Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 3

[Orlando]

Someone request a photo update of the new IHC building on 400 south? I think this is a great addition to this street. Hopefully, all other developments along this street follow suit.

[scottharding]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

Let the topic die

[(Eco)nomy_404]

Originally Posted by Comrade Reynolds

It's not arbitrary boundaries. There's a reason behind the development of each CSA and it's directly tied to commuting patterns. For whatever reason, the statistics suggest that there isn't a high enough volume of Utah & Juab County residents commuting into the metro.

They can't just add certain areas because it makes more geographical sense or they'd have to go in and radically adjust their formula and apply it to every other CSA & MSA - which would increase/decrease population size based on those changes. So, it's not as simple as saying that adding Utah County makes sense and therefore the population should be this number and that would put Salt Lake at a higher CSA - because then those parameters would then need to be changed for every other CSA, as well.

I know it doesn't make sense - but that's just how the Census looks at it and it applies for every CSA and MSA - not just here in Utah.

I do understand that commuting patterns are far more relevant than geographical boundaries. As I previously mentioned, the transportation corridors that connect SLC to Pvo-Orm to the south vs SLC to Ogd-ClrFld at the north are virtually identical by both mass transit and auto transportation networks. I get the feel that there are just about as many people in the southern SL Valley going into northern Utah Co. (and vice versa) as there are going from northern SLC to southern Davis Co. (and vice versa). While I have never ridden FrontRunner during rush hour in either direction, I can say that on the freeway (I-15 specifically) there is equally congested bumper-to-bumper traffic at the point of the mountain as there is going into Davis Co from SLC.

Originally Posted by Comrade Reynolds

I think it's also important to point out how young the communities of Provo and Orem are - as they're some of the youngest in the nation (I think Provo is the 2nd youngest city in America). That certainly helps explain why they're not as reliant on Salt Lake because many of the area's population either does not work, as they're too young, or full-time students, or work close to where they live & go to school.

I live in SLC but commute down to Provo for school and I know many others who do the same. I also went to LDSBC in SLC and I knew many from the Pvo-Orm area that come north into SLC regularly to attend classes. I think that, even in this sense, there is quite a movement of people commuting between SLC and Pvo for school.

Originally Posted by Comrade Reynolds

I've never heard of the Great Salt Lake Valley outside its historical usage when discussing the old name of the region (when Salt Lake was considered Great Salt Lake City).

So, I'm inclined to say there is no 'Great Salt Lake Valley'. There is a 'Salt Lake Valley' - but that's about it. And that pretty much only includes Salt Lake County.

I don't know. Just really haven't heard the term 'Great Salt Lake Valley' before.

Is there such thing as a Great Salt Lake Basin or something of the sort? What is the area that once held Lake Bonneville called?

[delts145]

Report ranks Utah No. 8 in tech-based economy

By Amy Joi O'Donoghue and Jasen Lee, Deseret News

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865569903/Report-ranks-Utah-No-8-in-tech-based-economy.html

SALT LAKE CITY — The Beehive State is among the best in the nation in its use of technology-based global pursuits, according to a report released by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation — a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank.

Utah received the eighth highest overall score in the 84-page report entitled the 2012 State New Economy Index, which used 26 indicators divided into five categories that comprise the “new economy” and are necessary to be competitive and successful, according to the foundation...

...The report stated that eighth-place Utah was ranked first in economic dynamism while scoring third in digital economy factors.

“Moreover, its high-tech manufacturing cluster centered around Salt Lake City and Provo support its first-place ranking in manufacturing value added,” the report said.

Utah garnered the top spot in four other subcategories, including inventor patents, online population, e-government and manufacturing value added. Utah also ranked No. 10 or better in seven other subcategories. In all, Utah ranked No. 25 or higher in 23 of 26 measured economic indicators.

Joining Utah in the top 10 were Massachusetts, which topped the overall rankings, followed by Delaware, Washington, California, Maryland, Virginia, Colorado, Utah at No. 8, with Connecticut ranked ninth and New Jersey 10th...

.

[delts145]

It was me who requested the photo update of this building. I agree, this appears to be a great addition to that street.

SLCDude or anyone in the vicinity, if you get an opportunity please take a few daylight pics of the building. It would
appear to be a structure that is definitely worth documenting on our forum.

Originally Posted by Orlando

Someone requested a photo update of the new IHC building on 400 south? I think this is a great addition to this street. Hopefully, all other developments along this street follow suit.

