Quote:
Originally Posted by StevenF
Until space becomes a real issue in the Salt Lake Valley, I really don't see a 600ft plus building getting built in Salt Lake. With places like Daybreak and all the construction around Herriman there isn't a huge push for high density construction. Then there is the issue of Salt Lakes large blocks which encourages wider buildings and they can get more square footage without going over the 25 floor more expensive point. Just look at the Wells Fargo Center, it is 25 floors and has 600,000 square feet. Any other city with a 600,000 square foot building would be 30+ floors tall.
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There is nothing wrong with anything that Steven has said above. In the past years, any number of us have made basically the same arguments. There are many reasons why any number of large companies would go the conservative route of construction in Salt Lake City and build large footprints in the business parks, or simply expand their footprint diameter on a large Salt Lake City block. I am certainly all for more 7 to 20 story development scattered throughout downtown. As was pointed out by Orlando, State and W. Temple could definitely use some infill, and the sooner the better as far as I'm concerned.
However, we shouldn't use the old psyche that 600 footers just ain't going to happen in our lifetime. Look, there are any number of cities today across the U.S. and Canada that have metros not even half the population of the Wasatch Front. These are cities that are currently building new tallests, or have been constructing new tallests for decades. Do these cities/metros not have vast amounts of empty space? Of course they do, even much more conducive to sprawl than the Wasatch. They are surrounded by vast plains, or gently rolling landscapes that make the Wasatch benches and Traverse Ridge look like Mt. Everest.
The Wasatch Front, and it's Downtown CBD are doing a lot of things right. It isn't by accident that the Wasatch is in a position of rapid and dynamic expansion and growth, that is among the most noteworthy in the nation.
Placing 600 foot Signature Towers in the CBD would be like a healthy guy looking at himself in the mirror with his shirt off. He is reasonably healthy, as he does get enough excersise throughout the week to stay fairly fit. He watches what he eats, and doesn't binge often on high calorie junk food and snacks, etc., etc. You know all the little tricks that we all take to keep off those extra 10-20 lbs. Except now when we look at ourselves in the mirror, maybe our standards of satisfaction have adjusted themselves a little, maybe even a lot suddenly. We look around at what we see in society as the pinnacle of established fitness. Now we are seeing guys everywhere, who look like they just stepped out of a soap opera film set. Or at least it seems that way, partially because of media bombardment. Eight pac abs, developed arms, and superman pecs have suddenly become essential to be considered a chic magnet. We're not talking steroids here, just respectively buff.
Hey, look around at Denver,(even thirty years ago). In the early 80's, Denver had a metro population of approximately 1.4 million people, and the entire State of Colorado had approx. 2.8 million people. Yet, Denver's CBD began it's cycle of new tallests, that still stand as it's defining icons. Now, that also led to some pretty dicey years of empty footage, because of the energy bust, but we're only talking about two or three new tallests here in SLC, one of which at least would be a Convention Hotel, which is past due for demand. It could also be argued that a mixed-use PAC tower and an Austonian style, mixed-use, apartments-for-rent-tower could also be absorbed by Salt Lake's dynamic growth.
Let's point out just two to four other examples, and we won't even use Austin, because of it's huge State wide population. What about plains cities like Calgary, or Oklahoma City? These cities are not even half the metro population of the Wasatch. They are surrounded by vast amounts of empty space. Yes, they are being fueled by energy related development. Referring back to the buff guy. Salt Lake City has more genetic buff potential than most regions could even dream of. Salt Lake City just needs to start lifting the right weights, focused on the right body parts. We're even talking moderation here, and definitely no over the top, muscle head steroids. Well, I guess I will mention Austin and also Charlotte. Their metros have been booming, as have SLC's. Both Austin and Charlotte are not hemmed in nearly as dramatically as Salt Lake's Metro. Both have ample Thanksgiving Point/Eagle Mountain style expansion. Did they really need those new tallest's? They could have just as easily settled for the reasonably fit 300 footers downtown, with a much broader girth. Also, they could have easily built out in any of an endless supply of metro business parks.
Look, I'll try to wrap this up. It is a fact that the world admires the beautiful skyline. Perhaps too much, but it is a fact that can't be avoided. I see it and hear it constantly, and not from just urban nerds, but everyone. Whether they are white collar or blue collar. No matter what part of the globe they hail from, 600-plus footers mixed in to the skyline are drooled over by Men and Women everywhere, even when they are not skyscaper freaks like us. Like the Guy or Gal with the buff body, it has become the social template. The buff bodies and beautiful skylines attract the urban dweller like bees to honey. It can be argued justifiably that having a fit, dense core is enough. Who needs that showy chest, biceps and abs anyway? IMO, Salt Lake City needs the solid core of beautiful, dense streetscape. I think Salt Lake City is accomplishing this in dramatic form, and at an impressive pace. However, Salt Lake City also must lift a few weights, i.e., luring coporate towers to it's downtown. The Wasatch Front has proven itself as an excellent and very seductive temptress. These days, whether its the most prestigious hotels, corporate expansions, latest hot retail offerings, or movie studio expansion and production, Utah figures out a workable way to get them to locate along the Metro. Downtown Salt Lake City needs to show enough healthy vanity to creatively figure out ways to build Calgary style tallests. Even with comparable Daybreaks, Eagle Mtn.'s, and Thanksgiving Point's, along with ample cheap, empty space, other metros, such as Calgary, Austin, Charlotte, etc., have developed a healthy psyche for stunning and dynamic tallests. There is absolutely no reason why Salt Lake City cannot do the same, and break that proverbial glass ceiling.
We travel to Portland, France and Germany to figure out our own formula for light rail and street cars. We refer to countless cities for examples of a better mouse trap for SLC. Hey, let's do the same in figuring out our own formula for new tallests to be included in our CBD. Over the long run, lifting those weights in a sensible but focused fashion, will lead to attractive muscle/new tallests, denser healthier bones, which will be magnets for thousands of urbanista/CBD lovers. Those so called vanity towers/stylish muscles will serve SLC very well in attracting denser infill as it continues to mature.
Two to three dramatically styled new tallests for the CBD over the next five years, are just what the doctor would order for our beautiful Capital right now. That little bit of healthy vanity will only lead to expanded dynamic growth on all fronts for Salt Lake City's Downtown.
Edit, On a side note. I sincerly appreciate you guys and your patience in allowing me to develop a small but growing love of editorializing various opinions over the years.
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