the Hogle Zoo is experimenting with.

The zoo has been saying the opening time for this exhibit would be in May and looks like most of it is in place. I only hope it is done when they say it will as our year family pass ends at the end of May and we currently do not have plans to renew it. The prices went up a lot and pushed it out of our budget at the moment. Though my big reason for it isn't for the African Savanna, it's because I want to ride that train.

one more thing to say before we get onto the pictures. I wish that golf course would sell and that land would be added to the zoo so we can have larger zoo. As you can tell I am not a golfer and I think that land would be much better used as part of the zoo than as a golf course. Maybe one of these days when I have millions of $ to throw around I will buy the golf course and donate the land and some more $$$$ to the Hogle Zoo for expansion.

Lets start with the renderings they have posted around on the fences.

Untitled by steven.fidler80, on Flickr

Untitled by steven.fidler80, on Flickr

Untitled by steven.fidler80, on Flickr

Untitled by steven.fidler80, on Flickr

Untitled by steven.fidler80, on Flickr

Untitled by steven.fidler80, on Flickr

Now on to the photos of the African Savanna Exhibits.

Here is the new train station and the train has been expanded to be a longer ride than before.

Untitled by steven.fidler80, on Flickr

A Pano of the giraffe and zebra area and gazebo.

Untitled by steven.fidler80, on Flickr

Lion enclosure.

Untitled by steven.fidler80, on Flickr

Untitled by steven.fidler80, on Flickr

Untitled by steven.fidler80, on Flickr

Untitled by steven.fidler80, on Flickr

[JMK]

I am not sure if this is the most credible data, but hey, Utah #1!

Free-market group ALEC: Utah has the best economic outlook this year
Washington Post
Niraj Chokshi
April 15

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govb...has-the-best-economic-outlook-this-year/

The economic outlook for Utah is stronger than for any other state, according to an annual ranking compiled by a free-market legislative group.

The rankings, produced by the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council, seek to identify which states have the strongest economic climates. Utah tops the list, followed by South Dakota, Indiana, North Dakota and Idaho. The state with the worst outlook is New York, followed by Vermont, Illinois, California and Minnesota.

The annual ALEC-Laffer rankings are part of the group’s Rich States, Poor States report. ALEC has been widely criticized and targeted by liberals for connecting state legislators with corporate interests in policymaking workshops. Conservatives and ALEC members argue that the relationship makes sense: “What better way to create business-friendly policies than communicating closely with business?” they argue.

The rankings were compiled by Arthur B. Laffer, Stephen Moore and Jonathan Williams. Laffer is a conservative economist who gained prominence as an adviser to President Ronald Reagan. Moore is a noted conservative economist who has served on the Wall Street Journal’s editorial board and is currently the chief economist of the Heritage Foundation. And Williams is a senior ALEC staffer

The rankings are calculated by averaging how each state ranks along 15 variables, such as tax burdens, top marginal rates and minimum wage levels. (The full list of variables is at the end of the post.) The map below represents the change in rankings between 2013 and 2014.

[utenation]

Originally Posted by StevenF

. My understanding is they will have the lion's in one enclosure and the giraffes and zebra's together in the other part. Cohabitation is something new the Hogle Zoo is experimenting with.

If they want to make this puppy realistic, they should put the lions with the giraffes and Zebras.

Kidding.. I am still pissed at the zoo in Germany killed the giraffe in cold blood in front of children and more recently baby lion cubs. The zoo claimed this was "Natural and needed". Are you kidding me? So no other zoo in the world needed a healthy giraffe and lions?

Please.. I honestly hate sport killing of animals in any form.. We have no problem screwing up this planet as it is.