Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 3

[brankrom]

I've been lurking around this site for years but I just recently registered and I think I might finally get around to posting a bit. I work in One Utah so I am really excited for the redevelopment of the theater and more night time activities on Main Street instead of the current roll up the sidewalks at 6 pm that we currently have, but I'm curious what will happen to the current alley between Regent and Main? I have always liked that little hidden underworld feeling. For a while there was some Banksy street art in there, but it's not there any more.

[Future Mayor]

Welcome to the forum, we look forward to your input.

Nothing will happen to that alley, it will remain as a delivery access for the buildings on Main St. It will join the plaza that will be created near the theater garages, and the mid block walkway from Main St. I anticipate that the alley will be much more inviting and used by pedestrians, as it will have destinations at the north end and will allow more light into the alley due to the plaza and mid block walkway.

[Viperlord]

Pet adoption center may be coming to The Gateway

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56203925-78/county-adoption-animal-services.html.csp

[Viperlord]

an interesting article....

Long Airport Layovers Can Be Vacations, Not Hassles

http://www.forbes.com/sites/larryolmsted...t-layovers-can-be-vacations-not-hassles/

Unfortunately, few U.S. airports rarely offer the ease or public transport connections into their affiliated cities that Heathrow does, but one rare exception is Salt Lake City, a major Delta hub, which just this week debuted TRAX, a light rail train into downtown. Trains depart every 15 minutes, and with a 20-minute ride, it is easy to hit the main downtown sights – Salt Lake is wrapping up a $5 billion downtown infrastructure renaissance that includes the new Leonardo Science Museum, new Natural History Museum, new mixed use indoor/outdoor City Creek Center, along with existing attractions such as Temple Square, the most visited site in the State.

[ajiuO]

Originally Posted by Viperlord

Pet adoption center may be coming to The Gateway

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56203925-78/county-adoption-animal-services.html.csp

That's cool.. I wish Petco or something similar would open a pet supply at gateway as well.. There are really no such stores in the area :-(

[Orlando]

News article referring to recent praise by Bloomberg Magazine and Forbes Magazine praising SLC & Utah. Bloomberg Magazine, called SLC as "Wall Street of the West", an Forbes ranked Utah #1 place for business 3rd year in a row.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/76562...ning-notoriety-in-financial-circles.html

I hope this news translates into sleek office towers downtown. I wonder if we would have had a larger skyline by now, if it weren't for the close association to the mormon chuch, due to its headquarters anchoring the north part of downtown. New banks have moved in(Bank of Scotland & others), but where are they? the burbs? Anyways, what do you all think? Do we have some facts?

[Orlando]

http://www.edcutah.org/news.php

[scottharding]

I don't think that the Mormon church headquarters being downtown dissuades business from locating there. Downtown is gorgeous in large part because of the church's downtown presence. I do think, however, that some of the LDS culture influences that we've mentioned time and again- like the ridiculous liquor laws and restrictions on downtown bars, pubs, and restaurants- have a negative impact on business and certainly give the state a backwards reputation that might cause some to look away.
Of course, Utah and SLC boasts many qualities that would entice a business to come here, and I think anyone who looks closely would see that, which is why we're seeing some very positive growth.
The backwards thinking and ultra-conservative dominance lessens and continues to lessen every day. As the population increases and becomes more diverse, and as the county urbanizes, the scales will balance more and more. Some will kick and scream against progress, as is always the case, but it comes, and with it, I expect, will many new companies to downtown.

[SLC Projects]

With all this praise and if we truly are a boom state then where are the skyscrapers? You'd think by now we would know more about the PAC tower or tower 8.

[Comrade]

Because we're not booming in areas that bring skyscrapers. Just calling us the Wall Street of the West is disingenuous when the financial power of Salt Lake is still extremely limited. We're not a headquarters city and haven't ever been - and that's what drives skyscrapers.

Maybe one day. But not right now.

[Makid]

Tower 8 won't happen until after the PAC Tower. That is from an agreement with PRI and HP. Once the PAC Tower is 80% or more leased, expect to hear about Tower 8 at that time.

Yes, that does mean that it is possibly at least 3 to 5 years away minimum.

The best hopes for larger towers would be the Convention Hotel and highrise apartment buildings. I don't see a large relocation nor an expansion in the next 5 years that would necessitate a large tower on its own. They would fill existing towers, the new Boyer building that is starting soon or the upcoming PAC tower.

I know that this may sound depressing but in the long view, we are actually at a point where we will start to see more than 1 or 2 towers over 20 stories built each decade.

I do think as we continue to diversify the job market in Salt Lake and as people continue to desire urban living, we will see more towers being built at an ever increasing frequency.

[Comrade]

Not gonna lie...I'm jealous of the proposed new NBA arena in Sacramento (if they get to keep the Kings). Think we could do something like this to the ESA?

[SLC Projects]

Maybe if the Jazz ever threaten to leave Salt Lake.

[Comrade]

I don't want to risk that.

[Old&New]

Originally Posted by DMTower

Did you guys not see these in the news article?

It's pretty sleek, but it still looks like a wasteland to me, exactly what I was afraid of. If any of you think this will encourage foot traffic to meander down Main Street you're fooling yourself. I guess our only hope now lies in the potential for retail development on the other side of Main Street.

[DCRes]

In you opinion, what could they have done differently with the design to get people to meander down main street more? I figure this will get people to main street, then it is main streets job to attract people to walk down it. The PAC design is very open, has plenty of doors on main, and I think will have an eatery in it. Getting people downtown is half the battle, hopefully people will come early and eat dinner somewhere downtown then walk on over to the show, then maybe walk for dessert or a drink afterwords.

[Comrade]

OMG! I WAS SO EXCITED! I WAS LIKE OMMMMMG WHEN I SAW THIS TWEET FROM THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE:

@sltrib 1m
Boyer to build office tower in downtown Salt Lake City

And it was a story to this...

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/56222...downtown.html.csp?utm_source=twitterfeed

We really use the term 'tower' loosely here.

[Orlando]

When did it shrink?! I thought it was supposed to be 10 stories tall!

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by Orlando

When did it shrink?! I thought it was supposed to be 10 stories tall!

Story of our lives with all our planned towers or so-called towers it would seem. Rather these guys wait just so we can have all new office space go towards the UPAC tower.

[Viperlord]

101 Tower’s exterior will be granite and glass. It will have parking at ground level and in a parking structure behind the building.

Pace said Boyer will rename the former Questar building 102 Tower, where it is renovating lobbies and other common areas. The exterior will be largely unchanged. Boyer is seeking city approval to construct a five-story parking garage on the 4.9-acre lot.




.....great another parking garage.