Salt Lake:Official development news thread

[delts145]

By Dave Anderton
Deseret Morning News
New hospitals, resorts and power plants are driving a building boom across the country and in Utah, according to an economist with the Associated General Contractors of America.
The surge in commercial and industrial building is welcome news as the nation's residential housing sector begins to stumble, according to Ken Simonson, chief economist with the contractors group, which held its annual meeting Thursday in Salt Lake City.
"Obviously, if a subdivision isn't built, then you don't need the local gas station or grocery store or strip mall," Simonson said. "You also get a little less activity in terms of new schools, roads, sewer and water hook-ups and maybe less public services like fire and police stations and libraries."
But Simonson said the U.S. housing slowdown will do little to break the momentum in commercial and industrial building through 2007.
Utah's population growth to 2.6 million people as of July 1, 2006, was in large part due to a record 52,368 births, according to a state economic report.
"The birth rate in Utah is about 40 percent higher than the national birth rate," Simonson said. "Those are very favorable indicators for residential construction, school construction, a variety of public services and also for some kinds of retail and other consumer-oriented construction."
Nationally, Simonson said, employment in residential construction in 2006 dropped 3 percent, but nonresidential construction employment rose 3 percent.
In 2006, Utah had the strongest construction employment growth — at 17 percent — of all states. Nationally, construction employment in 2006 grew at only 0.5 percent.
Steven Bogden, national director of business development for Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT in Holladay, points to the IHC Intermountain Medical Center in Murray and downtown's City Creek Center renovation — both developments represent nearly $2 billion in capital expenditures.
"That resonates through the community," Bogden said. "People will hear about this — architects, engineers and retailers — and will come here and say, 'You can't believe what's going on in Salt Lake City.' You will get clients that will come downtown and say they want to be a part of this. It's an incredible circumstance we are in right now."
But the boom is not without problems. Simonson said the state in 2007 likely will continue to see a shortage of asphalt. In addition, Simonson said, Utah is falling behind in building new roads.
"You can't rely indefinitely on the gas tax," Simonson said. "At a time of high gasoline prices we are seeing more conservation by motorists, and as a result the funding for highway projects is falling short."

[delts145]

By Mike Gorrell
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 01/25/2007 11:48:09 PM MST



Gear manufacturer Mountain Hardware has booked the Silver Fork Lodge's bay-windowed dining room this morning, giving its guests a view over breakfast of the sun rising in Big Cottonwood Canyon.
From there, most of those guests will go to Brighton Resort for a day of checking out varied sports equipment at the Backcountry Base Camp that kicks off the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market.
As the sun sets, a few of those guests will end up among the expected crowd of 400 at Brighton's Alpine Rose restaurant, site of the chili-and-beer fest known as the "Backcountry Bash."
Yes, it's Outdoor Retailer weekend again, a time when roughly 16,000 people descend on Salt Lake City for five days of working hard promoting products - and engaging in a fair share of wining, dining and being merry.
It's also a time when Salt Lakers should think twice about heading downtown for dinner. Nearly every restaurant within walking distance of the Salt Palace Convention Center will be packed with Outdoor Retailer visitors.
Consider this fact:
At Squatters Pub Brewery, a consistent favorite of the Outdoor Retailer crowd, customers drank 1,200 pitchers of beer - roughly 40 kegs - during last winter's trade show. That was 26 percent more than usual at the brewpub, perpetually busy already with crowds heading to Jazz games, concerts, plays or dance performances.
"The only time we've ever run out of beer is OR," says Amy Coady, Squatters' director of sales and marketing. "It's not like

[SLC Projects]

I like it. The old ski utah plate just seem boring to me. But this new one has design and color to it.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

I like it. The old ski utah plate just seem boring to me. But this new one has design and color to it.

Me too, I like that top contrast. I'm going to have to decide whether to keep renewing my California plates or get these. I'm glad there keeping the old slogan, "Greatest Snow on Earth."

[jedikermit]

Yeah, I like the new design too. I'm bored with the current ones.

[SmilingBob]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

I like it. The old ski utah plate just seem boring to me. But this new one has design and color to it.

