Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 3

[jedikermit]

Originally Posted by T-Mac

My wife and I went to the tour of the Utah Theater this morning and had a great time. After that we went to City Creek and had lunch at the food court. While at the Utah Theater we ran into Jedikermit and his boys. It was good to stop and visit with him. He is teaching his kids well about construction and historical preservation. Fun to run into other forumers. Photos coming later this weekend on the classic salt lake city forum.

It was great running into you guys--seeing that there ARE real people behind the screen names is always weird. And yes, I am trying to brainwash my sons into appreciating architecture and historic preservation. This morning I told them "if you hurry and finish your chores we can go do something fun," and when I told them what we were doing, they were both very very excited. Little nerds. They're very interested in things like that, and kept asking questions--it was a good morning. After that we did more walking through City Creek Center, went up to the City Creek Park and Brigham Young Historic Park, did some more walking on Main Street--it was a great morning to be downtown.


T-Mac's pics are going to be MUCH BETTER than anything I took. But if you want to see more pictures, and you're on Instagram, my user name is Jedikermit (because I'm a freak) and I think I tagged ten pictures with #utahheritagefoundation on there. Again, T-Mac's pictures are coming soon and are going to be superior in every way. And some of mine have children and/or Rubber Duckie in them. Because I'm a freak.

[jedikermit]

Originally Posted by StevenF

A week of camping with the family and I come back to nothing new. I am disappointed in you all.

P.s. jedikirmit, Adam showed me your little people and a YouTube video.

[StevenF]

Originally Posted by isangpogi

Hey folks, I'm not a regular commenter in the SLC forums but I came across a plan from UDOT to install "flex-lanes" along 5400 South. I watched the video and it's nuts! There seems like way too much room for error with this... The yellow "in transition" phase especially seems like it lends itself to ambiguity to drivers unfamiliar with the corridor. What do you all think? Good idea, bad idea? What's the speed limit along this stretch because I can't imagine there not being some head-on wrecks as people figure this out! The other downside I see is the fact that it really clutters up the road with all those overhead signs, as there have to be enough for drivers to always have one visible.

Of course on the plus side, UDOT is maximizing the road capacity for minimal cost...

Here's the link to the video and info on the project: http://www.udot.utah.gov/flexlanes/

I personally do not look forward to its opening. I live close to 5400 just off 3200 and have decided to bypass it by going around it via 4700 and or other routes. I can't wait to find them taking the lights down after a bad winter.

[ctobsl]

I think we will have quite a few wrecks and people killed as a result of this... Bangeter is bad enough and now this...!

[tygr]

It would make more sense having the yellow lights be flashing/solid right arrows telling people to move to the right instead of the "X".

(This discussion would probably be better in the Salt Lake Transit thread.)

[jtrent77]

Originally Posted by tygr

It would make more sense having the yellow lights be flashing/solid right arrows telling people to move to the right instead of the "X".

(This discussion would probably be better in the Salt Lake Transit thread.)

I disagree about using arrows instead of "X". Everyone will be able to determine what an X means, it means NO, people seeing an arrow might think they should turn right, rather than just merge right--people aren't always the brightest. DC has several roads that do this, and they give even less indication than what is shown here (merely a sign that says, "use 3 lanes," so hopefully Utahns will be able to figure it out...

[T-Mac]

Photos of the Utah Theater have been added to the Classic Salt Lake City forum if anyone is interested.

[Future Mayor]

I remember seeing flex lanes in Atlanta nearly 20 years ago when I was there for a job training meeting. They don't have snow there, but it seemed to work just fine. Again it is something that people will have to adjust to. As more and more people move into the valley and as roads get more and more crowded, people have to learn to adapt. I hope there won't be any deaths, but I know there is bound to be some accidents. Thining of the heards pocket book in this case.

They have been working on it for months now, so hopefully people are seeing things progress and attempting to figure out what is going on. I also hope UDOT send out some sort of information sheet to those surrounding the road, either through the local "Journal" or through the mail.

[goldcntry]

I too live close to the corner of 5400 South and 3200 West... The current speed limit suggestion is 45. I will be avoiding this stretch as much as possible when they get this going. 4700 really isn't an option either as the congestion is even worse on that side of the neighborhood.

