Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 3

[delts145]

Scott, from the Downtown Symposium yesterday, or Makid, from your discussions with those involved in the push for the CCH, have you been impressed with what the desired leanings are toward design? Has there been somewhat of a feeling of hometown pride, similar to what pushed the design of the library, public safety building etc.? I hope this Convention Center Hotel will be special/iconic in it's statement about Salt Lake City, not just a big massive wall of windows.

[Makid]

I haven't heard anything about design. All I have heard is the imminent need for the hotel and the work that is going on to make it happen.

I think from the side I have contact with, they are more focused on actually getting this going and working with a developer than they are about the design.

From their aspect, the need to have the hotel far outweighs what it would look like.

Now, I know that they would like something that is nice, flashy and distinctive but that is a secondary concern to just making sure it is going to happen.

They have even tossed around location ideas that aren't where people are currently thinking just to get it to happen sooner. (Sorry, I can't state where as they are not general knowledge)

[ctobsl]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

Seeing the success that Goldman has had in Salt Lake City I really wouldn't be surprised if Hamilton Partners is able to land another investment bank to be the primary tenant of 111 S Main. The tenant that will get them to their 45% pre-leased threshold. An investment bank that will either expand their SLC operations and move downtown (like Goldman did) or move some of their operations from a more expensive market such as NY or Chicago.


I keep holding out hope that our new tallest and interesting design will be the Convention Center Hotel.

Here are a few hotels that would look good in our skyline, would be the new tallest and have a somewhat interesting design.



W Hotel Philadelphia


So I guess really what I'm saying is that I want a W Hotel to be the convention hotel. W seems to have the most unique designs.

I like this one...!

[Future Mayor]

While I assumed it was a major point of discussion for the County and the Downtown Alliance, it's nice to officially hear that it is priority #1. I would expect that they would make an announcement while OR is in town, so I would guess when they are here for the Winter Market, in January.

Originally Posted by justiny

Compared to other cities, the Salt Palace (Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center) is simply too small.

I believe this to be the Convention Center Hotel we have all hoped for will not develop in the near future.

When tents are put up to accommodate the overflow in an empty parking lot, we've lost the battle.

I'm not trying to be pessimistic, just saying my opinion.

While the CLRSPCC isn't the largest in the country, for the size of our city and the size of our metro we have a fairly decent size convention center. 36th on the list of US convention Centers, by size, according to Wikipdeia. No it's not as big as Denver or several in Vegas, but it's not as if it's tiny. Depending on how much additional space they add, in conjunction with the CCH, it will for sure take over the 32nd spot and possibly another spot of two beyond that. For a show like the OR, it's not all about the size of the convention center. For OR it is also important for access to the outdoors, and areas to demo their products within close proximity to the show. Which is why I don't see OR leaving SLC anytime soon, even for Denver which is #10 on the list.

[Orlando]

I think my main concern with the convention center stuff is that it mostly hinges on one convention group. That is quite tenuous.

[Makid]

Originally Posted by Orlando

I think my main concern with the convention center stuff is that it mostly hinges on one convention group. That is quite tenuous.

It doesn't though.

There is a lot of interest to bring more and larger conventions to Salt Lake. The main problem is that we don't have a Convention Hotel.

I do know that there have been numerous conventions that would have selected Salt Lake but didn't because of the lack of the hotel.

There is also a list of conventions that would come here as soon as we get the hotel.

This is why it is a high priority for the County to get done because of the data showing not only will we retain what we have, but we will gain more and larger conventions because they are on record as wanting to be here but need the large hotel blocks that only a Convention Hotel can provide.

[scottharding]

Originally Posted by delts145

Scott, from the Downtown Symposium yesterday, or Makid, from your discussions with those involved in the push for the CCH, have you been impressed with what the desired leanings are toward design? Has there been somewhat of a feeling of hometown pride, similar to what pushed the design of the library, public safety building etc.? I hope this Convention Center Hotel will be special/iconic in it's statement about Salt Lake City, not just a big massive wall of windows.

Nobody mentioned design, I'm afraid, in the formal talks and discussions. There was mostly talk about relationships with the Private sector being worked in with the city and county and the fact they do not intend to follow the financing model that other cities have used recently. I brought up design in a private conversation, and the person I was speaking with agreed with my sentiments that the design should be unique, and given some of the possible location (those championing the Plaza will be disappointed, it's not being considered) it will stand out very much, so the Tower should aim to draw attention as an attractive and unique piece of the city.

[Orlando]

Thanks for all the info Makid! It's encouraging. For a while we never heard anything and was wondering if the convention hotel was being suffocated by politics and dying a slow death.

[Stenar]

I think it's more likely that someone would grow their local operations than move from Chicago, et al. Are there any other investment banks with a large presence in SLC?