This is hideous. I mean brown. Looks like something left over from the 70's. What third grader designed it?

Almost a great shot of the mountians if they hadn't cut them off.

[DevdogAZ]

I don't mind the brown, and I think the overall design is OK, but I HATE the font they have used for "UTAH." It looks like the letters are melting and gives it an old-fashioned feel, which I don't think is the feel they want to give.

[Comrade]

Ok, I don't want to be an ass here (I know, tough for me not to do), but I come to this thread in hopes of reading PROJECTS, not articles and news events. This is a PROJECTS thread and should only be used to discuss those projects in Salt Lake. Not new license plates, housing stats, conventions and other news that isn't directly linked to development. Is there any way someone can create a Salt Lake non-project news thread for all these stories?

I mean the original intent of this thread was for development after all.

[delts145]

Comrade, My much esteemed collegue. Most of us would like to put our two bits in about the plates. After all, its been how many years since we've had new ones? Your not being an ass, and neither are we. Let us have a little fun with it for a day and then it will pass.As far as posting it on a separate thread, it would really drive JChurch crazy if we did. If it continues to be too popular then lets bring it up again tomorrow or something.
As far as convention and housing development, that is very much linked to development projects and their continuation,IMHO.

[Northernlad]

Originally Posted by Comrade Reynolds

Ok, I don't want to be an ass here (I know, tough for me not to do), but I come to this thread in hopes of reading PROJECTS, not articles and news events. This is a PROJECTS thread and should only be used to discuss those projects in Salt Lake. Not new license plates, housing stats, conventions and other news that isn't directly linked to development. Is there any way someone can create a Salt Lake non-project news thread for all these stories?

I mean the original intent of this thread was for development after all.

Good point.
I am not sure the other forumers would want to see another Utah thread since we have a lot of threads that could be combined, and we seem to be dominating this forum currently with several threads pertaining to the same developments. Just an idea.

Some of this non-development stuff can be read online or in the papers. We are online as it is, so it isn't very difficult to link to www.sltrib.com or www.deseretnews.com or www.ksl.com to read this news. A lot of us probably don't get too excited about seeing news articles pasted into the threads unless they are about new buildings, developments.
When I see newspaper articles pasted about conventions and the film festival I usually ignore them because I can read them elsewhere on line where the rest of the local news is at.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by delts145

Me too, I like that top contrast. I'm going to have to decide whether to keep renewing my California plates or get these. I'm glad there keeping the old slogan, "Greatest Snow on Earth."

You are in utah now delts, Go get some Utah plates.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by delts145

As far as posting it on a separate thread, it would really drive JChurch crazy if we did..

You mean like this?

[delts145]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

You mean like this?

Exactly!!

[delts145]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

You are in utah now delts, Go get some Utah plates.

I know, I know, Problem is I spend almost as much time in L.A. I will probably switch over the plates when I renew the registration

Anyway, It would seem like the top of the news is the building of REAL Stadium. If someone wants to say they like or dislike the new plates then COOL for now IMHO...

As far as having too many convention posts or sundance posts on this thread. I went back over pages 32-34. Of the 75 or more posts, 3 dealt with a major convention and its effect on downtown, and two talked about the effect of Sundance on Downtown Salt Lake. IMO, I don't feel we have reached the tipping point yet.

[i-215]

Do the centennial plates also say Greatest Snow on Earth? I'm a native, and I can't remember!

I have them on my car because I like the plates better, but I do admit the Ski Utah plates look classy ... sure beat the old black-and-whites my first car had!

[delts145]

