Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 3

[gemery]

So, yes, I moved to Madison, but I just couldn't keep away. I tried to read through approximately what has happened since I stopped following the forum ... wow, a lot.

Anyway, out here, I have started (for the first time) riding my bike to work, 1 hr each way, most of which is on separate bike paths. Anyway, that makes me uber-excited about the Jordan River trail progress. I feel like a lot more people would bike to work if there were separate trails, as opposed to bike lanes. Yes, I know the JRTrail will help, as will the SugarHouse project (is that still on?), so I look forward to seeing that.

Also, not too impressed with the three architects for the UPAC.

Finally, has anyone heard more details about the Trib Building renovation that UTPlanner announced?

[Orlando]

Thanks Delts. The LaPorte project could definitely improve if they would try much harder at trying to articulate their fake neo-traditional building with a base and much better articulation and detail.

However, though, there is some credit for color and and the stone at the base of Gateway 6, I cringe at seeing this fake neo-traditional stuff. Why don't they make buildings for what they are, instead of trying to pretend it's from the late 1800's or whatever?! The windows have very little depth and little to no articulation. They are standard flat aluminum windows. There is little to no depth change from the top floor of this building to the bottom of this building. The facade is flat!!

[delts145]

Most on this forum are devoted fans of the many historical facade styles. Contrary to what some believe, it is possible to articulate these styles in a manner that is true to their accurate fashion. The State Capitol is an excellent example, as it's main structure underwent numerous stone replacements, even throughout it's most crafted exterior detailing. The same was true for City Hall.

However Orlando, along with you and many on this forum, I would definitely agree that the neo-traditional resurgence seen in today's redevelopment environment is often an anemic copy at best. Some of your points, such as the facades being too one-dimensional are particularly spot on. I almost would wish that if a traditional style is to be the choice, that certain rules of articulation are agreed upon before the developer is allowed approval of the project. I'm not talking debilitating massing rules here, just a few superficial steps, such as what one might see with materials and their articulation. Park City's Main Street comes to mind. It took Park City a couple of decades and a few mistakes to get it right, but they do now have an excellent set of covenants to abide by when dealing with materials and their articulation.

While I do like the Gateway Six Project, I agree 100% it would be an improvement to have given the facade more texture/varied depths. For example, certain areas like the windowsills could definitely use more prominence. Bringing the depth of the stone base out a little more, would also help.

I think most of us would agree on these same few, simple points. Now we just need to find a way to help those who are developing the projects to have the same vision.

Before anyone points out the expected 'would cost more analysis' please someone with an actual hands-on knowledge, give us a breakdown of a particular element. Perhaps, the cost per flat-to-brick, stone windowsill vs. a windowsill that stands out from the brick treatment.

If someone such as UtahPlanner or FutureMayor has the contact/e-mail for the La Porte project handy, please share that again with us. Let's write a few brief, very polite suggestions to the developer regarding the north mid-rise apt. building, also making sure to thank them for the many positive points of that project.

[Tymtw12]

Originally Posted by UTPlanner

I do have some good news to share though it is extremely vague. The Tribune Building will undergo a multi-million dollar renovation. They are supposed to take out permits this week so it should clarify things at that point. It will have a residential component and it will have another component but I'm not quite sure what it is. I have heard a few things but they were all so vague that I won't even mention them. Whatever it turns out to be; it's good news to me.

Last I heard, a for-profit university was going to move their campus downtown to the Tribune building. The residential portion would obviously be for student housing.

[Lilljemalm]

Originally Posted by delts145

Most on this forum are devoted fans of the many historical facade styles. Contrary to what some believe, it is possible to articulate these styles in a manner that is true to their accurate fashion. The State Capitol is an excellent example, as it's main structure underwent numerous stone replacements, even throughout it's most crafted exterior detailing. The same was true for City Hall.

