Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 3

[delts145]

Well, it's good to hear things are moving along on LaPorte, and the slowdown wasn't related to financial difficulties.

[jimmycdii]

Originally Posted by delts145

Well, it's good to hear things are moving along on LaPorte, and the slowdown wasn't related to financial difficulties.

Amen to that.

Also, before the conversation completely drifts away from Daybreak I have a question. It seems like there are a number of different opinions regarding Daybreak here on the forum, but the consensus seems to be that it will get better and better over time.

So, what time frame does everyone think we're looking at before it's really great? And by really great, I mean as good as the best neighborhoods anywhere else in Utah. (People also seem to agree that it's not there yet.)

My feeling is that it needs to be at least 100 years old, probably more. I think that b/c I lived in a historic neighborhood in Provo for a long time and it was just barely beginning to be good after about that long. My feeling is that Daybreak needs to be old enough for a few generations to have passed through it (so, a mix of natives w/ varying ages), some/many buildings to be replaced/reinterpreted, HOAs to break up and dissolve, zoning variations, and generally for it to begin to be more structurally diverse.

But that's just my opinion. Anyone think it will take a lot less time? Or longer? Why?

[delts145]

Those of you who don't often venture over onto the Provo or Ogden Threads, I hope you will make an exception this time and leave your thoughts and comments. A beautiful new mid-rise going up in Downtown Provo, that I think would be of an excellent example for future thought in the Gateway Area. Also, a fantastic announcement with Station Park and 300-500 residential units on one of the massive, 8 acre parking areas.

So many great things popping up constantly along the greater Salt Lake CSA. You can really feel the momentum of the Wasatch Boom building and building.

[scottharding]

I agree, Delts about the midrise in Provo fitting in beautifully in the Gateway area. I thought the same thing when I saw it. In fact, I imagined this would be an excellent type of development to go in at some of the vacant land around the Old Greek town trax station and the Transit hub.

[delts145]

Scott, maybe a lot of us in the forum should send off some e-mails using that design as a suitable example, especially regarding what might become the new Marriott Courtyard over at Gateway. Perhaps, they haven't decided yet on the exterior design and specifically the exterior treatment. Maybe they could be nudged to raising the bar a bit.

Orlando, Of course, that's also to include the coolest in contemporary offerings also...

One historic structure that I just can't seem to salivate enough over is the Commercial Club Building. In my perfect little Salt Lake CBD, I would like to see some additional variations of that incredibly beautiful structure.

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by Sight-Seer

Speaking of imitative architecture, the design of the new Philadelphia Temple was rejected by one city commissioner because it is "too literal" in its classicism and imitative of its neighboring buildings. What he doesn't know is that it mostly imitates other Mormon temples. The new temple is a somewhat jarring hodgepodge of styles which barely fit together. The steeples are reminiscent of Federalist-era architecture. The main structure imitates older temples like the Salt Lake Temple, which warped classical European architecture into something very Mormon. Below is my 3D model of the Philadelpia Temple which I would like to post to Google Earth.

Well I like it. The steeples are a little big, and could stand to be reduced in size/height by about 20%, but otherwise solid design.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by John Martin

Nice to see this development moving forward, even if it's very slowly. I do wonder if a tower crane will come on site later since it's a ten story development.

[jedikermit]

Originally Posted by delts145

One historic structure that I just can't seem to salivate enough over is the Commercial Club Building. In my perfect little Salt Lake CBD, I would like to see some additional variations of that incredibly beautiful structure.

I had to look it up to see which one that is; and I have to agree--it's a beauty.



Image from http://jasonbennion.com

[scottharding]

^^^
My favorite building in all of Downtown.

[Comrade]

The entire Exchange Place is a gem. So glad it wasn't demolished in the 70s or 80s for newer development.

[Comrade]

The only thing I don't like about Exchange Place is the parking garage. I wish the city would've demanded street-level retail and made the entire structure interact more with the area.

[arkhitektor]

Originally Posted by CountyLemonade

The only glaring thing that's lacking right now is a grocery store within the neighborhood limits. The closest one is Harmons across Bangerter Highway, but no one wants to make that forsaken trek by foot. Another disadvantage is that Daybreak is more or less surrounded by suburban hell, but at least it's simple to convey yourself to greener, less hellish pastures without a car thanks to the Red Line.

