Salt Lake:Official development news thread

[delts145]

Originally Posted by stevena07

U. picks an out-of-state firm for stadium-lot development

The University of Utah announced Tuesday the selection of an out-of-state developer to complete its new Universe Project.

Inland American Communities Group Inc., which has offices in Tempe, Ariz., Dallas and Atlanta, was selected to construct the mixed-use, transit-oriented project on the southwest corner of campus — an area Inland calls an "edge of prime location."

The Universe Project will occupy the 7.9-acre parking lot directly west of Rice-Eccles Stadium, which is adjacent to a TRAX light-rail station. Proposed uses of the site include administrative offices for the university, housing, public and student parking as well as some retail stores.

Perez said goals of the project include taking advantage of the present mass transit options, creating a strong connection between the campus and neighboring community, enhancing the appearance and function of the location without detracting from the current functions of the area. It also is designed to encourage interest in the campus, making the Universe Project a "portal" to the university community and a "gateway to Salt Lake City."

http://deseretnews.com/article/0,5143,705260630,00.html

That's going to be a great project Steve. I'm looking forward to seeing that one materialize.

[Viperlord]

Originally Posted by delts145

Hmmm.... The Lexie Tower site is at 200 S 300 E, so I'm wondering what this site is that Scott is talking about. Viper, do you know?


T-Mac
.

I'm not sure whats going in there by the other place restaurant unfortunatly.

I contacted the developer of the lexi tower btw, he says he plans to break ground in 2009. We'll see if economic hardship delays that.

[scottharding]

I truly hope they break ground next year. I love the notion of that tower on that spot. It would be great there.

[delts145]

Cities in theater race dismiss county study

http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705260973,00.html

The two cities auditioning for the role of Broadway-style theater host are dismissing a Salt Lake County arts study as irrelevant.

Regardless of the outcome of the great theater race, Salt Lake County plans to support 15 arts facilities in the future, based on the findings of the master plan study.

The county will accept public comment on the master plan until Nov. 10. Thereafter, the council will release an executive summary and may prioritize the recommended projects.

.

[Orlando]

"The (Sandy)project is expected to get public funding via city property tax deferrals."
The Sandy residents are going to love this. I hope we can use this against Mayor Dolan and the Proscenium project.

[Orlando]

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=117672&page=162

I can't seem to get any images posted unless they are from the web. Anyways, in the link above there is an image of how Sandy's Proscenium project could affect downtown SLC. Please see the image. This is my point exactly! We can't let this happen!

If we let developers, or others like Mayor Dolan of Sandy have their way. We will have giant projects that compete with Salt Lake City. The impact of those kinds of projects outside of downtown to downtown is demonstrated in this illustration: BLIGHT! BLIGHT!
Do we want this to happen? No! Projects, it would be great to see new highrises all over, but not at the sacrifice of downtown. The impact of the Proscenium poject in Sandy, if built to its proposed 3 30 story towers will be devastating to downtown Salt Lake City. Some have recently posted that there is a lot of blight in downtown already, epecially on Main between 100 south to 200 south.

I think we should protest the Proscenium project for its proposed scale. Does anybody else agree? Maybe we could get a petition of people opposed to the scale of the project and submit it to Sandy, and then contact the local media to get us some publicity. The Sandy City Council is already leery about the Theater. Without the Theater, and then negative public pressure added to that, The Council might just reject the salce and scope of the project. Anyways, does anybody have any ideas regarding this?

[cololi]

I have that same poster hanging in my office. Somehow I don't think Sandy cares. They view all development as good development, regardless of the impacts. And they particularly are not going to be intersted in what the impact on SLC is. My gut thinking is that this project is going to have a very difficult time getting full financing and, if they ever do, is many years away from build out. I think a portion of it will end up getting built, but the commercial/office construction boom that always follows the housing boom is near an end. The next office/commercial boom will not happen until after the peak of the next residential boom. Problem is that is not likely to occur for years. I also don't think the builder really has much of an idea about the unique geotechnical characteristices of the valley and the size and cost of the piers to support that tall of a building.

[wrendog]

Honestly, I don't see the Proscenium ruining downtown. I see the opposite. Downtown will be the downfall of the proscenium.

[UTPlanner]

Instead of protesting and complaining about how much we hate Sandy wouldn't it be more worthwhile to spend time finding ways to make downtown SLC more viable, and more attractive? I think approaching local leaders with ideas on how to improve the city would garner far more attention to a cause, and more importantly I think there could be some actual results.

[Orlando]

Originally Posted by UTPlanner

Instead of protesting and complaining about how much we hate Sandy wouldn't it be more worthwhile to spend time finding ways to make downtown SLC more viable, and more attractive? I think approaching local leaders with ideas on how to improve the city would garner far more attention to a cause, and more importantly I think there could be some actual results.

People are trying to make Salt Lake more attractive, as evident via City Creek Center, but much of these efforts are caused by or thwarted by big projects that suck the life out of downtown. When we have bullish, sel-aggrandizing people like Mayor Tom Dolan who have no unified vision of others and them, the whole could lose out. If you didn't check out the illustration, please do. You are right, though, that if people could see for themselves how attractive it is to live or be in or near downtown (like San Diego, Portland, Seattle, Denver, Boston, etc.) people might see that it is not scary, etc. but very attractive and convenient.

[Future Mayor]

Two things.

The proscenium is a grand vision of what a developer would like to build in Sandy. The reality of it is that there is no demand for 3 - 30 story buildings to be built in Sandy. If there is no demand, and with no demand they will get no pre-lease agreements, and with no pre-lease agreements NOBODY will fund such a project. Very few developers can simply build exactly what they want because they don't have deep enough pockets to sustain the empty building after it is built, let alone build it without outside funding sources.

