Salt Lake:Official development news thread

[RC14]

I think I remember reading that the elevation drop form State St. going west to West Temple was about 75'+.

[urbanboy]

Barack Obama's Urban Policy

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/urbanpolicy/

[RFPCME]

Originally Posted by urbanboy

Barack Obama's Urban Policy

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/urbanpolicy/

Urbanboy: I am impressed. Lots of details, which is unusual from a candidate.

[RFPCME]

Originally Posted by delts145

Agreed Future Mayor, Something as simple as replicating the Depot's materials and trim would be a big improvement over the current look.
That stucco top just doesn't look like someone took the time to give a damn.

Delts and Future Mayor: I certainly do not have any design talent, nor do I know the vocabulary. But I like the idea of picking up on the design cues offered by the UP Depot, both inside and out.

It seems the Gateway was initially proposed and built with the concept of the Depot as a focal point...great idea, but the manifestation of the concept has been less than optimal, which seems a waste of a tremendous architectural treasure that the depot is. Does anyone remember the tremendous murals inside of the depot, reflecting the pioneers moving to Utah? There are enough design cues in the physical architecture of the Depot, plus the interior, to elevate the Gateway into a showcase development.

The clock tower is a great starting point. If the pinnacle of the tower were rebuilt to imitate the roof line of the Depot and the tower itself was re-skinned with similar brick and concrete accents, the project would take a big step forward.

I, too, agree with Wasden that competition from CCC will put pressure on the Boyer Company to at least remain competitive. There are a couple of businesses in the Gateway (e.g., D. Grant Ltd, one of the finest men's stores anywhere) that could easily re-locate to the CCC if the Gateway remains common.

[urbanboy]

As I see it, the gateway still has a chance to survive and maintain it's clientele, since city creek center will be closed on sundays.

[delts145]

I don't think the Gateway will have a problem surviving. I also think there will be a natural inclination for the Center to upgrade some of it's exteriors in the future. I've said this before and it's worth repeating, that Gateway is a lot more attractive than most of the trendy lifestyle centers I've seen. That said, I do hope that some tweaking, such as the clock tower happen's sooner than later. I don't think it hurt's for us as a forum to encourage Gateway to do some exterior materials transformation. A little here and there could go a long way.

.

[Future Mayor]

It's an interesting thought, but you never know who exactly all the forumers on here are. There could very well be developers on here possibly even reps from Boyer on here that post all the time, occasionally or are just on here reading comments without posting. So maybe our ideal will get heard and passed on.

I plan to continue to post once I start developing, it will be a nice way to get reactions on my projects. I'll of course have to not claim ownership of said projects so as to not deter any negative comments regarding them. Not that that would ever happen, actually I should claim ownership then maybe I would get everyones honest opinion.

[urbanboy]

I think replacing that hideous clock with one that is suited for clock tower would make a huge difference. The stucco tower doesn't look so bad from a distance, when it is all lit up at night.

[strippadam]

I am not worried about gateway sustaining with City Creek Center in place. They have very different clientèle. City Creek is trying to pull in higher name brands and while a few stores might switch over from Gateway i sincerely doubt there will be much overlap. The biggest thing it effects is Gateways expansion plans which as we have all seen have been dwindling and loosing height and integrity. I think that boyer needs to take a step back and quickly redevelop into a even more urban environment. Pushing for a grocery store or other option perhaps not in the existing gateway but on another one of its parcels. Also Gateway has a movie theater and will have more of a pull still with jazz games and other events at the Delta center.

[TANGELD_SLC]

Ok so here are a few ideas of mine, let me know what you think about them...

It appears that the foreign trade zone is proposed to be in the Poplar Grove/Rose Park/Glendale area(My hood) and I think that it would be a great place for the FTZ because of the ethnic diversity in the area and it would help the area's ecomnomy. I also think that this region is where the proposed Japantown and Little Mexico districts should be.

I think that 7th East opposite Liberty Park from 600 South to 1300 South would be a GREAT place to make a Grand Boulevard and fill the blocks (at least the west halves) with 10-20story residential towers. They shouldn't be any more than 250ft tall to preserve the mountain views.