The District definitely hurt the commercial and retail space inside Daybreak, I don't recall all of the details, but I worked for one of the builders at Daybreak some years ago and the impact of The District was so much that Kennecott land actually sued the city of S. Jordan for approving it so close to Daybreak, which apparently violated some agreement they had with the city. Not sure what ever came of the lawsuit.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/635158955/Daybreak-owner-sues-South-Jordan.html?pg=all

[jimmycdii]

I walked by there Monday night and there were big hoses — king of like dryer vent hoses but larger — snaking out of front door and several windows. Kind of looked like maybe there was some flooding or something else that they were trying to suck out/blow in.

Anyone know anything?

Originally Posted by jedikermit

I had to look it up to see which one that is; and I have to agree--it's a beauty.



Image from http://jasonbennion.com

[scottharding]

Update on the Capitol theater renovation and construction of the new wing: Starts next month. Unfortunately, the article does not provide access to the final designs.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/entertainment2/56381057-223/lake-salt-ballet-county.html.csp

[delts145]

The great news just keeps on rolling out. This is an important project for many reasons, one of which is that this major expansion will cement Ballet West as among a very small handful of North America's preeminent Ballet Companies.

Oh, and also, I see where the popular reality series, (Breaking Point) which is centered around Ballet West, will premiere it's second season this coming July 29th on the CW. Even if your not a big ballet fan, this is a great show for locals, as it covers a lot of the CBD each week. Seeing your local haunts is always a kick, and Salt Lake City is portrayed very positively in this series.


http://www.balletwest.org

[delts145]

Urban planners take a few lessons from Brigham Young and Joseph Smith

By Jasen Lee, Deseret News

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/86558...from-Brigham-Young-and-Joseph-Smith.html

...Speaking to an audience of about 50 people at the Grand America Hotel during a breakout session at the Congress for the New Urbanism conference, historian Craig Galli explained that Brigham Young and LDS Church founder Joseph Smith's city designs helped make the layout of Salt Lake City a model for urban planners decades into the future.

“We are the direct beneficiaries of (Brigham Young’s) urban design,” Galli said. The desire to build a community designed upon “smart growth” principles will create a better place for people to live, he said...


When initially designed, Salt Lake City was laid out with streets wide enough for a wagon to turn around. The width made it easy for the city to adapt streets for automobile and mass transit use in later years. Photo of Main Street in Salt Lake City taken on Wednesday, May 29, 2013. Pic By Laura Seitz, Deseret News

...About 1,500 attendees are participating in a three-day conference digesting topics that include a look at the community of Day Break, the revitalization of downtown Salt Lake City, and the impact of Religious freedom on American Land Use.

The plat design of urban development favored by the LDS founder was designed for the settlement of Jackson County in Missouri, but was also intended for future communities elsewhere, Galli said.

The city described on the plat would cover one and one-half square miles and be divided into a European-style square grid pattern with 2,600 half-acre lots. The city center would consist of blocks to accommodate a temple complex and other ecclesiastical building...

.

[Just A Thought]

Originally Posted by delts145

^^^
The great news just keeps on rolling out. This is an important project for many reasons, one of which is that this major expansion will cement Ballet West as among a very small handful of North America's preeminent Ballet Companies.

Oh, and also, I see where the popular reality series, (Breaking Point) which is centered around Ballet West, will premiere it's second season this coming July 29th on the CW. Even if your not a big ballet fan, this is a great show for locals, as it covers a lot of the CBD each week. Seeing your local haunts is always a kick, and Salt Lake City is portrayed very positively in this series.


http://www.balletwest.org

Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't architects rendering's don't take into consideration the OTHER buildings around it. that last picture (in my opinion actually looks like the most interesting perspective) doesn't exist because of that huge ugly building on the corner.

Makes me wonder if architects even think about a buildings surroundings..

[jedikermit]

Originally Posted by Just A Thought

Makes me wonder if architects even think about a buildings surroundings..

Just laughed out loud in my little office.

[UTPlanner]

Comrade, just so you know, SLC did make them put retail on the bottom of the parking garage at approximately 52 Exchange Place and it's still there. It just has never been leased. We can make them build the space but can't make them occupy it, unfortunately. Having said that, I do still think that it is an eyesore along with most parking garages in the city.

[Future Mayor]

That angle will be seen, just not to the extent it is shown in the rendering, but that is one thing I really like about it. The architects knew there was a public access on that side and didn't skimp on the design for that side, I think it will provide a very interesting corridor.

I know this was pages back, and I know there were differing opinions, I do want to thank those that brought up my name as a suggestion for another moderator, and while I am flattered, I don't really have an interest. As was pointed out by one or maybe two formers, I don't always hold my tongue and I enjoy calling people out on their total BS from time to time. So I don't think I'd make a good moderator.