By Lesley Mitchell
The Salt Lake Tribune


Utah's construction industry is poised to be the strongest in the nation this year, a top economist said Thursday.
"Construction seems to be accelerating in Utah while it is slowing down in other states," said Ken Simonson, chief economist for Associated General Contractors of America.
Simonson was one of a handful of economists and other economic professionals who on Thursday presented Utah economic forecasts for the rest of the year.
In Utah, residential builders aren't expected to have the banner year that they had in the state in 2006. But they are expected to have a good year because of Utah's strong job and population growth and continued low interest rates.
Nationally, demand for homes slid last month by the largest margin since 1989, the National Association of Realtors reported Thursday. There is growing worry that the downturn in the real estate market could hurt the U.S. economy.
In Utah, the commercial construction industry is even stronger than the state's residential industry, Simonson said. Developers are gearing up for years of high levels of activity, including work on the mixed use project City Creek Center in downtown Salt Lake City as well as large retail and office developments.
Simonson expects construction industry employment in Utah, unlike the rest of the country, to continue to climb.
"Utah has strong population growth, and over time, population growth tends to be the one thing that pushes up construction levels across the board," he said.
Wells Fargo & Co. economist Kelly Matthews said new home building activity in Utah should drop off a bit this year due to what he considers to be an affordability problem in the state.
He said wage gains in Utah - although substantial in recent years - have not kept pace with housing appreciation. That means a lot of Utah families - especially younger ones - are struggling to buy a home, even with the proliferation in recent years of adjustable rate mortgages and continued low interest rates.
But Utah's economic problems for the most part seem small compared with other parts of the country. The No. 1 reason for that is job growth.
U.S. Bank economist John Mitchell said among all states, Utah's rate of job creation is behind only Wyoming, Nevada and Arizona.
But Mitchell said Utah and other states will continue in 2007 and beyond to struggle with tight labor markets, which could become an economic problem.
[email protected]
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* The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Top economies

Utah has one of the strongest rates of job growth in the nation, which is boosting the state's economy and building activity.

[delts145]

Backcountry.com, Peregrine, Smith Sport Optics announce plans

By Brice Wallace
Deseret Morning News
Officials from three companies gathered indoors Monday to officially announce that their outdoors-focused businesses will add nearly 2,000 jobs in Utah.


Scott G. Winterton, Deseret Morning News
Ned Post, front, of Smith Sport Optics, Bob Olsen, far left, of Peregrine Outfitters and Charla Brown of Backcountry.com unveil plans at outdoors show.

At a news conference at the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market at the Salt Palace, Backcountry.com unveiled plans to expand its Utah operations, and Peregrine Outfitters and Smith Sport Optics said they would establish operations in the state and further bolster the outdoor products and recreation cluster.
Those jobs and the combined $6.5 million capital investment represent "wonderful validation of this as an industry thrust as a state," said Jeff Edwards, president and chief executive officer of the Economic Development Corp. of Utah, which recruited the companies for the state.
The companies' Utah plans include:
• Backcountry.com's intention to spend more than $4.8 million to increase operations in Park City and West Valley City and add about 1,250 new jobs. The company is an online retailer of more than 250 outdoor and backcountry brands.
• Peregrine Outfitters' decision to open a warehouse at Business Depot Ogden and generate 250 new jobs. Peregrine is a wholesale distributor of more than 6,000 outdoor accessories. A subsidiary, Peregrine Distribution Services, provides third-party warehousing and other services to outdoor-related companies.
• Smith Sport Optics' opening of a 120,000-square-foot facility in Clearfield that will be the company's primary worldwide manufacturing, assembly and distribution facility. The company, which makes ski goggles and helmets, will add more than 600 jobs over the next 10 years. It could be open as early as March 15.
Company officials cited several factors for choosing Utah, including financial incentives from the state. Backcountry.com received a tax-rebate package of up to $1.37 million. Smith Sport Optics was approved for up to $300,000 in Industrial Assistance Fund money.
But officials also hailed Utah's ability to serve as a test site for products. Charla Brown, director of human resources for Backcountry.com, said the state is "a fantastic place to test the gear" the company produces.
"We have an amazing test facility here," said Jason Perry, executive director of the Governor's Office of Economic Development. "Research and development is happening here. Whatever your passion, you find it here in the state of Utah."
With the Outdoor Retailer event serving as the backdrop for the news conference, Edwards said Utah is "a place where you can take your stuff off the show floor and walk out this afternoon and go see how it works."
Bob Olsen, president and CEO of Peregrine, said his company's new warehouse is set to open March 1. "We're very excited to be in Utah," he said. "As a wholesale distributor, our business is really about logistics, and Utah is offering us a tremendous platform to service all of our customers here in the West."
Ned Post, president and chief operating officer of Smith Sport Optics, said a 25-year manufacturing partnership with a Utah company was dissolved late last year. "We were left with the decision as to where to base our new manufacturing facility," he said. "Thanks to the EDCU and the governor's office, that decision was made very easily."
Post also noted that Utah has a proven, reliable and stable work force.
But filling positions might become an issue for the growing companies. Brown said Backcountry.com is searching for a "significant" number of engineering workers — including software developers, engineers and systems architects and administrators — and online marketing department personnel.
Mike Dowse of Amer Sports, which earlier announced plans to put its North American winter sports headquarters in the American Can Building in Ogden, said his company needs to fill 60 to 70 positions in the next 90 days.
"There's a real buzz amongst our three offices around the U.S.," he said. "Everyone wants to get to Ogden now!"
The expansions and relocations add to an already strong industry sector. Frank Hugelmeyer, president of the Outdoor Industry Association, said a study to be released in April pegs the total economic direct-sales impact from the outdoor industry at $4.5 billion, with the ripple effect bringing the figure to $7 billion. It also accounts for $348 million in taxes; 36,000 direct jobs; and 80,000 direct and ripple jobs.
Scott Beck, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau, said many companies put operations in Utah after their executives are exposed to the state at the Outdoor Retailer shows or when skiing in Utah.
Perry noted that outdoors companies both compete with and help one another.
"It's 'coopetition,"' he said. "It helps create long-term, sustainable economic development. And that's currently what we have going on in the state. We have coopetition. We have companies coming together, helping to recruit each other to the state. ... It truly is working."

