Salt Lake:Official development news thread - Part 2

[SLC Projects]

Odd Fellows Hall relocation in limbo, again
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=6928079

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Odd Fellows building was set to be sitting in a new location Wednesday, but all work has now come to a halt; not because there's something wrong with the building, but because a subcontractor and his team walked off the job.
This iconic Salt Lake building was supposed to be sitting between the Melting Pot and the New Yorker this week. Instead, Odd Fellows Hall is stuck in limbo, about 11 feet in the air.
In fact, the lead construction company on the project, Layton Construction, says the building's essentially been "hijacked."
The company says their subcontractor, Emmert International, an Oregon-based company, walked off the project demanding more money to move the building.
Layton Construction officials say they have already paid Emmert International in full for work to get the building up and moved across Market Street.
Alan Rindlisbacher, with Layton Construction Company, said "The building is staged to move across Market Street, and that's when they chose to conveniently walk away and posture for the additional dollars, knowing they're holding us hostage."
Rindlisbacher says the project is being held hostage because all of Emmert International's equipment has been left behind and essentially in use.
All the risers underneath the building belong to Emmert, but the workers are all back in Oregon. So the building sits where it is until most likely attorneys get involved.
We did not get a chance to speak with anyone from Emmert International, but the company did e-mail us a statement from company President Terry Emmert. It says: "In the appropriate forum, at the appropriate time, the morality and legality of Layton's conduct will be decided. My only further comment to the information being reported in the news media is that my employees and I disagree with many of the factual assertions that are being reported as having come from Layton's employees."
So, Odd Fellows Hall won't move again until the two sides can hammer out a deal.


So at this point how much more is it going to cost to try to save an old building? When do we draw the line when it comes with cost? When is it not worth it anymore? At this point it would just be easier and cheaper to just tear the building down? I'm starting to see less of the worth of trouble to even move this building. Not since at this point nobody really owns it and we don't even know who wants to buy it or what to do with it. I don't know there's a part of me that wants to see this building get saved and moved across the street already, but another part of me is asking is it even worth it anymore.
What a pain in the 🞵🞵🞵 this whole building moving has turn out to be.

[urbanboy]

I say save the building! The federal government is paying for this, and since it was their decision, it makes sense they keep their part of the compromise and follow through with it. If the money is not being spent here, it will probably just be spent in the middle east. I say hold their feet to the fire and get this building to it's new home, next to the New York building. Furthermore, I hope they've learned an important lesson: to involve the community in deciding a location for a courthouse or other government buildings, just like Salt Lake City is doing with it's search for a police headquarters sight.

[Zionide]

Not to mention, they've already spent SO much money and time; how stupid would it be to demolish it after all that, when it's SO close to being done? It would've been a waste to demolish the building from the beginning, but it's 10x more waste to demolish it now.

Originally Posted by urbanboy

I say save the building! The federal government is paying for this, and since it was their decision, it makes sense they keep their part of the compromise and follow through with it. If the money is not being spent here, it will probably just be spent in the middle east. I say hold their feet to the fire and get this building to it's new home, next to the New York building. Furthermore, I hope they've learned an important lesson: to involve the community in deciding a location for a courthouse or other government buildings, just like Salt Lake City is doing with it's search for a police headquarters sight.

[delts145]

Odd Fellows move stalls again

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705312637/Odd-Fellows-move-stalls-again.html

...While Layton Construction officials insist Emmert has been paid in full — and even owes Layton money — Emmert officials in Clackamas, Ore., disagree.

"In spite of all of the obstacles put in Emmert's path that have threatened the completion of this historic project, my company has proven that it can successfully move the historical Odd Fellows Building," President Terry W. Emmert said in a statement. "My company stands ready to complete the move as soon as Layton fulfills its contractual obligations."...

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[delts145]

Big hotel serving Salt Palace urged


Visitors » Leaders huddle over county's possible role.

By Jeremiah Stettler
The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah's capital lost thousands of mathematicians, genetics experts and materials researchers who would have attended Salt Palace conventions this year had it been for one thing: a place to stay.

