Salt Lake:Official development news thread - Part 2

[cololi]

Originally Posted by SLCdave

There will be an office building built on the site in the next couple of years.
It is in design now. It will occupy the entire parking lot and will be 6 Stories high.
Disappointing we won't be seeing the Twins that were previously planned. The building is already leased out by a company. They will be moving from another building Downtown. It will have ground floor retail and some restaurants.

There is a new building being proposed, but it will not occupy the entire parking lot. The existing parking lot was recently split. The proposed building is being located next to the Brighton Bank building and will extend south to about the location of the parking lot entrance on State.

[arkhitektor]

Originally Posted by Dallas Snob

Yeah, I agree. reclad the stairwell. I really like th COB for the most part. Primarily because it is extermely reminiscent of the World Trade Centers. Although different material, each had the thin narrow vertical windows and cladding. When I see the COB, it makes me nastolgic for the WTC. (height being the primary exception of course.)

I hope that the COB is next in line for some work once CCC wraps up, but I hope that it isn't re-clad entirely. I'm sick of buildings being re-clad just because their look isn't in vogue anymore. It reminds me of all of the historic buildings in the city whose "dated" facades were covered with something "more modern" in the 40's to the 60's and now they all look terrible. The problem is that 50 years from now, we won't be able to just take down the facade of the COB and restore it. Just let the building be what it is. Modernize anything on the inside that needs updating and re-do the north stairwell to match the south side and quit there.

It's really not that ugly a building:

[SLCdave]

Originally Posted by cololi

There is a new building being proposed, but it will not occupy the entire parking lot. The existing parking lot was recently split. The proposed building is being located next to the Brighton Bank building and will extend south to about the location of the parking lot entrance on State.

This is not the same building it will but up to the south wall of the building you are referring too.

[NYC Rick]

Please point out some of the aspects that give it some artistic and creative value.

I am talking about how it is perceived when you or anyone else looks at it.

I have nothing against the building but it looks tired.

[John Martin]

I would just like to see the off-white material replaced with something else. The white quartzish stuff looks old and dirty in several places. If they replaced it with metal it could be a really snazzy building. Maybe granite, to tie into the old COB/admin, temple, and other buildings on temple square. I think anything gray would be alright. The columns on the base could stand to be redone, and the globes should definitely be modernized, if those wings aren't totally re-worked.

[arkhitektor]

How is it tired looking? Tastes may have changed, but the building doesn't look much different today from the way it did the day that is was finished.

I'm not saying that new buildings should be made to look like they were constructed in the 1970's, but let's just let old building look old. Architecture, especially in an urban environment is a huge part of what makes the world what it is. Existing buildings shouldn't be subject to complete revision every twenty years as tastes change.

The whole building was extensively cleaned on the exterior a few years ago and it looks much better now. Why should the globe reliefs be replaced?

[NYC Rick]

Originally Posted by arkhitektor

How is it tired looking? Tastes may have changed, but the building doesn't look much different today from the way it did the day that is was finished.

I'm not saying that new buildings should be made to look like they were constructed in the 1970's, but let's just let old building look old. Architecture, especially in an urban environment is a huge part of what makes the world what it is. Existing buildings shouldn't be subject to complete revision every twenty years as tastes change.

The whole building was extensively cleaned on the exterior a few years ago and it looks much better now. Why should the globe reliefs be replaced?

This may be because, I see it in person maybe once or twice a year.

The windows are undefined and the entire exterior is basically like a closed up block of stone...dirty stone at that.

Windows are crucial in all high rise designs that I see, every day, out here.

The LDS office building has nothing that is inviting.

Look, I know that this is my opinion and that others could definitely see it in another way.

[John Martin]

Originally Posted by arkhitektor

The whole building was extensively cleaned on the exterior a few years ago and it looks much better now. Why should the globe reliefs be replaced?

I didn't say replaced, I said modernized. The current ones are pretty poorly lit, and the lighting around the edges is visibly coming out of place in several spots. We have better lighting technology today, so it makes sense to improve them.