[delts145]

Photo Bump, Westgate Lofts and Neighborhood

Pics By CityHomeCollective @
http://cityhomecollective.com/blog/westgate-lofts/

[DMTower]

^^^ Thanks for posting those pics. I work right across the street from Westgate Lofts in the Crane Bldg. This area has so much potential! With just a few pieces of infill it could be one of the best walkable, urban neighborhoods in Salt Lake. This is also the area I made that development proposal map for a little while back.

Here it is again. The Westgate Lofts is the building with the white roof in the lower middle.

[Future Mayor]

I like the concept, maybe quick suggestions, if you don't mind? Move the sidewalk dining to the west side of the new n/s street in the base of the office building. The only reason I say this is because the first floor of the Westgate lofts is residential. The second note I thought I'd bring up is the very unlikely possibility that Rocky Mtn Power would move their substation, which is where the mixed use on 400 W is slated to go.

Besides those two simply things I absolutely love the concept and think it could really help to further liven up that neighborhood. Create some new life around ESA, something a bit more organic vs The Gateway.

[DMTower]

My hope is that as the area gentrifies people will demand that Rocky Mtn Power moves their substation. If not, the pedestrian walkway behind it should still be possible. I also think it would be awesome if they converted that ground floor west-facing side of Westgate Lofts into a restaurant (but if the condo owners don't want to sell maybe they could convert those ground level balconies into town-home style entryways that face the new street). Outdoor dining on the east facing side of the office building would also be a nice possibility.

[delts145]

I couldn't help but notice those scattered parking lots around the Crane Building. This is pretty much the norm in most Downtowns. The good news for Downtown SLC is that there seems to be a lot of development infill coming on line for these next few years. What SLC's CBD has accomplished over the past ten years is very attractive and exciting. Here's to hoping that the momentum continues to build.

[DMTower]

Here is a revised version. I changed the new north-south street engagement a bit, highlighted the power station and played with a convention center hotel idea.

[(Eco)nomy_404]

Originally Posted by delts145

Photo Bump, Westgate Lofts and Neighborhood

Pics By CityHomeCollective @
http://cityhomecollective.com/blog/westgate-lofts/

I really appreciate how the Westgate Lofts highlight the historic nature of the neighborhood. Was it built new or was it renovated? Either way, I think more of these could be built in that neighborhood to help revitalize such an impressive, historic area.

[LookUpSLC]

Originally Posted by (Eco)nomy_404

I really appreciate how the Westgate Lofts highlight the historic nature of the neighborhood. Was it built new or was it renovated? Either way, I think more of these could be built in that neighborhood to help revitalize such an impressive, historic area.

They're older buildings that have been converted to apartments/condos/lofts. In fact, when I moved back to SLC a couple years ago, I tried to buy one of the lofts on the upper level of the Westgate. To this day they have yet to sell one of them--they wouldn't budge on the price, it's still priced at 2007 prices, and from what I was told, the owner has gone to serve his senior mission and couldn't really care. I'm guessing there's more to that story than what I was told, but hey, they've been just shells of great spaces for over two years now.

[StevenF]

The top 2 floors on the building were added and the brick part of it all is the original building.

[H4vok]

Got some pictures a various projects going on downtown. I'm hoping SLCdude got pictures of the ones I forgot. Pretty gross out today.









Also, I'm not sure what some of these are called (some of the panos have imperfections...don't judge me)

[jedikermit]

Thanks H4vok!!

(no judgment here)

Are those all along 400 South?

[SLCdude]

Actually, I still haven't gone out and snapped photos. I will VERY SOON!

[stayinginformed]

Originally Posted by jedikermit

Thanks H4vok!!

(no judgment here)

Are those all along 400 South?

The first is the Lotus on South Temple across the street from the Cathedral of the Madeline; the second is the apartments on North Temple and about 650 West next to the Biomat building; the third is the Instacare on 400 South and 900 East; the last picture is of the apartments west of the gateway on 500 West.

[jmonkey]

Thanks for the excellent photos and update, H4vok! Thanks for braving the nasty day to get those shots.

If I'm not mistaken, that's the Lotus on South Temple, the long delayed apartments at about 660 W North Temple, the IHC clinic on 400 South, and the new apartment development across from The Gateway on 500 West. Not all along 400 South at all!

I really love the exterior finishing on the North Temple development so far. It looks very well done. I also quite like the IHC building. I am looking forward to the day that all of 400 South is this dense and attractive!

[delts145]

Thanks H4vok, Even on a crummy day you take great pics. Agree on all accounts JMonkey. I would like to see even more pics of the IHC on 400. From the renderings, the corner of 900 E. looks like it would be very attractive also. I'm hoping that big apartment complex across the street from the IHC is up and going before long also. The complex on No. Temple, next to the Biomat, is a lot deeper than I had thought it would be.