Hoping to change that, elected leaders, tourism officials and community representatives huddled Wednesday to consider whether Salt Lake County should build a convention-headquarters hotel.

In coming weeks, this advisory board will weigh not only whether public dollars should prop up a private hotel but whether the county should even try to compete with larger convention venues.

Backers argue an 800- to 1,200-room hotel within easy walking distance of the Salt Palace would help capture conventions that, because of inadequate lodging, have passed by the Beehive State.

Scott Beck, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau, said a headquarters hotel is likely the next evolution in the capital's convention industry. To make his point, Beck noted that Salt Lake City lost more than 13,000 delegates this year from the American Mathematical Society, American Society of Human Genetics and Materials Research Society.

In 2008, the visitors bureau reported, the valley lost more than 232,000 visitors to locations with more bed space.

The Salt Palace now offers convention planners about 18,000 rooms along the Wasatch Front. But it lacks an adjacent full-service hotel to complement that space with meeting halls, fine dining and after-conference fitness areas.

Some hoteliers see increased convention traffic buoying their business as well.

"It is worth looking at," said Mark Mundel, general manager of the downtown Red Lion Hotel and president of the Salt Lake Valley Lodging Association. "If you can raise the tide of convention business in our city, everybody will gain."

But, for now, the advisory board has more questions than answers. The group plans to meet again in early July.

"Everyone may not agree," said committee member and former Judge Raymond Uno, who watched his nearby Japantown nearly wiped out by Salt Palace expansions. "But at least the community knows what is going on and has input in it."

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[DMTower]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

Odd Fellows Hall relocation in limbo, again
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=6928079

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Odd Fellows building was set to be sitting in a new location Wednesday, but all work has now come to a halt; not because there's something wrong with the building, but because a subcontractor and his team walked off the job.
This iconic Salt Lake building was supposed to be sitting between the Melting Pot and the New Yorker this week. Instead, Odd Fellows Hall is stuck in limbo, about 11 feet in the air.
In fact, the lead construction company on the project, Layton Construction, says the building's essentially been "hijacked."
The company says their subcontractor, Emmert International, an Oregon-based company, walked off the project demanding more money to move the building.
Layton Construction officials say they have already paid Emmert International in full for work to get the building up and moved across Market Street.
Alan Rindlisbacher, with Layton Construction Company, said "The building is staged to move across Market Street, and that's when they chose to conveniently walk away and posture for the additional dollars, knowing they're holding us hostage."
Rindlisbacher says the project is being held hostage because all of Emmert International's equipment has been left behind and essentially in use.
All the risers underneath the building belong to Emmert, but the workers are all back in Oregon. So the building sits where it is until most likely attorneys get involved.
We did not get a chance to speak with anyone from Emmert International, but the company did e-mail us a statement from company President Terry Emmert. It says: "In the appropriate forum, at the appropriate time, the morality and legality of Layton's conduct will be decided. My only further comment to the information being reported in the news media is that my employees and I disagree with many of the factual assertions that are being reported as having come from Layton's employees."
So, Odd Fellows Hall won't move again until the two sides can hammer out a deal.


So at this point how much more is it going to cost to try to save an old building? When do we draw the line when it comes with cost? When is it not worth it anymore? At this point it would just be easier and cheaper to just tear the building down? I'm starting to see less of the worth of trouble to even move this building. Not since at this point nobody really owns it and we don't even know who wants to buy it or what to do with it. I don't know there's a part of me that wants to see this building get saved and moved across the street already, but another part of me is asking is it even worth it anymore.
What a pain in the 🞵🞵🞵 this whole building moving has turn out to be.

I don't see why it's such a pain in the 🞵🞵🞵 to you... you're not the one moving it. If the federal government is willing to pay for it, I say let them. They're destroying enough of our limited street vibe with their god awful cube. The least they can do is foot the bill to save Oddfellows.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by DMTower

I don't see why it's such a pain in the 🞵🞵🞵 to you... you're not the one moving it. If the federal government is willing to pay for it, I say let them. They're destroying enough of our limited street vibe with their god awful cube. The least they can do is foot the bill to save Oddfellows.

