Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[i-215]

I love the idea of mass timber. It's beautiful. And it sequesters carbon dioxide instead of steel, which requires an enormous emission of carbon dioxide to produce it.

Except...

I'm still scared of fire suppression. Not for routine office fires. But that once-in-a-generation disaster that falls outside of normal engineering. That a heckuva lot of fuel.

[delts145]

City Central South - Liberty Corner Project Breaks Ground - Ballpark District

Luke Garrott Reporting For BuildingSaltLake.com - Full Article @ https://buildingsaltlake.com/liberty-cor...n-breaks-ground/?ct=t(RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN)

A key corner in the Ballpark neighborhood will never be the same.

On the north east corner 1300 South and 300 West, the site of a former body shop is being transformed into a 200-unit affordable housing project that will include 8000 SF for a childcare facility serving up to 160 pre-school children.

Liberty Corner, developed by Cowboy Partners, designed by MVE + Partners, and being built by Pentalon Construction, broke ground last week. It will join two other housing developments on the north side of 1300 South between Walmart and Lowe’s and the Ballpark TRAX station...

...Meant for families, it will offer 2- 3- and 4- bedrooms apartments. The Salt Lake City CRA has loaned the project $6.1 million, including $1.6 million towards the build-out of the two-story daycare.

In addition to the daycare, Liberty Corner will offer “co-working space, a leasing office, a fitness center, training rooms, a club lounge and a multi-purpose indoor recreation area and connection to outdoor recreation zones and courtyards,” according to a press release...Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2028.

Detail Breakdown:
- 1265 S 300 W. 7 floors. 85 feet tall. 200 all affordable (rent restricted)
- Family-sized units (96 2-bed, 80 3-bed, 24 4-bed) in the Ballpark Neighborhood.

Following Photo Credits: Cowboy Partners







https://buildingsaltlake.com/liberty-cor...n-breaks-ground/?ct=t(RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN)



Photo By Luke Garrott @ BuildingSaltLake.com

October 13, 2025

Photo By Devin Zander For BuildingSaltLake.com

.

[i-215]

Utah passed a reform law on insurance (back in March) for warranty issues on new condos, which has previously restricted construction of build-to-sell condos.

https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2025/03/11/utah-housing-bill-aims-increase/

Are any of these new projects starting to be more "for sale" or are they all still build-to-rent? I ask, because I'm normally pro-density, but not if all the units are just rentals.

[Orlando]

Just as I suspected, this ground floor retail frontage is the worst. It does not fit at all the character of that area in 2nd south. VCBO and SLC missed this. The upper volume and design is cool, but this is soulless...

[Atlas]

Yeah, it's bad. We all saw it coming.

However, if those are retail spaces (can't remember), there's a lot of wall space there for some nice signage.

[bob rulz]

Somehow architects have lost the ability to create engaging entrances.

I know Salt Lake City has been updating design standards. I don't really know the details, but I'm hoping it prevents this kind of thing going forward.

[delts145]

Unfortunately, the architect can only control so much of the good taste in creativity when those who control the purse strings run short of money or just plain have bad taste.

There is a lot that could be done to improve that base aesthetic if the money and will to do it existed.

I agree with Orlando. It seems like the costs were focused on the top portion and its impressive amenities. I think they must have run short when it came to completing the street level. It isn't just that the window design is difficult, but all of the basic finishes from the window framing to the blank walls seem very cheap.

[RC14]

^
What I don’t understand is the incentives involved in this decision. I would think the developer would want to design the retail spaces so that they could be leased at premium rates.

[delts145]

I wonder if whoever leases the space out will have the option to add their own finishes and signage? I think that would be an attractive selling point. I guess we'll see what the final outcome is.

From what I've seen of the renderings of the Journeyman, the commercial/restaurant going in at street level is going to be very attractive.

[Orlando]

/\/\/\

Signage will certainly help, but the architecture of that facade just sucks! It's flat and has no relief or character. The brick color is bland and does not go at all with the darker & more colorful brick in the area. There's no awnings or canopies, and the storefront is a generic clear anodized finish. Why not black or a bronze to better fit the area?! SLC needs to have better design guidelines to prevent this from happening again.

[freeshavocado]

Originally Posted by Orlando

/\/\/\

Signage will certainly help, but the architecture of that facade just sucks! It's flat and has no relief or character. The brick color is bland and does not go at all with the darker & more colorful brick in the area. There's no awnings or canopies, and the storefront is a generic clear anodized finish. Why not black or a bronze to better fit the area?! SLC needs to have better design guidelines to prevent this from happening again.