I think that 1300 South from about State street to California Avenue (900 West) needs a makeover ESP. at the 300W/1300S intersection. Fill it with Green mixed-use developments and low-mid-income residential units.

And Last, but not least, I give you the SALT LAKE TOWER 1. It's just a proposal I did but I think it would look VERY good to have something this tall in Salt Lake. Dramatic, Drastic, Over 1,000ft high from sidewalk to spire and somewhat removed from the rest of the skyline. It would be glass-clad, with jagged angles and SLENDER so as to not block out the mountains and to maintain a natural belongs-here feel, and even reminding you of the mountains. It would be mixed-use. The very top of the tower would be structural, filled with windmills and solar panels to provide power for the tower, along with harnessed geothermal energy in the basement. The top floors would be residential units. Below that would be your commercial space, and the lowest floors would be entertainment/retail space. Parking can be in an adjacent structure. I believe it will be easier to get something like this built now that Becker is in office.




Ok lemme have it! I want to know what you guys all think....

[Comrade]

No, no and no.

Sorry, but that would look horrible in Salt Lake's skyline. Firstly, it's too tall and would throw off the skyline even more. Secondly, I hate the design, looks too much like a building for an evil corporation in some dark thriller set in the future.

[Viperlord]

Yeah, that "proposal" is way out of whack. Doesnt fit in SLC's skyline. Maybe something about 1/3 that height. Our skyline would look so bizarre to shoot from 435ish feet to a 1000+ tower. Aim for something in the 500-600 foot range first. lol

[Viperlord]

The Broadway Park lofts crane is now visible from the offramp on 900 South and West temple.

Also speaking of other Allen Millo projects...

Metro Park West's site has been updated...

Continuing with their quest to revitalize the Pioneer Park area, AllenMillo + Associates introduces a new level of sophisticated in urban living and working with Metro Park West Condominium.

A refined, eight-story, mixed use building rising on the west side of Pioneer Park - right in the middle of Salt Lake City's arts, dining, and entertainment district.

-71 Two-Story Luxury Town Homes
[32] w/ private roof terraces
[9] 3 Bedrooms - 2.5 Bath
[62] Bedrooms - 1.5 Bath

-1 floor retail
-3 Floors Class A Office Space

residential component reduced from 108 units to 71 units. more office space added to the development.

[RFPCME]

Originally Posted by Comrade Reynolds

No, no and no.

Sorry, but that would look horrible in Salt Lake's skyline. Firstly, it's too tall and would throw off the skyline even more. Secondly, I hate the design, looks too much like a building for an evil corporation in some dark thriller set in the future.

Comrade Reynolds: Beg to disagree...Since the tower is not centered in the current downtown, it doesn't denigrate the existing buildings, much the same as the Canada Tower and the Canary Wharf project in general (although they are much larger and much taller) don't detract from the buildings in central London. The same is true for the La DeFense area in Paris, the Galleria (with the Transco Tower) in Houston...and on and on. It pushes the southern terminus of the CBD, but that's good.

I like the design as well. It's balanced, with extreme height balanced with the bloated lower floors, extending in waves to the south. You're right. The architecture is definitely gothic, but gothic is not necessarily dark and evil. The mountains surrounding SLC are certainly gothic, which is one of the reasons they are so striking.

Finally, the tower is iconic...no doubt, as any building that size would have to be. It would be an instant, positive landmark and hallmark for the area. Nice work.

[Comrade]

This is a 1,000 foot tower in a skyline with the tallest not even half that. How can you even compare it to London or Paris? You do realize their skyline is far more developed and vertical than Salt Lake's, right?

A 1,000 foot tower in downtown Salt Lake would look embarrassingly bad.

