Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 3 - Page 20

goldcntry · #**381** Posted **Jul 5, 2012, 7:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

The Ken Garff Building just went through an entire restoration a few years ago. They completely updated the interior and cleaned the exterior and and fixed things that needed to be fixed. They wouldn't have done a complete restoration if they needed to do it again in 10 years.

If this is true, then they are not taking very good care of the building. I had the opportunity to be in the Ken Garff building for prolonged periods of time last year. The floor I was on was a mix of shabby walls, peeling carpet, bad ventilation, and poorly running elevators. An exterior and lobby make-over won't count for much if the rest of the building is indicative of floor I was on. Other than that, it is a solid building and a good bridge for the skyline between the CBD and Grand America.

Future Mayor · #**382** Posted **Jul 5, 2012, 10:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldcntry

If this is true, then they are not taking very good care of the building. I had the opportunity to be in the Ken Garff building for prolonged periods of time last year. The floor I was on was a mix of shabby walls, peeling carpet, bad ventilation, and poorly running elevators. An exterior and lobby make-over won't count for much if the rest of the building is indicative of floor I was on. Other than that, it is a solid building and a good bridge for the skyline between the CBD and Grand America.

Apparently I was under the wrong assumption then. Thank you for the update.

ajiuO · #**383** Posted **Jul 6, 2012, 12:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

The Ken Garff Building just went through an entire restoration a few years ago. They completely updated the interior and cleaned the exterior and and fixed things that needed to be fixed. They wouldn't have done a complete restoration if they needed to do it again in 10 years.

Yes the PSB has issues, however a large portion of what the major cost would have been was the remodel of the interior, leaking pipes, bad layout etc. They building could possibly be shored up to earth quake standards if the proposed development pencils out right. It didn't for a remodeled PSB, but that doesn't mean it won't for every possible use.

Oh its possible to update the buildings.. I'm just saying if they are going to go to that extent. The buildings will probably be stripped down to framing, structurally updated, and the metal cladding will most likely be replaced with glass which is much easer to maintain, allows more light, is easily replaceable, and just looks better. If that would happen It would most likely be a developer who wants a nice building but wants to save a little on framing... it seems like the same thing was done to one of the buildings on 100 south.

xseven · #**384** Posted **Jul 6, 2012, 6:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stenar

I LOVE the old Public Safety Bldg.

I do too, but ajiuO is right...

This building houses the public safety offices of the city... This is not a building worthy of retrofitting for emergency operations.

My proposal: Sell the current PSB to an entity that will upgrade it to office space and allow the new PSB to be built.

Government resources are not kind to maintenance of old infrastructure, and because of that this building is falling apart and not suitable for emergency police and fire daily activities.

Stenar · #**385** Posted **Jul 6, 2012, 8:49 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ajiuO

...Its not just that building such as that one and the ken garff building look bad.. They look bad because they were cheaply constructed. The metal siding wasnt only used because it was the style of the time... It was cheep and quick.. The cladding was often times not the only corner that was cut in theese building....

These two buildings do not have cheap metal siding. They have porcelain on steel. While they have a steel core, they're basically ceramic siding, not metal and were not cheap. I first found out they were porcelain when I read an article about the retrofit of the First Security Building many years ago.

Also, in January 24, 2011 the Pacific Northwest Pipeline Building (as is the original name of the Public Safety Building) was put on the National Register of Historic Places.

This is the link to the National Register application, which has a lot of information about the building: http://history.utah.gov/historic_buildings/national_register/documents/PacNWPipelineBldgNR.pdf

This page on the National Park Service site lists the date it was placed on the National Register (scroll to the bottom): http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/listings/20110204.htm

delts145 · #**386** Posted **Jul 6, 2012, 1:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldcntry

If this is true, then they are not taking very good care of the building. I had the opportunity to be in the Ken Garff building for prolonged periods of time last year. The floor I was on was a mix of shabby walls, peeling carpet, bad ventilation, and poorly running elevators. An exterior and lobby make-over won't count for much if the rest of the building is indicative of floor I was on. Other than that, it is a solid building and a good bridge for the skyline between the CBD and Grand America.