I'm on the east side of downtown asking "ya'll get brick exteriors over there on the west side? Have any extra?"

[Orlando]

So, I guess there will be no Jazz practice facility at the West Quarter...


https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...&postcount=716

[Comrade]

https://www.ksl.com/article/51394718/pro...ks-worries-as-it-receives-commission-ok-

[Snoogalator]

stupid zoning commission capped the lot at 225ft

[jedikermit]

Construction Crews Break Ground on the Power District
https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/power-district-construction-begins/

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Construction crews are breaking ground on the Power District in downtown Salt Lake City.

Members of Larry H. Miller, Rocky Mountain Power, Utah State Senator Scott Sandall, and SLC Mayor Erin Mendenhall spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony on Monday morning.

Local brand promotes celebrating the ‘Unseen’ struggle of mental health
“We are excited to break ground on the Power District’s first building, a 10-story corporate headquarters for Rocky Mountain Power, that will expand Salt Lake’s skyline to the west,” said Steve Starks, CEO of the Larry H. Miller Company.

The 100-acre development was announced earlier this year bringing more entertainment and sports to the west side of downtown Salt Lake City. It is located next to Utah State Fairpark and The Jordan River.



Larry H. Miller company has invested more $3.5 billion to the project.

“The Power District is more than a project—it’s our family and organization’s commitment to Salt Lake City and the State of Utah,” said Steve Miller, chairman of the Larry H. Miller Company. “This development will create thousands of jobs, ignite economic growth, and serve as the gateway neighborhood to Utah’s Capital City.”



The Power District promises to deliver family-friendly experiences all year long. It could even be the new location of a Major League Baseball stadium, though no teams have been announced to come to SLC yet.

Rocky Mountain Power employees have reason to get excited as well. Part of the project includes the construction of a 10-story, 300,000 sq. ft. building for their new headquarters. It will also have abundant trails and green space.

There is no exact time yet on when the development might be complete.

[jedikermit]

Originally Posted by Comrade

https://www.ksl.com/article/51394718/pro...ks-worries-as-it-receives-commission-ok-

Great to see taller buildings spreading east -- more height would be more betterer, but I mean, this is better than another 5-over-1.

[Orlando]

Originally Posted by jedikermit

Construction Crews Break Ground on the Power District
https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/power-district-construction-begins/

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Construction crews are breaking ground on the Power District in downtown Salt Lake City.

Members of Larry H. Miller, Rocky Mountain Power, Utah State Senator Scott Sandall, and SLC Mayor Erin Mendenhall spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony on Monday morning.

Local brand promotes celebrating the ‘Unseen’ struggle of mental health
“We are excited to break ground on the Power District’s first building, a 10-story corporate headquarters for Rocky Mountain Power, that will expand Salt Lake’s skyline to the west,” said Steve Starks, CEO of the Larry H. Miller Company.

The 100-acre development was announced earlier this year bringing more entertainment and sports to the west side of downtown Salt Lake City. It is located next to Utah State Fairpark and The Jordan River.



Larry H. Miller company has invested more $3.5 billion to the project.

“The Power District is more than a project—it’s our family and organization’s commitment to Salt Lake City and the State of Utah,” said Steve Miller, chairman of the Larry H. Miller Company. “This development will create thousands of jobs, ignite economic growth, and serve as the gateway neighborhood to Utah’s Capital City.”



The Power District promises to deliver family-friendly experiences all year long. It could even be the new location of a Major League Baseball stadium, though no teams have been announced to come to SLC yet.

Rocky Mountain Power employees have reason to get excited as well. Part of the project includes the construction of a 10-story, 300,000 sq. ft. building for their new headquarters. It will also have abundant trails and green space.

There is no exact time yet on when the development might be complete.

Can someone pull up any drawings or renderings of the new HQ?

This is a bitter pill for me to swallow since I was the lead designer of the previous version before LHM entered the equation.

[Boz]

Originally Posted by Snoogalator

stupid zoning commission capped the lot at 225ft

Waaaaaaaaaa! Ya boobs, ya clowns.

[jedikermit]

Originally Posted by Orlando

Can someone pull up any drawings or renderings of the new HQ?

This is a bitter pill for me to swallow since I was the lead designer of the previous version before LHM entered the equation.

There are some on the article linked above, but I don't think they're specifically of the Power HQ. Others are here: https://thepowerdistrict.com/#renderings

(again, might not be exactly what you're looking for)

[ThePriceWentUp]

Here are some new renderings we haven't seen





via Carter Williams (Twitter)