Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 3

[ski_steve]

Originally Posted by stayinginformed

Is this it from the youtube video a month or so ago? If so, it looks like something from the 60's.

Yeah that’s the one I saw. I was at HKS for a presentation a few weeks ago and they showed us the designs. I was underwhelmed considering what I’ve seen Pelli do before, but I suppose they could have altered them slightly. Again, ideas are amazing, but not sold on design. Materials could have a big impact however.

Pretty excited for Regent Street though. Restaurants, retail, video screen, plaza, guess all the parking garage owners are on board to do major renovations.

[UTPlanner]

Just an FYI-- there is only one owner of the Regent Street parking garages and that is PRI aka the LDS Church.

[Stenar]

It's the EMPEROR'S NEW PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.

Originally Posted by Comrade Reynolds

IT'S AN INVISIBLE THEATER! REVOLUTIONARY!

[stayinginformed]

Originally Posted by UTPlanner

Just an FYI-- there is only one owner of the Regent Street parking garages and that is PRI aka the LDS Church.

UTPlanner is that a hint that the LDS Church is planning on getting rid of/making over the parking garages there?

[DMTower]

Did you guys not see these in the news article?

[Makid]

Looks like they added new pictures. Thanks DMTower.

[Comrade]

I like it. Simple, modern, classy and fitting of a theater.

[Orlando]

Now that makes sense. Either we were too quick on the trigger or the trib forgot to add those photos before they submitted the article.

[Orlando]

I think it looks quite nice considering that this is just a facade sandwhiched between other buildings. I'ld rather have something like this than some Frank Gehry thing in this context. And, I'm happily surprised with what they plan on doing for Regent Street. Though, maybe they could change the material to be something less like a brick box and boring. I know it's the truckloading and back of house, but they could at least make a blank wall look a bit nicer than what they have proposed. It looks a little too underdressed. Don't let those fancy renderings with all those people fool you.

[Comrade]

The plans on Regent remind me of a building you'd see in South Beach, which I think would be cool...though, as you mentioned, more boxy.

[SLC_Rising]

I like it. Just like what Comrade said, its modern, simple, and not too over the top. For a box design, I feel it fits well with CCC and the surrounding buildings...Heres to hoping the future tower flows well with this design, without it being just a tall box itself.

[Future Mayor]

The design wasn't unveiled until the 11:30 meeting, and I was really rather impressed with the overall design.

The office tower has airspace rights over a portion of the theater, as you can see in renderings. The office building design shown is simply just a representation of a building, and has nothing to do with the design, except to show how it will interact with the PAC.

They did note though that the tower will be designed so that the portion that is over the theater will actually be supported from the top and will in no way connect to the theater below for support.

I like the interaction with Regent Street as well as the two balconies on the Main St side, one above the entrance on the left hand side and one that spans the entire front, on the top floor.

The Larry H and Gail Miller Family Foundation were the first private donors for the project, they donated $2 million and the patrons lounge will bear that name. Gail Miller spoke briefly and I found a couple of her comments very interesting and very telling for the future of the home of the Jazz. She mentioned that there family and organization have always been very committed to downtown SLC, and that she currently resides in SLC proper, but she mentioned that she is excited about the PAC because she is moving nearby very soon, I'm assuming she is moving into one of the CCC condos. The committed to downtown comment confirms what I have always thought about the Jazz arena, Gail and the family realize that downtown is the place where things like sporting venues and performing arts centers belong. So even when ESA has lived out it's usefulness, I would expect a new arena to be built downtown.

[Stenar]

While it's basically just a box, like I predicted, I actually do like it. The things that make it are all the colored lights and the blade signs on the front.

I do also like the Regent St. side a LOT, although, I'm disappointed they didn't incorporate the facade of the old presses with it's beautiful detail.

[jedikermit]

I like the balconies/terraces that look out over Main Street; I like that it's a more light, airy building than I might have expected. For the footprint being where it is, I guess I shouldn't have expected something unboxy, but...I dunno. Boxy. There are definitely things I like about it, but right now it certainly doesn't seem like a standout. It seems solidly competent. But not dazzling.

[jedikermit]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

The Larry H and Gail Miller Family Foundation were the first private donors for the project, they donated $2 million and the patrons lounge will bear that name. Gail Miller spoke briefly and I found a couple of her comments very interesting and very telling for the future of the home of the Jazz. She mentioned that there family and organization have always been very committed to downtown SLC, and that she currently resides in SLC proper, but she mentioned that she is excited about the PAC because she is moving nearby very soon, I'm assuming she is moving into one of the CCC condos. The committed to downtown comment confirms what I have always thought about the Jazz arena, Gail and the family realize that downtown is the place where things like sporting venues and performing arts centers belong. So even when ESA has lived out it's usefulness, I would expect a new arena to be built downtown.

That's good to hear. Although I heard plenty of anecdotal things about the jerkiness of Larry Miller himself back in the day, I do really admire and applaud the work that the foundation that bears their names has done. And I think Gail Miller is a big part of the direction that that foundation has taken. Glad to hear that she wants to keep things downtown.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by DMTower

Did you guys not see these in the news article?

Now that's more like it. Thanks DMTower. Guess the Trib were a bit late in posting those.

Anyways I like it for the most part. Sure it's a bit boxy. But so is everything else that's around it. Having a building with curves might look out of place there on main. I do like how most of the facade is glass and that it lights up very well giving it a "open" and "welcome" feeling. Something that part of main street really needs.
Can't wait til March 2016. Between City Creek Center to it's North and the gallivan center to it's South, main street will be very active from South Temple all the way to 300 South at least.

[ajiuO]

Was any sort of timetable on demolition and construction given?

[Future Mayor]

It is set to open in the Spring of 2016.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by ajiuO

Was any sort of timetable on demolition and construction given?

Word is demolition will begin in Jan. 2014. Makes sense since March 2016 is now less than three years.

[John Martin]

Hate to rain on the parade, but this is incredibly boring. It reminds me a lot of the UMFA... neither are revolting, but both underwhelming. A major opportunity lost. I'm not typically one to whine about the lack of interesting architecture in SLC, but this is just a few new boxes on a dusty old Payless shelf. When will we get something actually remarkable?