[isangpogi]

One thing (among others) I really admire UDOT for is their creative and innovative planning. They really seem to have pioneered diverging diamond interchanges, continuous flow intersections, HOT lanes and so on. I'm in Boise and I can think of at least one street that could really use flex lanes (State Street). There is a huge discrepancy between inbound and outbound traffic during rush hours. Idaho started building SPUI interchanges largely because of their success in UT, and there have been talks of modeling Eagle Road's major intersections after Bangerter's CFIs. Hopefully these flex lanes work out because ITD will be watching...

I suppose if anyone is too nervous about the flex lanes they could just stick to the two outside lanes as these will never reverse. My instinct is to be a little frightened of this but I assume that UDOT has done their research and consulted with human factors engineers. And if it gets too crazy I guess all they have to do is throw a switch to go back to how it was...

I do wonder if they'll need to lower the speed limit... 45 seems a little too quick for a road where a couple head-on collisions are likely.

[Future Mayor]

Moved from Classic Thread for further discussion. It was in referrence to T-Macs Utah Theater pictures,

Opening the theater up to tours is such an ingenious idea. Let people inside to view what is still remaining of a beautiful theater and get them all juiced up about keeping it and restoring it.

I am guessing that not more than a few dozen people saw inside the building when Howa owned it, which of course was probably his plan because then nobody would remember what was being lost if it got torn down. I am glad that the RDA purchased it and that they are now making use of the retail and are allowing people to view the interior.

I think it could be a multi-purpose theater. It could be used for the film society, a film school, as well as for smaller live performances. SLC could have a truely amazing arts culture in the heart of downtown. UPAC for the large events, Capital and Rose Wagner for medium size events, with the Utah, Rex and Rose Wagner (smaller spaces) for smaller productions.

I like the idea of both the Utah and the Rex being multi-purpose, film and live production.

Thanks for the pics T-Mac, fantastic as usual.

[chad.farnes]

I thought that I'd add a little about the Utah Theater and what I remember the tour guides telling me. First I've gotta agree with you Future Mayor that it is an awesome building and I am glad that the RDA purchased it.

When I asked the tour guides what the asking price was, they said that they were selling the lot for 5 million (and correct me if I am wrong because I did the tour about a month ago). With that includes several of the stores that front Main St., like the Jamaican store. However, included in that contract is some type of deal that any redevelopment of the site must include a simultaneous restoration of the theater (which the lady I asked put at an estimated 50 million, although I have no idea where she was getting that number from). I was told that there was an interested buyer, but their plan was to first redevelop the location and then restore the theater. The RDA decided to look for another buyer because they figured (and probably correctly) that given those circumstances the theater would go on the back burner and never actually be restored. Heres to hoping that someone buys and restores it.

[gusam26]

[jtrent77]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

I drove past yesterday (yup I'm in town!) and you all might be disappointed to hear that the Rex/Tivoli is also being demolished. I snapped a quick pic from the car, but won't be able to upload it until tomorrow at the earliest.

[stayinginformed]

I am not sure if this was posted before, but the elevations for the Liberty Gateway apartments are up on the RDA site. They are applying for funding from the RDA to help defray the cost of building parking below the building. This will be at 50 South 500 West, and built by cowboy partners.

[Future Mayor]

So frustrating! That area needs more height that 5 stories, IMO. The height should come close to the Northgate condos across the street. 500 W is so wide right there with the street and the green space (which I love) that there is so much more potential for that road.

Something more along these lines



LOVE LOVE LOVE the look of the awnings on this building. That is a really nice space up there on the second floor, I toured it a few years back. I am glad to see Chalk Garden returning.

[jtrent77]

Originally Posted by jtrent77

I drove past yesterday (yup I'm in town!) and you all might be disappointed to hear that the Rex/Tivoli is also being demolished. I snapped a quick pic from the car, but won't be able to upload it until tomorrow at the earliest.

I was able to upload the photo today that I quickly snapped.

[StevenF]

[QUOTE=Future Mayor;5767921]

So frustrating! That area needs more height that 5 stories, IMO. The height should come close to the Northgate condos across the street. 500 W is so wide right there with the street and the green space (which I love) that there is so much more potential for that road.

Something more along these lines


I too find the building short for what I would like to see built there. I would rather see the right and left sections stacked to make it 10 floors and Cowboy Partners has the other section of land to build another building next to it.

[Scraperdude801]

if only we could persuade them to stack the floors. It would help them in the long run, as they would have more land to build on.

[Future Mayor]

Originally Posted by stayinginformed

It looks like an assisted living building.