[UTPlanner]

I could definitely see why an individual would think that the COB looks dated or tired but personally I enjoy it. I really like the globe relief in the building. I remember looking at that as a kid and wondering how in the world could they put a globe on a building. (Obviously I wasn't the brightest kid.) haha

I think one difficult element that they are working with is creating a building that functions as an office building but also functions as a religious building as well. I know they aren't have sacrament meeting there but it is definitely representative of the religion as a whole. I think the architect had to toe a line of sorts when designing the building.

Just my two cents.

[T-Mac]

My opinion: Keep it the way it is. I wouldn't even change the north side stairwell. Is it ugly, I think so, but that is the way it was designed by the architect at the time. I don't mind the building overall. It's not my favorite, but I have to agree with ark on this one that it wouldn't be wise to change it because tastes have changed. We could also say that we need to change the facade on the Deseret Building because it is old and outdated. If we go down that road, we start changing things and I feel lose the personality of the city. If we are going to discuss changing buildings, I would say tear down the Garff buidling on the southeast corner of 400 South and Main and also the current Salt Lake Public Works building that is falling apart. I don't care for that type of architecture and cannot stand the look of these buildings; however, I would never want that to happen, because these buildings are part of our city. Keep them up and well maintained and they all fit to make a city great. Anyway, just my thoughts on the matter.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by SLCdave

There will be an office building built on the site in the next couple of years.
It is in design now. It will occupy the entire parking lot and will be 6 Stories high.
Disappointing we won't be seeing the Twins that were previously planned. The building is already leased out by a company. They will be moving from another building Downtown. It will have ground floor retail and some restaurants.

God I swear it's like Developers are scared to built anything taller then 10-stories in downtown SLC. Only a 6-story building of what could of been two 30+ story towers.
That's lame.
Enough of these cheap ass 6-story buildings.
It seems like the only developers with balls are 1. The LDS Church and 2. HP. That's about it. The rest of these developers are just cheep.
Thanks anyway for the update, but with disappointing news like this I makes me wonder sometime if Salt Lake will ever get a tower over 430 ft.

[Orlando]

Originally Posted by SLCdave

This is not the same building it will but up to the south wall of the building you are referring too.

So, there are two office buildings of about 6 stories each to fill that parking lot?? and both are under design right now?? any renderings??

[joscar]

Originally Posted by John Martin

I would just like to see the off-white material replaced with something else. The white quartzish stuff looks old and dirty in several places. If they replaced it with metal it could be a really snazzy building. Maybe granite, to tie into the old COB/admin, temple, and other buildings on temple square. I think anything gray would be alright. The columns on the base could stand to be redone, and the globes should definitely be modernized, if those wings aren't totally re-worked.

Agreed, the COB looks tired. I really think that once the CCC is finished all of Temple Square could use a face-lift. The restoration of the Tabernacle a few years back was great, and while the actual Temple, the Conference Center and new Church History Library are all nice, I feel several other things need some TLC.

My first thought is the landscaping. I don't think there is a consistent landscaping theme for the Church's property. For example here are four different styles of wall which surround the flower beds or foundations on the property -

and how ugly is this -

I wish that they would take the landscaping theme from the Main Street Plaza and carry it out into the rest of the property.

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The entrances into the underground parking are ugly too, I don't have a good picture of them, but here is one as seen on Bing Maps -

They are covered with that same pebble finish as the fountain shown above.

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I would also love something different to be done with this wall, take it out maybe?

Here it is again, in an earlier post from Sourire -

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Both the North and South Visitors Centers are looking old and worn out too! I don't think the North Visitors Center looks much more inviting than the COB -

North Visitors Center


South Visitors Center

In my opinion both need to be replaced or majorly updated. I know there isn't much room for bigger centers, without removing more gardens, so maybe something like the new underground US Capitol Visitor Center would work (as the CVC turned out really nice) -

CVC - Wikipedia


CVC - Wikipedia

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And lastly I would love to see something more happen with the block west of the Temple (Maybe get rid of the Plaza Hotel, and some of those parking lots). It is my guess that one day this will happen; I think the parking lots on this block are next to be replaced, when the Church builds it's next building around Temple Square.

Bing Maps

Anyways those are just my thoughts and ideas, I am sure most don't share them. The City Creek Center is just turning out so beautiful I feel Temple Square needs some work to keep up! And don't think I am bashing the Church or Temple Square, I really do think it is beautiful as it is, just some improvements could help!

