Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 3

[SLC Projects]

Forget neon color stucco, all of gateway should be brick.

[Comrade]

So, something like this...but maybe even a tad lighter (I couldn't get it as light as I would like):

[SLC Projects]

I don't know, looks a bit Disney Land-ish to me. Maybe at night it would look better?

[delts145]

Ya know, normally I would loathe that color treatment on any kind of residence. The thing is, there's so much beige that those colors, tacky as they are, are almost a welcome change. In any case, I would rather they come up with a whole new facade of quality variations. Not only do they need to seriously upgrade the exterior materials, but they should vary the styles also.

Seriously, there's not too much any more that's special about Gateway. Other than a few things like the Planetarium, and the old Depot, there's not much to make it a unique destination. It makes me frustrated that people can find higher quality treatments and ambiance at their typical suburban centers in Farmington, Draper, Lehi or Orem's University Mall than at Gateway.

If they're not going to allow Gateway to expand it's retail options with some sizable square footage and unique draws, then the very least they could do is make it a much more attractive entertainment center.

Make a long list. Gateway needs to do it all.

[DMTower]

The hotel site is all cleared out.

[TimeSaltlake]

I actually wouldn't mind the light colors. Comrade. I actually really like it. I think they should add giant screens on the rio grande facade if the theaters displaying the stores and movies. Make the place exiciting. If you want calm go to ccc. If you want exciting.happening. go gateway. MAKE IT LIKE CALIFORNIAS UNIVERSAL CITY WALK. don't try to be ccc or trolley. Be extremely different.

[TimeSaltlake]

And I like the bowling alley idea as well. Look at Denver. They have a really nice bowling alley in that street that's like a long shopping district.

[SLC Projects]

Any word on when the ESA Hotel will break ground now that the site has been cleared?

[John Martin]

Originally Posted by Comrade Reynolds

So, something like this...but maybe even a tad lighter (I couldn't get it as light as I would like):

I'd probably go the other way. Replace the (existing) pink/peach bits with something darker and earthy. I think that would look nice.

[SLC Projects]

Can't believe so many are for the color stucco. It looks like Tiny Toon Land.

[Comrade]

They're for it because the area is boring and uniform. There is nothing wrong with color, especially if it's in an entertainment district. I mean, there is nothing great architecturally about the Gateway. It's already a faux-cityscape that looks like something out of Disneyland anyway - so, why not at least brighten it up a bit? Sure, you could totally overhaul it and create an entirely new facade, but that's not done on the cheap.

But the current look is stale, drab and boring. Even the addition of more earth tones won't change this, especially since Salt Lake has enough of that anyway.

If the Gateway is going to survive, it has to becoming gimmicky and unique. I have no problem with lighter pastel colors. A lot of cities outside the United States utilize this color scheme in their developments (if not darker, more colorful than what I'm proposing). If done right, it looks absolutely colorful and inviting:















That is one thing I've never liked about the development in the United States - it's very conservative outside some beach area pockets. We overdo the earth tones and that's really what dominates the Gateway, as the beige is the bedrock of so many earth tone color schemes - with maybe a forest green, sand brown and a hard red thrown in for good measure.

Shake things up! Let's create something that pops and makes people think, "wow, I want to check that out..."

[Future Mayor]

I agree completely, add some color, make it unique, make it inviting. The colored lighting might initially be the best option, sort of give it a test run, see peoples reactions.

I do think the lighting at night in the street level retail area could be much more bold in color scheme, as was shown. Some light pastels painting the upper portions as was also shown. Very nice brainstorming you all did.

[Just A Thought]

Nice to see a picture of Portobello in there, That's where I spent the first 35 years of my life..

I actually like the idea of more colors. It's interesting because to use bold colors in architecture requires a certain amount of playful, relaxed care free, non-conformist, sticking a finger up to conventional wisdom etc..

I think if it could be done right, It could give GW some serious cool. BUT, if it looked anything like that Awful condo monstrosity on the corner of 900 East and 100 South it would be a disaster IMHO. Thats Disney Land right there.

Also, bear in mind, many of the building examples you show are really quite simple in their design, and the colors tend to be the star as well as creating an independent personality, as if these building want to be different from each other if you see what I mean. Whereas GW is very complicated in its architecture. Having said that, I think if there was a little respect shown to those building shapes it could still really work. By that I mean keep some conservative colors in there, greys and browns perhaps, but add those bold pastel colors to the occasional building, to create that sense of playful independence, (This-is-my-building,-i'll paint-it-any-damn-color-I-choose) Type thing.

And crucailly, remove all shades of beige.

On another color note, the apartment building on 300 S and 200 W was recently repainted, and I must say it looks light years better than it did. Darker browns and a little splash of terracotta here and there, it's a little more muted, but tasteful I think.

[SLC Projects]

Stucco is stucco, and it looks cheap no matter what color it is. IMHO

I do like the idea of adding some colorful neon lights at night, but painting stucco?.....yuck.

[DCRes]

Drove by the Boyer site at 100 S 200 E this morning. Not a lot to see, but work has begun.

[jedikermit]

Fox 13 just did a short story on the Zims building renovation: http://fox13now.com/2013/05/06/facade-coming-down-on-historic-downtown-slc-building/

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by DCRes

Drove by the Boyer site at 100 S 200 E this morning. Not a lot to see, but work has begun.

Boy I wish some of our upcoming highrise developers could be this aggressive. Boyer is wasting no time with this development.
Again I really hope this doesn't hurt the timeline of the UPAC Tower.

[Boz]

Diggin' it for sure, Comrade. Instantly changes the entire mood.

[ajiuO]

Originally Posted by stayinginformed

Yes, it is the same painting. I talked to a representative of the developer a week or so ago, and she said that the developers liked that painting a lot, so they are looking into getting the same artist to design and paint another mural--though it will not be the same. They just used that as a place holder for where the mural would be.

They are seriously going to put a huge 🞵🞵🞵 religious mural on that building??? Ikky.. Not even the Mormon church puts tacky looking 🞵🞵🞵🞵 like that up...

[ajiuO]

Originally Posted by jedikermit

Fox 13 just did a short story on the Zims building renovation: http://fox13now.com/2013/05/06/facade-coming-down-on-historic-downtown-slc-building/

Nice.. I hope they have it in the budget to recreate all the stone work and roof.