[SLC Projects]

Salt Lake to unveil transit plan

Pedestrian travel will be the 'primary mode'
By Doug Smeath
Deseret Morning News
City, business and transportation leaders are calling for a Salt Lake City downtown that is more easily traversed, whether by foot, car, bicycle or transit.
A draft of the city's Downtown Transportation Master Plan which will be unveiled today, calls for pedestrian travel to be "the primary mode of travel" in the heart of the city. But the plan also includes light-rail extensions along 400 South, 400 West and 700 South; several new TRAX stations; consolidated bus routes; and a shuttle system connecting downtown attractions.
The document is the result of a study commissioned by the city and its Redevelopment Agency, the Utah Transit Authority, the Utah Department of Transportation, the Salt Lake Chamber and the Downtown Alliance. It comes as the city faces a number of major development projects and is working on a revamping of its land-use master plan.
Among the transportation plan's suggestions is more light-rail routes. With lines added to 400 West and 700 South and a westward expansion of the 400 South line, the plan calls for a TRAX system that loops through downtown and serves more areas. The plan also includes adding TRAX stations so that all of downtown is no more than two blocks from a station.
"That would provide UTA quite a bit of flexibility in how they route their trains through town, and it provides incredibly good coverage through downtown," city transportation director Tim Harpst said.
In addressing bus travel, the plan would cement State Street and 200 South as the city's main bus corridors, and would include a new Bus Passenger Center with information and amenities at the intersection of those streets.
The plan would consolidate some downtown routes, allowing for more frequent pickups among the major lines, and it would institute "branded routes" — a sort of "red-line" system that would run the length of certain roads, with the goal of easing the confusion of visitors and those unfamiliar with the bus system.
Shuttles downtown would connect similar types of attractions — running, for example, from the hotels along 500 South and 600 South to the Salt Palace Convention Center, Temple Square, City Creek Center and other tourist and convention attractions. That system would likely be funded by the businesses that make use of it.
Chamber spokeswoman Natalie Gochnour said that idea is one to which the business community is paying special attention, and she pointed to a need to boost the ability of hotel guests to get easily to shopping and tourism sites. She also said businesses hope the final version of the plan will accommodate car traffic as well as transit users, pedestrians and bicyclists.
"They've got to make it really clear how people who choose to be in an automobile come downtown and how they park," Gochnour said.
The plan would establish a parking management group, likely staffed through the city, that would make off-street parking more convenient. Ideas include signs with a standardized symbol — a large blue "P," for example — so motorists could easily find public parking. Parking-garage owners would be asked to clearly display their hourly rates so drivers would know whether they want to park there.
The plan, however, would push for more pedestrians and bicyclists. That would be encouraged through a network of walking routes, including ways to travel through blocks rather than around them. And the plan calls for adding bike lanes on downtown streets that are wide enough.
"Whether you drive or ride transit, part of your trip is walking," Harpst said.
Harpst said the city could add extensions to some sidewalks that would give bicyclists a place to ride that is not among the automobile traffic but doesn't get in the way of pedestrians.
The groups involved in the plan will gather public comment and refine the plan throughout February, with a final version making the rounds for approval in the spring from the City Council, the Planning Commission, Downtown Rising and others.
Once approved, the master plan would guide future decisions on a project-by-project basis and would lay out a time table for funding and other considerations.