Oh, and maybe some of Temple Square's lost treasures can influence future buildings -

Old Administration Building


Old Temple Annex

[TonyAnderson]

It seems a bit odd to make the effort, and cost, to build downtown, and then make it a mere 6 stories. I just don't see that in other cities. Those are infill projects for neighborhoods.

I suppose it's better than nothing, especially considering they will have bottom-level retail.

[John Martin]

I agree with pretty much everything you said, joscar. For perfectionists like me, it's easy to point out all those things and want them to be fixed. But there will always be many who say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" That's probably a good thing... if I was in charge of their finances, they'd be broke.

Temple Square is certainly has an interesting variety of buildings. On the one hand I would like to see many of them remodeled, added onto, or replaced, but on the other, if anything major were done in one big swoop, my guess is it would all look dated and ugly in 30 years, given the church's history with architecture. My least favorite building has to be the northwest visitor's center, because of the way it look from outside of Temple Square. It's plain, uninviting, has those silly looking vents, and clashes with the adobe wall around Temple Square (if you ask me ).

I think that ugly brown fountain on the east side might be replaced soon. Today the stairs to State Street were blocked off and the sidewalk was all torn up.

[cololi]

Originally Posted by SLCdave

This is not the same building it will but up to the south wall of the building you are referring too.

Seeing as there is a drive aisle south of the building I was referring to, the building you are saying could not be up against the south wall. In addition, that surface parking lot has parking entitlements for the City Center building to the tune of 250 stalls. So unless they are building 250 additional stalls, including the several hundred stalls that would be required for a 6 story building occupying about 3 acres of land, I just cannot imagine a 6 story building penciling. It would cost probably about 7-8 million dollars to build a parking structure for 250 cars.

In addition, corner properties have a minimum height limit of 100 feet. They can build less than 100 feet with a conditional use, but one has not been submitted to the City. A six story building would have to have an average of 16 foot ceilings. That is abnormal for most uses above the ground floor. And very expensive to build.

I've heard similar outlandish proposals form Wasatch Properties before. And it would not surprise me if they are designing building without even considering the local zoning regs (they have before, and are also doing so on the building i referred to). Not saying it isn't true, but just explaining why I am skeptical of this project.

[wrendog]

Wait, is this property that is to house the 6 story building the Wasatch Partners property that has been rumored to get a couple BIG towers? If it is, that really blows. From hope of some cool new towers to a 6 story snoozer is a real let down.

[urbanboy]

I believe this is where the new 6 story building for Qwest will be located (and there's only one building):

[i-215]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

I swear it's like Developers are scared to build anything taller then 10-stories in downtown SLC.

It's because skyscrapers represent "man conquering nature." And that seems to be out of vogue right now. People don't want to dynamite canyons to build 75 mile-per-hour freeways anymore. They don't build dams or magnificent bridges.

Part of it is ecological. Part of it is financial. Part of it is just because the hippies haven't retired yet. Their "vogue" is to "repent from the sins of the Great Depression generation" (who are guilty of the terrible crime of building America's infrastructure).

I'd argue the skyscraper era is on standby, along with other symbols of human dominance. Today it's all about small, human-scale stuff (3-6 stories) ... and I'd argue that it's because of this current vogue.

[Orlando]

C'mon, this is not even close to being about syscrapers being out of vogue or man vs. nature. This is entirely about economics. If Wasatch Properties had the demand and financial ability, they would build highrises there. They have developed highrises in Bellevue, and they are very pro-downtown. I think it's great that we are getting buildings on that parking lot. It would be a real shame if they were only 2-3 stories. However, 6 stories with retail at street level is still decent infill. There are plenty of spots in downtown that could have highrises. I think that corner will look great with it filled in, and if the design is good.

Regarding the skyscraper being out of vogue, the Burj Dubai(Khalifa) is evidence that that is not the case. Due to the recent economic downturn, many highrises across the country are being scrapped. Here in Portland, two have recently finished and are mostly vacant. One 30 plus highrise began construction and has been stopped for over a year now, due to the difficulty in obtaining finances for the project. At least two of the three new highrises in the southwaterfront are mostly vacant, also. This is all due to the overspeculation that happened prior to the bust of the real-estate boom.