Two. Mayors are in office to improve their cities, that can mean many different things. Tom Dolan feels that he is improving his city by attempting to make it a larger center of business in the valley and the state. Sandy has financial needs that need to be paid for through taxes and without raising taxes they need to find other sources of tax revenue. Increasing the amount of commercial, retail and residential space in the city does just that, it creates a larger tax base. While I don't like Tom Dolan and many of his practices, he is simply doing what Mayors are elected to do, improve the city the represent.

Again back to the first point. There is no demand for the Proscenium thus it won't get funded.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by wrendog

Honestly, I don't see the Proscenium ruining downtown. I see the opposite. Downtown will be the downfall of the proscenium.

See, that would make more sense.

[urbanboy]

Originally Posted by wrendog

Honestly, I don't see the Proscenium ruining downtown. I see the opposite. Downtown will be the downfall of the proscenium.

This statement could foster a hate for downtown in the minds of some. Careful, we don't need any more Tom Dollans.

[urbanboy]

S.L. City Council favors reducing downtown speed limits

http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705261200,00.html

[delts145]

Council to hear public comment on downtown transportation plan

Video Link - http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=4725568

Last Night,

(KSL News) The Salt Lake City Council tonight will hear from the public on its master plan for transportation. It's a plan council members have worked for a couple of years.

This is a 20-year master plan that will steer the development of transportation in the core area downtown. It's called "Downtown in Motion."

The idea is to come up with the right blend of transportation to meet the changing needs of the community. For example, TRAX expansion is already happening, but residential growth in downtown will drive future decisions.

When people move downtown they say they want more pedestrian walkways and bike lanes. The city is already experimenting with this shared lane for bikes and cars. We'll likely see more in the near future.

The city council will also likely move up the development of streetcars. The mayor and community business leaders saw the great success of streetcars in Seattle and Portland on a recent trip to those cities, so they'll explore that option and get it rolling soon rather than wait several years.

The public hearing starts at seven, and the council could adopt "Downtown in Motion" tonight or do that at another time.

[Northernlad]

Originally Posted by urbanboy

S.L. City Council favors reducing downtown speed limits

http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705261200,00.html

Amen to that! This is Salt Lake, so if the speed limit is 20 than people are going to drive 30 or more We are a little heavy on the gas pedal around here.
This is warranted to help protect pedestrians trying to cross streets.

[NYC Rick]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

NYC Rick, You usually provide very nice insight into many subject on here, but other times you are just such a complete pessimist, looking to shot other peoples opinions and hopes down. So what if he modeled a new Marriott and placed it in that image!

I thought that Google did not allow the placement of buildings, large or small, which have not broken ground to be modeled on their site. I read it was for reality. Hey, I guess I was wrong.

I was not talking about the quality of the building models. They are all first rate.

I do not care if people model what SLC's downtown would be like in 2030. I love that kind of creativity.

I am not looking to shoot down anyone's hopes and vision. Lighten up

[urbanboy]

Originally Posted by delts145

Council to hear public comment on downtown transportation plan

Video Link - http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=4725568

Last Night,

(KSL News) The Salt Lake City Council tonight will hear from the public on its master plan for transportation. It's a plan council members have worked for a couple of years.

This is a 20-year master plan that will steer the development of transportation in the core area downtown. It's called "Downtown in Motion."

The idea is to come up with the right blend of transportation to meet the changing needs of the community. For example, TRAX expansion is already happening, but residential growth in downtown will drive future decisions.

When people move downtown they say they want more pedestrian walkways and bike lanes. The city is already experimenting with this shared lane for bikes and cars. We'll likely see more in the near future.

The city council will also likely move up the development of streetcars. The mayor and community business leaders saw the great success of streetcars in Seattle and Portland on a recent trip to those cities, so they'll explore that option and get it rolling soon rather than wait several years.

The public hearing starts at seven, and the council could adopt "Downtown in Motion" tonight or do that at another time.

Why had no one heard about this until now? I would have gone! If they really want public input, they should advertise it more.

[NYC Rick]

Originally Posted by Orlando

People are trying to make Salt Lake more attractive, as evident via City Creek Center, but much of these efforts are caused by or thwarted by big projects that suck the life out of downtown. When we have bullish, sel-aggrandizing people like Mayor Tom Dolan who have no unified vision of others and them, the whole could lose out. If you didn't check out the illustration, please do. You are right, though, that if people could see for themselves how attractive it is to live or be in or near downtown (like San Diego, Portland, Seattle, Denver, Boston, etc.) people might see that it is not scary, etc. but very attractive and convenient.

Sandy in its most advanced state could never be downtown SLC. Not only that, I am sure that they do not want to. They want to be what St. Paul is to Minneapolis (in a minor way).

SLC is so far ahead in infrastructure and historic value. It is proven over and over that core historic value represents a whole region. I am damn sure that whatever goes down in Sandy, if it is designed with taste and purpose, will enhance the entire region. Yet, SLC is the core and every other region is a satellite. That will not change.

[arkhitektor]

Originally Posted by urbanboy

S.L. City Council favors reducing downtown speed limits

http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,705261200,00.html

Maybe I'm just a bad driver, but honestly I don't pay attention to the posted speed limits in an area like downtown, I just drive at what feels like a reasonable speed for the road. I couldn't tell you the current posted speed limit on State St. or Main St. or any other street. On a street like Main Street or 300 S., I drive slowly because the road is narrow and there are wide sidewalks and medians. On streets like 300 W. or State Street I drive fast because the road is 6 lanes wide and is built like an expressway.

Basically, it seems that they could do more to influence speeds and pedestrian comfort by changing the streetscape than reducing the posted speed limit. Just because the speed limit is lower on State St., I'm not going to feel any better while walking along its narrow sidewalk or trying to cross it on foot than I do now.