If you go . . .

The Downtown Transportation Master Plan will be presented today at an open house that includes a public comment period.

• When: Today, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Open-house format, with a presentation at 5 p.m.

• Where: City-County Building, 451 S. State, Third Floor

• Open to the public

• More information and public comment opportunities at www.slctrans.com

[SLC Projects]

Where are you delts this morning?, I'm having to post all the today's news.





Davis and Jordan Valley hospitals to expand

Iasis Healthcare projects to add 162 beds, cost $82M
By Lois M. Collins
Deseret Morning News
Iasis Healthcare today announced major expansions at Davis Hospital and Medical Center in Layton and Jordan Valley Hospital in West Jordan. The projects, totaling about $82 million, will add 162 beds and 160,000 square feet between them.
Expansions at Jordan Valley Hospital, bottom, in West Jordan, and Davis Hospital and Medical Center, top, in Layton are seen in artists' renderings. (Rendering provided by Perkins and Will)
Rendering provided by Perkins and Will
Expansions at Jordan Valley Hospital, bottom, in West Jordan, and Davis Hospital and Medical Center, top, in Layton are seen in artists' renderings.
"This is a huge milestone for Iasis Healthcare and our market," said Doug Boudreaux, Iasis spokesman. "It shows the commitment to our physicians, patients and the community we serve. Both projects are in fast-growing areas where demand for services is high. We're keeping up with that growth."
He said Iasis Healthcare has put more than $190 million into improving its Utah hospitals, which also include Salt Lake Regional Medical Center and Pioneer Valley Hospital. But the projects unveiled today mark its biggest one-time announcement involving Utah facilities. The company, based in Franklin, Tenn., also owns hospitals in Arizona, Florida, Texas and Nevada.
The Davis and Jordan Valley renovations and expansions, slated for completion in summer 2008, will improve existing service areas.
The Davis campus will undergo a $32 million expansion and renovation that includes construction of a new three-story, 66,000-square-foot tower, with 67 new beds, including a four-bed cardiac catheterization recovery area, a 14-bed intensive care unit and expanded pediatric services. All of the hospital's semi-private rooms will become private rooms as part of the project.
Davis Hospital and Medical Center CEO Michael Jensen said making all the rooms private will "improve the hospital experience" for patients at the facility.
Jordan Valley Hospital's $46 million expansion will add three new floors and about 95 beds to the hospital. The new 97,000-square-foot construction will include an inpatient rehabilitation unit, two new operating suites, nine new beds in the emergency department, a new laboratory, more room for diagnostic imaging services and more medical/surgical inpatient beds. The hospital also will add four labor, delivery and recovery suites.
Jordan Valley's size has doubled in the last five years, and with the new project, it will double again, said Bryanie Swilley, hospital CEO.
It's not the first time the two hospitals have undergone expansions in tandem. They both had multimillion-dollar renovations in 2002. But the need for services and fast-growing populations in both communities made further expansion "an essential part of long-term strategies" for growth, Boudreaux said.
The Davis facility opened in 1976 and is a 136-bed, acute-care facility. Jordan Valley opened more than 20 years ago and has 92 licensed beds.
"These are two well-performing hospitals and the demand is there," Boudreaux said. "The southwest part of the Salt Lake Valley is underserved. It's true for Layton and Davis County, as well."

[delts145]

Hey Goomba!! LOL, I was busy figuring out the February budget.