However Orlando, along with you and many on this forum, I would definitely agree that the neo-traditional resurgence seen in today's redevelopment environment is often an anemic copy at best. Some of your points, such as the facades being too one-dimensional are particularly spot on. I almost would wish that if a traditional style is to be the choice, that certain rules of articulation are agreed upon before the developer is allowed approval of the project. I'm not talking debilitating massing rules here, just a few superficial steps, such as what one might see with materials and their articulation. Park City's Main Street comes to mind. It took Park City a couple of decades and a few mistakes to get it right, but they do now have an excellent set of covenants to abide by when dealing with materials and their articulation.

While I do like the Gateway Six Project, I agree 100% it would be an improvement to have given the facade more texture/varied depths. For example, certain areas like the windowsills could definitely use more prominence. Bringing the depth of the stone base out a little more, would also help.

I think most of us would agree on these same few, simple points. Now we just need to find a way to help those who are developing the projects to have the same vision.

Before anyone points out the expected 'would cost more analysis' please someone with an actual hands-on knowledge, give us a breakdown of a particular element. Perhaps, the cost per flat-to-brick, stone windowsill vs. a windowsill that stands out from the brick treatment.

If someone such as UtahPlanner or FutureMayor has the contact/e-mail for the La Porte project handy, please share that again with us. Let's write a few brief, very polite suggestions to the developer regarding the north mid-rise apt. building, also making sure to thank them for the many positive points of that project.

Bravo. Well said.

[TimeSaltlake]

Wait wait wait!!!!! So i heard something at the fire station. One of the guys said that the eagle gate tower was now the salt lake city world trade center. Is this accurate???

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by TimeSaltlake

Wait wait wait!!!!! So i heard something at the fire station. One of the guys said that the eagle gate tower was now the salt lake city world trade center. Is this accurate???

Yes.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by TimeSaltlake

Wait wait wait!!!!! So i heard something at the fire station. One of the guys said that the eagle gate tower was now the salt lake city world trade center. Is this accurate???

As of a few weeks ago, yes.

[delts145]

I remember hearing they were going to install a large sculpture/bronze of a globe out in front. Is that still the case, and does anyone know when that will happen?

[DCRes]

Originally Posted by Tymtw12

Last I heard, a for-profit university was going to move their campus downtown to the Tribune building. The residential portion would obviously be for student housing.

Where did you hear this, and does it have any validity? I can't think of any university big enough to have student housing that would move. Maybe a Utah State SLC Extension?

[UTPlanner]

His claim does have validity. The group that is remodeling the building has applied for a change of use from office to education facility and housing. If it was SLCC or the U or any other state school they would not get building permits as they are exempt. It is probably a for-profit school such as Eagle Gate College or Broadview University.

[DCRes]

Eagle Gate College is in the Ken Garff building right now, maybe they are out growing that space.

[Future Mayor]

Originally Posted by DCRes

Eagle Gate College is in the Ken Garff building right now, maybe they are out growing that space.

Do we know how much space Eagle Gate occupies at the Ken Garff Building? The only reason I ask, is that besides the first few floors, the Tribune building actually has a pretty small floor plate. I don't see them able to put to much class room space and residential units in there.

I would honestly like to see something like "The Art Institute" move to the Tribune building rather than Eagle Gate College. I think downtown would be a much better location for cultivating art rather than the suburban Draper location.

Can you tell us any additional details on who UTPlanner?

[UTPlanner]

I can't really tell you a lot more because the owner of the building took out the permit and not the group that is planning on leasing it from him. If I hear anything, I will let people know.

[DCRes]

Thanks for being our "inside source", UTPlanner!

[delts145]

Just a few thoughts I've had lately regarding SLC and some of the most recent attention. I noticed last night that the final round of auditions for the popular "So You Think You Can Dance" series was shot in Salt Lake City, so I recorded it. I've only had a chance to watch the beginning, but needless to say the praise and publicity for Salt Lake is in major force. Also, the current weekly series "Breaking Pointe" is doing a great job at giving Salt Lake many kudos. Anyway, with the much hyped advent of TNT's updated Dallas premiere last night, I was reminded of the huge publicity that Dallas and also Dynasty(for Denver) showered on their respective cities. Neither Dallas or Denver could ever have afforded the advertising, which these two top-rated series of the 80's gave their locals.

