There must be a way though to go about this, in order to jump start the height and density. Right now, Salt Lake's CBD is just following a natural state of progression. Given the agressive, competitive nature of the surrounding metro, it could take decades to achieve the kind of height and density we're longing for in the CBD. However, you look at a City such as Calgary, which is much less hemmed in than Salt Lake, has a much smaller CSA, and you wonder how are they doing it. Salt Lake and Utah in general have become one of the leading areas for attracting new business. Can't there be tools also enacted by Salt Lake and Utah that will make it's CBD more attractive as a grand business campus? It seems that the City and State could especially create incentives for dense mid-rise business campuses, much like we have in our endless business parks, such as up on the Cottonwood/Holladay bench of I-215. I appreciate that these cities and the county need to create their own business and tax tools but c'mon. Look how agressively the State legislators(aka developers) are pushing the State Prison Campus. Imagine what would happen if the State could push for a couple of Downtown Campuses, each with the same massing of height and square footage as the Cottonwood Business Park. The effect would be huge, and make for a dramtic change on areas such as the West End. Large scale cooperation is how Inner London achieved such a monumental CBD after the great fire, or Paris, Rome, and Madrid achieved their grand scale planning. Of course, we can't expect Church and State to cooperate on the same level as the European Capitals did centuries ago, but there is an excellent established model with Salt Lake's smaller 'united order' bag of tools to accomplish some pretty amazing developments Downtown. Face it, the sheer beauty and quality of Temple Square, CCC and surrounding campus are difficult to find anywhere else in the U.S. Their beauty, quality and scope are pretty much non-existant in most cities around the U.S. with but a few exceptions.
We need for more cooperative entities Downtown than soley the LDS Church and the current Mayor's administration. The LDS Church does a great job, but can't and shouldn't be asked to do more. The Mayor is outstanding, but can only accomplish so much with the RDA tools, etc. he has to work with. I think that Capital Hill needs to plant it's accumulative butt more firmly on the CBD wagon, and get off the proverbial nimby style fence. In this case the 'NIMBY' is in reverse.
If Salt Lake's CBD is to expand beyond the awesome beauty of it's Church and Civic islands, becoming stunning as a whole without broken teeth, then the State Legislature needs to be more PRO-active. I am convinced that there is a substantial list of legislation that can be enacted that does not involve eminent domain. At the very least to make it highly unprofitable to encourage continued land banking in the CBD.
I know, some would argue that there are already tools in place to encourage development action for the CBD. No one is saying that there's nothing being done, but obviously MORE could be done.
The per capita percentage of urban hungry singles and seniors in Salt Lake's Metro is among the highest in the nation. As many of you are already shouting, "Give them the quality,(structure, grounds and amenities) they're searching for. There are any number of developers out there with ample integrity and love of CBD pride. Is there any question that a Future Mayor type would not forego a larger hit and run profit, in order to produce a higher standard of rental complex. Heaven forbid that the Cowboys would be forced to raise their standard bar a bit.
Bottom line, the State Legislature needs to be even more pro-actively supportive of development programs and plans for its Capital City's CBD. Perhaps a certain number of leislators need to quit running interference, as if Downtown Salt Lake is the big bad envy bait, and if we(metro) can't have a convention hotel or a stadium then why should Salt Lake's CBD get one. Slower than need be CBD density progress certainly can't be blamed on Rocky's bad temperament anymore. Ultimately, IMO the dynamic 'quality of life' appeal, visual density, glitz and glammor of Salt Lake's CBD has a trickle down effect on the progressive development of it's adjoining metro. I know there are State Legislators who understand this, but the Govenor needs to do a lot more to rally a larger co-op of CBD supporters among the Legislature.
I do give credit on many fronts to Capitol Hill. It continues to be the poster child for all States in dealing with fiscal propriety and management. Also, there are many advances that the State has encouraged, which Salt Lake's CBD is in an enviable position to now take advantage of. For example, even progressive cities such as Austin can only drool in envy at Salt Lake's transportation infrastructure. Now let's,(our duely elected State Represenatives) take a few blocks in much the same manner as we did with Gateway, but with a distinctly urban density agenda, and develop it with the same gusto of purpose as the current State Prison Bandwagon.
Salt Lake City's CBD belongs to all Utahns and their elected officials, not just Salt Lakers. All Utahns and their elected officials should take very personal pride in the development and beauty of the CBD of the Capital City.
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Last edited by delts145; Mar 9, 2013 at 5:41 PM.
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