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

Seeing the success that Goldman has had in Salt Lake City I really wouldn't be surprised if Hamilton Partners is able to land another investment bank to be the primary tenant of 111 S Main. The tenant that will get them to their 45% pre-leased threshold. An investment bank that will either expand their SLC operations and move downtown (like Goldman did) or move some of their operations from a more expensive market such as NY or Chicago.

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

But the thing is, does "W" want to enter the Salt Lake market?

There was a rumor that W wanted to build a hotel in SLC, this was not long before the economic crash, though.

[delts145]

Just a quick note, I recorded the most recent Bachelorette episode. I wanted to see how the hometown visit to Salt Lake City was handled. I watched it last night, and was very proud of how beautifully the City was splashed across the screen. It was one great beauty shot after another. Liberty Park, Temple Square, The views of the Wasatch, and the bachelor's mom's splendid house up on the high bench. Salt Lake City's Chamber of Commerce couldn't have scripted a more positive ad. Of the four finalist cities visited, Salt Lake City easily came off the winner of the beauty contest.

[Stenar]

What about down the street from the Plaza? I'm not advocating the Plaza hotel site, but the empty spot on the corner of 200s and 200w. It's right across from the new entrance to the Salt Palace.

Originally Posted by scottharding

Nobody mentioned design, I'm afraid, in the formal talks and discussions. There was mostly talk about relationships with the Private sector being worked in with the city and county and the fact they do not intend to follow the financing model that other cities have used recently. I brought up design in a private conversation, and the person I was speaking with agreed with my sentiments that the design should be unique, and given some of the possible location (those championing the Plaza will be disappointed, it's not being considered) it will stand out very much, so the Tower should aim to draw attention as an attractive and unique piece of the city.

[youngatheist]

What were the other cities delts?

[scottharding]

Originally Posted by Stenar

What about down the street from the Plaza? I'm not advocating the Plaza hotel site, but the empty spot on the corner of 200s and 200w. It's right across from the new entrance to the Salt Palace.

As to that, I do not know. But I would not be surprised at all if that were being considered. There was a fair amount of talk in general yesterday about the "potential of the parking lots" around downtown. That potential was mentioned more than once.

[ToysNoiz]

Progress in Sugar House.

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by scottharding

As to that, I do not know. But I would not be surprised at all if that were being considered. There was a fair amount of talk in general yesterday about the "potential of the parking lots" around downtown. That potential was mentioned more than once.

There are only so many parking lots directly connected to the Salt Palace. If they're thinking of having it not directly connected to the SP, they're mistaken.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by youngatheist

What were the other cities delts?

Scottsdale, Dallas, and a small town in Oregon.


This is such a cool use for street engagement at the base of the Regent on 1st So. One of the things I appreciate most about Downtown Salt Lake is being able to create great sidewalk engagement, because there's room to do so. Thanks DMTower for taking these great pics.

Originally Posted by DMTower

A couple pictures taken with my phone camera

Brio @ CCC

Pics By DMTower


.

[scottharding]

Originally Posted by Stenar

There are only so many parking lots directly connected to the Salt Palace. If they're thinking of having it not directly connected to the SP, they're mistaken.

Sorry, to clarify, they were talking about development in SLC in general with regards to the parking lots. I was just pointing out that they've got their eye on surface lots and so I wouldn't be surprised if the sea of parking north of the Salt Palace is being considered.

[Future Mayor]

Again, one thing that has to be taken into consideration is what is the goal of the additional convention space that will be part of the hotel.

Is is to simply have a direct connection to (or very near proxmity) with meeting space?

Is the goal to have a direct connection to and expansion of the expo (large hall) space?

Those factors will play a huge role in determining what location, as well as what changes would need to be made to the existing Salt Palace, in order to accomplish those goals.

[Makid]

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/56612698-79/boyer-building-tower-firm.html.csp

Boyer begins renovation of former Questar building with a tenant signed on

The Boyer Co. has started an extensive renovation of the former Questar office building in downtown Salt Lake City, and already has a tenant for the top two floors.

Strong & Hanni, a Salt Lake City law firm, has agreed to lease the top two floors of the eight-story building at the southwest corner of 100 South and 200 East, project manager Brent Pace said Thursday.

Strong & Hanni will occupy 33,000 square feet of space on the seventh and eighth floors. The law firm currently has offices in the Triad Center in downtown Salt Lake City and in Sandy. Whether the firm will consolidate both locations at 102 Tower isn’t clear. The firm didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Pace said Boyer sees plenty of demand for new downtown office space. The company expects to have 102 Tower fully leased within a year, he said.

"I wouldn’t say there’s a shortage [of first-class office space downtown] right now," Pace said. "But part of our strategy is, there is a shortage of large blocks of empty space.

"There are many buildings with 5,000 or 10,000 square feet [of unused space]. But there are few that can offer 40,000 to 60,000 in a block," he said.