And I don't see way every time I post a comment you feel you have to turn it around and make it "personal". You don't need to be a smart 🞵🞵🞵 since it's clear your still bitter over alot of issues. But when I said it was a "Pain in the 🞵🞵🞵" I was talking on behalf of alot of people who just want to see this building get moved already. No 🞵🞵🞵🞵 I'm not the one out there moving it. How many times has the move come to a stop? This is like the 3rd time now. So many delays. This building should of been in it's new home by now. In fact I believe the building move should of been finish last summer, but now we are a year behind. Today it still stands at only a few feet away from where it started. I'm just saying that with this move there seem to be a lot of drama to it.

[Wasatch_One]

Haha... now now everyone. Lets keep the personal attacks to a minimum (especially when I'm not participating... )

[Justnslcsugarhood.]

Sam Weller died!

http://www.sltrib.com/arts/ci_12679556

[John Martin]

Ugh, this really is kind of annoying. I'd like to see Emmert held responsible, but I don't want to waste all this time in court while this building is in the way of new construction. I wish they'd just find some workers to move the building already... if it crumbles into a pile of bricks, just clean it up and move on.

[WeST]

Originally Posted by DMTower

I don't see why it's such a pain in the 🞵🞵🞵 to you... you're not the one moving it. If the federal government is willing to pay for it, I say let them. They're destroying enough of our limited street vibe with their god awful cube. The least they can do is foot the bill to save Oddfellows.

The federal government isn't some independent entity that exists in a vacuum. It is the taxpayers/citizens (unfortunately not always the same) representatives and employees who are running this show. When delays happen like this I appreciate people caring about the mismanagement. Poor governance costs everyone (who pays taxes). The federal government could improve its methods for dealing with the public, which might lead to better outcomes.

[DMTower]

^^^ Yes it costs money, and has already cost a lot of money. The answer isn't to say go ahead and rip it down... that would be a real waste. Compared to the money thrown away by our government on a daily basis the Oddfellows Hall move is a drop in the bucket. When the feds make a promise it isn't being wasteful to ask them to keep it.

[Sight-Seer]

Saying the building has been "hijacked" strikes me as very funny. This is one building you really could hijack.

[shakman]

With my experience working on Federal Projects, these delays do not surprise me one bit. It is unfortunate since I would like to see this building moved and put back to use.

[delts145]

Salt Lake City Landmarks


sudweeks


Todd Keith

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[skierforlife17]

That looks like the sunset last night! Is that what its from? Nice photos

[delts145]

Incredible sunsets are pretty common in Salt Lake Valley, at least much more so than anywhere else I've lived. This seems especially true over the Great Salt Lake. Does someone have an official explanation for that?

[delts145]

Utah Ranked No. 1 for Expected Econonmic Recovery

The American Legislative Exchange Council

A new report produced by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) said Utah has the best economic outlook of any U.S. State. The report shows that those states which were eager to increase spending during the good times and have a high tax burden, are now suffering the most and those that controlled their budget are now in the best position to come out of the downturn first.

While Utah came at the top of the list, New York earned the dubious distinction of having the worst economic outlook. Maybe this has something to do with the 137 proposed tax increases currently being considered.

TOP FIVE STATES
1. Utah
2. Colorado
3. Arizona
4. Virginia
5. South Dakota

BOTTOM FIVE STATES
46. New Jersey
47. Maine
48. Rhode Island
49. Vermont
50. New York

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[MetroFanatic]

Originally Posted by delts145

Incredible sunsets are pretty common in Salt Lake Valley, at least much more so than anywhere else I've lived. This seems especially true over the Great Salt Lake. Does someone have an official explanation for that?

Pollution.

[Sight-Seer]

Another business is moving away from the Target site. Yesco has moved over west of Bangerter.