Salt Lake:Official development news thread

[urbanboy]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

I'm not really sure where you are getting that "everyone" on this thread says tear it down.

I didn't say "everyone." I said "most."

[SLCforme]

put me in the column of wanting it saved. We talked about this a few month ago. I think it would be great if the city sold it to a private developer to recoup some of the cost of new construction of thier complex. The developer could convert it to urban lofts, which I personally would love to live in a building like that.
I also think that we should pressure the city to not build a sprawling public safety campus but build up, but that's another topic alltogether.

[Comrade]

Sadly, that's the mentality of Salt Lake. Tear it down and hope that something better is built there in the future.

Luckily, some vocal citizens have stood up and demanded we keep historical buildings. If they hadn't, we most likely would have lost:

City-County Building (the city wanted to demolish it in the 1980s and build a "modern" building, since it would have been cheaper than retrofitting the building).

First Security Bank Building (was recently on the chopping block, people stepped in and saved it).

Original City Hall (was originally planned to be demolished in the 1950s, saved and moved to the Capitol grounds).

Masonic Temple (was set to be demolished in the 1990s, I believe, but now has been saved).

Big D Paint Warehouse (was set for demolition until the Utah Heritage Foundation faught and saved it. Big D moved their corporate head quarters there).

The Rio Grande (after the railroad moved, plans called for demolition, however, it was saved and the Utah Historical Society moved in).

Odd Fellows Building (originally going to be demolished for the courthouse, saved and is now going to be relocated to the other side of the street).

Frank E. Moss Federal Courthouse (original plans called for a new courthouse on the existing land, the courthouse was saved).

That's just a few of many buildings that were saved downtown. Now think of all the ones we lost and it's quite depressing. Why did we lose them? Because many thought they were ugly back then and today we realize what gems they were.

Imagine if all these buildings had not been demolished for Crossroads:



They had an entire mid-block area of the city that was essentially bulldozed over for a mall that didn't even last 50 years.

[gbb]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

Good luck getting the building moved to the Earl Holdings block, they guy won't budge to anyones ideas unless there are his own, and now that the block has been landscaped along with the parking lot there is no way the city would be able to use eminent domain. I'm sure there is a block somewhere in the city that they could move the building. Maybe the Sheraton would allow a corner of their parking lot on 200 W and 400 S. While not ideal it would be some nice infill in that area of the city, I'm sure we could all think of several dozen locations to move the Shubrick.

While I am not a fan of the Ken Garff Building or the PSB I'm not advocating tearing it down either. I really do think the variety ads to the city and gives it a natural progression through time. However if I had to choose I would choose to keep the Shubrick. I agree with the comment of current opinion and demolishing things because we don't currently like them. There used to be the last remaining Frank Lloyd Wright commercial structure West of the Mississippi on the site were the Shilo and they took it down for a parking lot way back when, then built the awful Shilo (maybe some people like the shilo, I'm not sure).

True, Earl Holding can be interesting to work with. But, when he does something, he does it right. You have to respect him for that.

That sucks about the Shilo Inn site. My office is next door to that building and I am definitely not its biggest fan...

[T-Mac]

Alright Comrade, I see your point with the building. I definitely am not a fan of the international style, but if they could have someone go in and clean this building up and if it's not too much to ask, get rid of the current color on the building. You made a good point with all of those buildings that you listed and I didn't realize that they had all been on the chopping block at one point. I really like what Big D did with that building and I can't imagine our city without the City & County Building.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by SLCforme

put me in the column of wanting it saved. We talked about this a few month ago. I think it would be great if the city sold it to a private developer to recoup some of the cost of new construction of thier complex. The developer could convert it to urban lofts, which I personally would love to live in a building like that.
I also think that we should pressure the city to not build a sprawling public safety campus but build up, but that's another topic alltogether.

I couldn't agree with you more SLCforme, that building could make an extremly chic/slick urban condo development.

