Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[allh]

Do you have any additional pictures of the lobby Atlas?

[TheGeographer]

Originally Posted by mattreedah

It’s great. The city council is wrong on this. Get it done while there is appetite for it.

I need some of what you and Comrade are smoking because we’re seeing this through different lenses

[MountainSkyline]

[MountainSkyline]

The Proposed Station will have almost the exact same footprint as the main Adobe building in Lehi

[RC14]

I have to agree with Mendenhall on this. Her argument was that the building is not permeable, which is accurate. This further isolates the central station from downtown and further divides east and west.

The fact that UTA is pushing for this feels a bit insulting, even if the RGP wasn't a thing. And btw, it is a thing and why isn't the city council pushing UTA in that direction?

This feels like an f you to the community and the concerns and desires of the city and it's residents. Even transportation, which is the whole point of UTA's existence, fells like an after thought here. If UTA cared about transit riders they would make it easier for them to get into and out of downtown instead of building a wall in their way.

I agree with the person who described this as a "hell or high water" plan.

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by RC14

I have to agree with Mendenhall on this. Her argument was that the building is not permeable, which is accurate. This further isolates the central station from downtown and further divides east and west.

The fact that UTA is pushing for this feels a bit insulting, even if the RGP wasn't a thing. And btw, it is a thing and why isn't the city council pushing UTA in that direction?

This feels like an f you to the community and the concerns and desires of the city and it's residents. Even transportation, which is the whole point of UTA's existence, fells like an after thought here. If UTA cared about transit riders they would make it easier for them to get into and out of downtown instead of building a wall in their way.

I agree with the person who described this as a "hell or high water" plan.

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

What exactly would this development divide?

You'd all have a point if this wasn't a stone's thrown away from the freaking freeway.

[MountainSkyline]

Originally Posted by RC14

I have to agree with Mendenhall on this. Her argument was that the building is not permeable, which is accurate. This further isolates the central station from downtown and further divides east and west.

The fact that UTA is pushing for this feels a bit insulting, even if the RGP wasn't a thing. And btw, it is a thing and why isn't the city council pushing UTA in that direction?

This feels like an f you to the community and the concerns and desires of the city and it's residents. Even transportation, which is the whole point of UTA's existence, fells like an after thought here. If UTA cared about transit riders they would make it easier for them to get into and out of downtown instead of building a wall in their way.

I agree with the person who described this as a "hell or high water" plan.

I don't see UTA's plan as a wall (Nothing currently is to the West of the Station). The proposal has an indoor station with all the station amenities that lead to the Trax transfer.
It really is similar to modern European transit stations I've been to.

Don't get me wrong I 100% prefer the RGP to the UTA proposal.

[bob rulz]

Originally Posted by Comrade

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

What exactly would this development divide?

You'd all have a point if this wasn't a stone's thrown away from the freaking freeway.

Avoiding walls is not just about avoiding divisions, it's also about the pedestrian experience of walking alongside buildings like that. My biggest gripe about development in Salt Lake City is how many oppressive walls we have along our streets. It's not that this is dividing something - it's that it's creating a huge featureless streetscape where we should be creating interest.

[meman]

ON another subject, does anyone on this thread know what is going in at the big excavation at 6th South and 3rd East?

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by bob rulz

Avoiding walls is not just about avoiding divisions, it's also about the pedestrian experience of walking alongside buildings like that. My biggest gripe about development in Salt Lake City is how many oppressive walls we have along our streets. It's not that this is dividing something - it's that it's creating a huge featureless streetscape where we should be creating interest.

I agree. I don't see that being a real problem with this part of the city, tho. In fact, I think this is the perfect spot for something like this - as would be the case moving the Salt Palace further west for the same reason.

I see nothing inherently wrong with this development. Certainly could be way worse and I feel those who have vocally seemed to oppose it are struggling to find anything persuadable.

[RC14]

Originally Posted by MountainSkyline

I don't see UTA's plan as a wall (Nothing currently is to the West of the Station). The proposal has an indoor station with all the station amenities that lead to the Trax transfer.
It really is similar to modern European transit stations I've been to.

Don't get me wrong I 100% prefer the RGP to the UTA proposal.

So, I guess I didn't look at this very carefully. It actually is kind of cool, as long as the indoor station is open whenever trains are arriving or departing.