It would be the norm if the updates of different floors were left up entirely to the individuals leasing their space. For example, I'm sure there are tenants who opted for longer leases, and or also went to the extra expense of having their space finished to their hearts content. Normally, there could be a variety of reasons why some floors are handsomely finished, and others are still waiting for the right arrangement as allowed by the building's contracts.

goldcntry · #**387** Posted **Jul 6, 2012, 1:52 PM**

Absolutely Delts, I whole-heartedly agree. The lobby was very well done and very true-to-period (I felt). And hopefully it was because the floors I was on were being leased by the Feds - who probably could care less on what the floors looked like as long as they fulfilled their purpose. The building just needed to update the elevator interior to match the lobby's status... rather than matching an unkempt floor.

Future Mayor · #**388** Posted **Jul 6, 2012, 2:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by xseven

...
My proposal: Sell the current PSB to an entity that will upgrade it to office space and allow the new PSB to be built.
...

That is why we are disussing the future of the PSB, because the new PSB is under construction.

CofIKid · #**389** Posted **Jul 6, 2012, 7:44 PM**

The Crandall Building

I walked past today the Crandall Building today. New windows have been installed along the second floor, or what I think is the new Starbucks space. They look great, the black frames really accent the red base and sandstone above. I hope that Bob Crandall intends to replace the rest of the windows through the building. I am also excited to see how they finish the base of the newly restored stone surface. They have cut out for new granite at the base of each section. It is a huge improvement for that corner,

LaPorte Project 250 South State

Demolition of the complex next to the Rex Theatre are complete, all that left is a pile of debris. Hopefully this project will begin to rise quickly!

Future Mayor · #**390** Posted **Jul 6, 2012, 8:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CofIKid

LaPorte Project 250 South State

Demolition of the complex next to the Rex Theatre are complete, all that left is a pile of debris. Hopefully this project will begin to rise quickly!

Old&New · #**391** Posted **Jul 7, 2012, 6:01 AM**

Whoa! They demolished one too many buildings! Is this right?!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

T-Mac · #**392** Posted **Jul 7, 2012, 6:18 AM**

Public Services Building

Federal Courthouse

Comrade · #**393** Posted **Jul 7, 2012, 10:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old&New

Whoa! They demolished one too many buildings! Is this right?!

Yeah. What's the deal with that? Unless they're going to build a replica of that brick building next to the Rex.

delts145 · #**394** Posted **Jul 7, 2012, 1:38 PM**

Good to see La Porte moving forward!!

Great Pics T-Mac, you've been absent for too long...and always missed.

jedikermit · #**395** Posted **Jul 7, 2012, 1:43 PM**

(yeah, nice pics T-Mac! Thanks!)

I thought the currently greenish building with "Tivoli Garden" on it WAS the brick building next to the Rex in the La Porte piece, but with a nasty facade that will be coming off. It's the right size and shape...

T-Mac · #**396** Posted **Jul 7, 2012, 3:00 PM**

They did take out too much!!

wrendog · #**397** Posted **Jul 7, 2012, 3:47 PM**

So, they tore down that little brick building only to rebuild an exact replica? Eh?

StevenF · #**398** Posted **Jul 7, 2012, 4:48 PM**

I wonder if they got inside and found issues with the bones of the building once demolition started. Yes, with enough money you can preserve any structure, such as they did with the Provo Tabernacle. But I don't think they have that kind of money set aside with there budget to deal with major cost changes for structural upgrades. If you are really that concerned and you have their email send them a letter and ask them what happened to the brick building.

Old&New · #**399** Posted **Jul 7, 2012, 5:33 PM**

Will the renderings change for the better because of this? It would be stupid to try and replicate the old facade. This irritates me; I wonder if it was some stupid demolition worker who just didn't know when to stop.

SLC Projects · #**400** Posted **Jul 7, 2012, 6:30 PM**

There must of been something wrong with that third building that wasn't worth saving. That would be my best guess.