[Future Mayor]

You are right, I did have a bad attitude towards the building and yes it would be a shame to have eight stories disappear from the city. I guess I was basing my indifference wholly on my attitude toward the look of the building.

Urban lofts would be a good fit for the building, and I would like to see some additional desity and infill work it's way east. It's not as if we need to take it down to make room for something else that's taller, we have plenty of one story lame buildings that could be bulldosed for infill, not to mention the see of parking lots. You have swayed me to the keeping it side of the fence, see I would make a good mayor, I listen to the opinions of the public and the reasons behind those opinions and ultimately side with what the public truly want. Vote for me in 2019!

Yes Earl does do it right when he does it, I'm still wishing the Real Stadium could have possible gone on the block N or Little America or to the block S. I think there could have been a better solution to the Flower Patch dilema way back in the day. Oh well.

[Future Mayor]

First off is there honestly not enough space to expand a new courthouse and keep the Shubrick where it is, the blue space seems like a lot of room to me?


Since the feds say there isn't I took the liberty of moving the Shubrick building around the city to some various locations and here is some of the outcomes.

Site of the former Zephy Club or the parking lot across the street, I would guess these would be the easiest of the moves.


The next closest location would be the northwest corner of the Sheraton block.


How about 500 S and Main?


And one last one, by our beloved PSB!


I think any of these location would add some nice density to lame corners not to mention the character of a nice historic building.

[urbanboy]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

Urban lofts would be a good fit for the building, and I would like to see some additional desity and infill work it's way east. It's not as if we need to take it down to make room for something else that's taller, we have plenty of one story lame buildings that could be bulldosed for infill, not to mention the see of parking lots. You have swayed me to the keeping it side of the fence, see I would make a good mayor, I listen to the opinions of the public and the reasons behind those opinions and ultimately side with what the public truly want. Vote for me in 2019!

Thats more like it You again have my support.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by urbanboy

I don't understand some of you, and sometimes your comments leave me dumbfounded. Why do most people on this thread want to tear down this building, when we have plenty of gaps in our urban environment that need to be filled. We don't need any more gaps. Let's build this city, not tear it down!

Well said urbanboy. There are far way too many parking lots and wasted space in downtown. Let's keep the buildings we already have, fix them up and build new buildings.

Also I for one like the Garff Building. ( But my wife hate it. )

[Scraperdude801]

Originally Posted by urbanboy

I don't understand some of you, and sometimes your comments leave me dumbfounded. Why do most people on this thread want to tear down this building, when we have plenty of gaps in our urban environment that need to be filled. We don't need any more gaps. Let's build this city, not tear it down!

I couldn't have said it better urbanboy. It seems to be that some of the people on this forum are not familiar wiht downtown, nor it's history of continuously developing-demolishing-redveloping. People need to realize we have more acreage of parking/suburban structures downtown than we have urban spaces. .. I mean yeah I am not head over heels about this building, but there are much bigger fish to fry.

Here are some photos of buildings and landmarks we have lost, I know this is nowhere near all of our fallen structures, but maybe it will make some of you think a little more.




Amelia's palace and a couple other buildings that are no more.










Trolley Tracks that run along 200 south, a luxury we no longer have today, and will not have until the downtown circulator is built (10 years at the earliest) Also notice that beautiful building just west of the Hotel Monaco. ... Shame shame shame.




Amelia's Palace




The beloved Newhouse Hotel


Part of Historic Main Street



Key Bank Tower




all pictures are credited to the Utah Historical Society, except for the Last picture (key bank) is credited to the Salt Lake Tribune.

[Scraperdude801]

double post

[eastidaho]

I have to jump in here. Are they really considering moving the Shubrick? If they do, do they really think they will keep the architectural integrity of the building? I went to a wedding reception in that building. The couple rented the main floor and basement, filled it with antique furniture and had a 4-piece jazz band play. It was a great experience and it had a lot to do with the Shubrick and being in a downtown setting. I was really down when I heard they were tearing it down. Especially because I have not had remotely the same unique and great experience in SLC at the Gateway, Crossroads, ZCMI center, Marriott, Sandy (this list could go on and on)......