[i-215]

Originally Posted by Comrade

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

What exactly would this development divide?

You'd all have a point if this wasn't a stone's thrown away from the freaking freeway.

I think it may be a gentle unintended bias. A lot of people here are all excited for the Rio Grande Plan, so naturally a different plan is going to attract criticism. Be it reasonable or not.

It's human nature. We're all guilty of it.

Myself, I kind of like BOTH this plan *and* the Rio Grande Plan. Too bad they can't build both.

[mattreedah]

Originally Posted by i-215

I think it may be a gentle unintended bias. A lot of people here are all excited for the Rio Grande Plan, so naturally a different plan is going to attract criticism. Be it reasonable or not.

It's human nature. We're all guilty of it.

Myself, I kind of like BOTH this plan *and* the Rio Grande Plan. Too bad they can't build both.

It concerns me that Mendenhall would trash the UTA plan. There is zero chance we get 3-6 billion dollars to reroute the rails (and that number doesn’t include the remodel of the station itself). I fear we’re going to let perfect be the enemy of good and end up getting nothing.

[Comrade]

Agreed. I just hope *something* happens there tbh

And I reallllly love the high-rise plan but that's probably a pipedream.

Anyway...



https://www.facebook.com/GRALLON/

[Atlas]

Originally Posted by mattreedah

It concerns me that Mendenhall would trash the UTA plan. There is zero chance we get 3-6 billion dollars to reroute the rails (and that number doesn’t include the remodel of the station itself). I fear we’re going to let perfect be the enemy of good and end up getting nothing.

Granted, it's a long shot. But it's not impossible, and there is more going on behind the scenes than you realize.

Like maybe we shouldn't let good be the enemy of perfect either? It's completely possible to design a station here that doesn't completely cut off 300 S for the next century. They can do better than this, and they can be more forthright and open to public feedback than they have been.

[wrendog]

Nice skyline shot. three 550+ footers would do wonders.

The stagnation of tower building right now is sad. Hoping for something akin to a boom soon. Sigh.

[airhero]

Originally Posted by Comrade

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.

What exactly would this development divide?

You'd all have a point if this wasn't a stone's thrown away from the freaking freeway.

I think in the back of people's minds there is a vision that I-15 will be buried in the future. It would cost an absolute fortune with little need for it now. But in the very long term who knows?

I don't think the station would be a major impediment if that happens though. The 2050 plan to widen I-15 from 400 S up through Farmington is already well into the planning stage, with no mention of burying I-15. I believe it was brought up at one point in the process and shot down very quickly. So burial, if it were to ever happen, could be a project for the early 2060s at the very earliest, assuming they start the upcoming project from the south working north. At that point, though, this station would be aging a bit, so if it were in the way of anything it could eventually be torn down. Not ideal, but if RGP doesn't happen in the next 30 years, this station has no real downside in the short-term. I-15 will continue separating the east from the west for 30+ years.

Obviously the ideal scenario for a lot of us is RGP. I think there's some chance it happens, but it seems there are a lot of hurdles to work through before it can be adopted as THE plan by all involved parties. Even at that point it would still be a plan, not a done deal. I appreciate everyone working to get it done, including several forumers. It has to be difficult forging on with zero backing from UTA.

[JAMESEY271975]

Simmer down Francis. You're from Magna, not Madrid

Originally Posted by i-215

As someone who grew up in Magna (and whose family still live there), may I assure you that we do not want to be incorporated into Salt Lake City. Full stop.

• That's why we voted for the original township proposition in 1996 (tossed out in court).
• That's why we became a township in 2001.
• That's why we became a Metro Township in 2017.
• That's why we cheered Utah HB35 which granted incorporation to a city.

A population of 30,000 is a respectable amount for a suburb that wishes to retain its local identity, thank you very much! (Magna has more people than South Salt Lake or Farmington). You can de-Borg us from your cube, please.

[Hatman]

For the record, I prefer both the UTA headquarters renderings, AND the Rio Grande Plan, but not in that order!

I've said before and I'll say it again, the UTA headquarters building will make for a fantastic bus station. But trains belong at the Rio Grande Depot. These are different types of infrastructure, and need different types of facilities.

If you've already communicated to your elected representatives, and especially if you haven't, NOW is the time to put the pedal to the medal and make your support known!

[Orlando]

Photography © 2024 Alan Blakely