[Scraperdude801]

I am an advocate for height, but that is way too tall for SLC at this time. ... I feel like we need to focus on the current CBD and make that more dense. Looking at SLC from any aerial view is embarassing. The buildings are way too short, and way to far apart. The bases are way too big for how small the buildings are it is ridiculous. ...I wish that SLC had developed like providence rhode island. While their DT isn't super big, and their skyline is modest. It atleast looks interesting and not just like a bunch of ugly vertical blocks in the middle of a desert. the entire DT area needs more height, but especially the areas between 100 and 400 s. ...It's sad that their nothing planned in that region for really tall buildings. Becker's arts and cultural district wishlist towers are all rather short. ... shorter than what we already have. ... even short can be interesting though, just as long as it isn't a frickin rectangle! Or shaped like a penis like eagle gate or Church office building. ... also ... SLC needs some frickin color in the skyline.

[delts145]

I would be very sorry for any guy who had a penis shaped like the COB or especially the Eaglegate, LOL. Most of the towers in Downtown are reasonably to very attractive at street level. The street scene and development potential at street level in downtown Salt Lake is a huge improvement over what I see in much of the country. While there are admittedly many skylines that I envy from a distance, and would like to see some of those towers emulated in SLC. I wouldn't give a rat's ass for much of what those downtown's look like at street level. What development has been completed and what is rapidly being done in downtown Salt Lake City is infinitely more attractive than most of the sterile and uninteresting ground level surroundings, up and down the street of many of these towers, that are so attractive when viewed from a distance.

Hopefully, the Gehry Project and other developers now entering the market, will give downtown Salt Lake some added height to it's mediocre skyline. The current skyline, when viewed from a distance reminds me of Denver's skyline back in the 70's, before it added some height.

Does anyone have an idea of what Mayor Becker's attitude is toward taller towers? I really haven't heard much from him on that specific matter.

We keep talking about how Utah needs more headquarter companies, yet it has rapidly become one of the most go-to metro's in the nation for western, regional relocations. I mean, if even a fraction of these companies that have been relocating into the Metro were moving their offices downtown, instead of some class A business park, what kind of a skyline would we have?

Of course, the attractive business park set-up in the metro has been far more available, flexible and ready to move in to, than say space downtown. I say that now we are getting so many of these prestigious companies, I would like to see downtown start to play a lot more competitive hardball with places like Sandy or Layton or Cottowood Heights. Seriously, what is downtown doing to grab it's fair share or convince companies who are already here with hundred's of employees, to set up shop downtown? Maybe, with what we're seeing with our mass-transit build-up, will encourage a very quick transformation of Salt Lake's downtown height.

[NYC Rick]

Originally Posted by Comrade Reynolds

No, no and no.

Sorry, but that would look horrible in Salt Lake's skyline. Firstly, it's too tall and would throw off the skyline even more. Secondly, I hate the design, looks too much like a building for an evil corporation in some dark thriller set in the future.

I agree with Comrade Reynolds. Totally!


Whose idea was this? Everyone wants to see impressive additions to the SLC skyline. No doubt they will come.

The concept of having a tower like the one proposes is dysfunctional on every level.

It would take a huge investment, it would take a huge tenant list and it would stick out like a sore thumb. No fluidity, no integration with the downtown itself ...not to mention impractical.

The really great focus and integration that SLC never had when I lived there is now in focus. A thriving and interactive DT. The whole present focus is impressive. The " presented" tower in the above image is dismal and it would act as the anti integration darkside.

Height is the nirvana if you do not have it but really need it. Height for the sake of height, when it presents so many negatives, is disastrous.

Salt Lake is much better suited with 600 ft and under buildings. That kind of infill is very impressive for any skyline density. That type of Downtown core lends to a busy and active core. It feels much more like the DT that any progressive city hopes for.

There will be a time (and very soon) for the larger buildings but iconic ego buildings are impractical in any city. Bragging rights for a 1,000 foot mistake
is so lame.

[SLC Projects]

I do like the design of the "SALT LAKE TOWER 1" It sure beats just having another box shape tower added to the city's skyline. However having it on the far South side of downtown does make it look kind of out of place. Maybe if the Tower was somewhere more in the middle of the city maybe near the wells fargo center then it wouldn't look so out of place. Just a thought.

[skyguy414]

I want more tall buildings in our skyline just as much as anyone. But I have thought the most impressive sight in our skyline is our mountains.