[Future Mayor]

Originally Posted by eastidaho

I have to jump in here. Are they really considering moving the Shubrick? If they do, do they really think they will keep the architectural integrity of the building? I went to a wedding reception in that building. The couple rented the main floor and basement, filled it with antique furniture and had a 4-piece jazz band play. It was a great experience and it had a lot to do with the Shubrick and being in a downtown setting. I was really down when I heard they were tearing it down. Especially because I have not had remotely the same unique and great experience in SLC at the Gateway, Crossroads, ZCMI center, Marriott, Sandy (this list could go on and on)......

There was talk at one point of moving just across the street to the south, but as mentioned earlier I don't think Earl Holding would go for that. It would nice if he would and it would obviously be the easiest move pick it up move it a few hundred feet and spin it around. I know it's more complicated than that.

Weather or not a lot of people have actually been in the building or not, I'm sure you are a rare exception besides those that go to Port O' Call, but the architecture can't be duplicated, and it would be a great loss to the city.

[Future Mayor]

Originally Posted by urbanboy

Here is another condo development that I haven't seen posted yet.

oneandnine.com

Construction is already underway. It is located on the north west corner of 1st south and 9th east.

Urban boy, thanks for this post. I think we all go so wrapped up in the PSB that we must have skipped right over this, I know I did. While it is only four levels it serves it's purpose in creating more housing in downtown and creates some nice infill in that neighborhood. Glad to see some new stuff going on over there, even better that it's already under construction. It's 47 units but that's another 100 or so people downtown that might not have been there before.

Apparently I must have gone through some serious withdrawal when the forum was down because I'm just commenting left and right today.

[RC14]

^
I agree this looks real nice.

[Comrade]

Just to continue with Scraperdude801's post showing the raping of our city...

Auerbach Company

Demolished in the 1930s for the Centre Theatre.





Centre Theatre, demolished in the late 80s for the Broadway Centre.



Now imagine if they had built the Centre Theatre on a damn parking lot instead of demolishing the Auerbach Company and then built the Broadway Centre on another lot. We'd have three kick ass buildings. As is, we gave up two kick ass buildings for a decent high rise.

The Bransford Apartment House

Demolished in the 1980s for the Eagle Gate Apartments. While I don't mind the Eagle Gate Apartments, they can't compare to the Bransford.









As mentioned above, Zion's Saving Bank. I think this is one of the worst...imagine if it still were there and maybe the Gateway East Tower was just south of it.



Also shown above, the Federal Reserve Bank. This is it not being demolished.



Deseret News Building, which was reclad (ugh) and demolished for the Gateway West.







After being reclad:



Imagine if they had kept the original building, not the reclad version, then built Gateway West just west of it?

We have so many parking lots downtown that we don't need to be bulldozing buildings to build more buildings.

As for the Shilo Inn, as it was mentioned, I actually kinda like it. It's grown on me and while I wouldn't be too upset if it were demolished (depending on what replaced it), I think it has character. Plus, it's the tallest Shilo Inn in the country!



And it looks better than it did...



Plus it's historic! I mean, how many buildings in Salt Lake can say they've had a crazed mother toss her children off the top of them? Not many.

[T-Mac]

Comrade, thanks for the photo tour down memory lane. You know have me hooked on searching the Utah Historical Society's Shipler collection of photos. You have educated me and I must agree that it would be a good idea to keep around a lot of our older buildings so they are not lost forever. My favorite is the one were the current Zions Bank Building sits on Main. WOW. It's too bad that one is gone. I appreciate your point of view and the others for their input. This is why I like this forum so much, it gives you an all new look from other people's perspectives.

[Viperlord]

Old Photo of the SoDo lofts underconstruction. They are painting them yellow and green in a checkerboard pattern. Kinda tacky.

[delts145]

^^^



Unbelievable, that this beautiful building was reclad into that tacky, ugly black and white beast.

..