So now, with the advent of a major and very prolific Hollywood motion picture studio building a first class facility in Park City, I'm hoping that some of the productions will be based on the locale of Park City itself. A popular weekly series alla One Tree Hill/Dawson's Creek, centered around teens, metro locations, the glam of the ski industry, Sundance, etc. would be a huge boon for the Wasatch Front.

Anyway, just a thought...

[gemery]

I never really got into those shows, but it sounds plausible. I like it; can I play the handsome, charismatic star?

I heard that Utah is really a big drawing location for films lately because of favorable taxation laws. I know that Doctor Who (the BBC children's sci-fi comedy) has filmed only a few episodes in the United States, but I believe all of them were in Utah. It was Southern Utah, so not SLC, but perhaps SLC could draw something that didn't want such an other-wordly/wild west feel.

[Comrade]

Utah, and Salt Lake City, was a bigger film draw in the 1980s and 90s, especially for major blockbusters. I've noticed, though, that most the movies filmed here are either Disney made-for-TV stuff or really low budget movies no one will ever watch anyway.

I'm not sure what's changed the past decade or so that's led to less bigger movies being filmed here, but you can definitely tell they've tapered off a great deal since the late-90s, early-00s.

A good website to keep track of films shot in Salt Lake and Utah is IMDb, which keeps an updated list of filming locations for thousands of movies.

http://www.imdb.com/search/title?locatio...%20Utah,%20USA&sort=release_date_us,desc

You can click on each movie and read about 'em.

There are still some bigger movies filmed in Salt Lake, though. It appears The Counselor, which is set for a 2013 release, is partly filmed in Salt Lake City and it stars Brad Pitt, Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem and Cameron Diaz - though, I don't know the extent the city was filmed, or will be filmed.

But yeah, the last movie (non-documentary) that prominently featured the city, at least a film that was widely released in theaters, appears to be High School Musical 3: Senior Year, which came out in 2008 and then before that, Unaccompanied Minors in 2006. So, definitely fewer prominent movies are being filmed in the city. Hopefully that changes with the opening of this new movie studio.

[scottharding]

The major factor that made Utah lose some movies in the earlier part of the 00's was the ludicrous tax breaks and financial incentives that other states implemented to lure films to them. Most of those program were unsustainable and didn't last long, like in Michigan and Iowa. New Mexico still has a very sound film incentive program in place, and given their similar geography to ours, they still manage to compete. For instance, the Coen brothers wanted to shoot True Grit here in Utah, but went with New Mexico instead in the end. On the other hand, Utah managed to lure John Carter here, and that brought a ton of money to the state. Canada also has been very successful about bringing Hollywood across the border.
Still, we have an excellent Film Commission here in Utah (that now has offices in LA as well as on Capitol Hill), and the industry here has been rebounding for quite some time. Prominent movies like the High School Musicals, Pirates of the Carribean, 127 Hours, and John Carter all pumped millions into the state, and many lower-budget indies have shot here, like The Yankles which just went to DVD last week, and Darling Companion, which is currently playing in theaters. It seems like these indies utilize the city more than our unique landscapes.
The momentum will continue, and if the Film Commission can manage to lure another TV series here, like Everwood, then there will be more more work than there are professionals, and the industry will boom.

[Comrade]

Hopefully Salt Lake City and the metro area will once again become a Second Hollywood of sorts for filming. It was always cool, back in the 90s, watching a movie and realizing that it's your city on the big screen. I'll probably never watch any of those low-budget films that make up a big bulk of the filming here nowadays, but I'm glad they're still filming here.

The last movie I remember going to see in theaters that either took place in SLC, or was filmed in SLC, was Poolhall Junkies and that was all the way back in 2002 or 2003!

Oh, and I watched So You Think You Can Dance (funny that most those profiled weren't from Salt Lake or Utah) and I noticed they used a shot of Phoenix in place of Salt Lake. It was weird - a valley shot as the sun set. You could definitely tell it wasn't Salt Lake.