Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 3

[UTPlanner]

Just to speak about the new parking regulations quickly. These new regulations apply citywide so there are now parking maximums in all zones and not just downtown.

Though I definitely agree with the idea there has already been siginifican pushback from large retailers that would like to expand their parking lots that already exceed the parking maximum and now will be unable to do that. For example, Costco has been in and they're looking to expand their building and parking lot. They are able to expand the store but not add additional parking.

[jimmycdii]

Originally Posted by UTPlanner

Just to speak about the new parking regulations quickly. These new regulations apply citywide so there are now parking maximums in all zones and not just downtown.

Though I definitely agree with the idea there has already been siginifican pushback from large retailers that would like to expand their parking lots that already exceed the parking maximum and now will be unable to do that. For example, Costco has been in and they're looking to expand their building and parking lot. They are able to expand the store but not add additional parking.

Can't someone just take a picture of the empty spots in their lot and point out to them that they'll now be able to save money b/c they won't have to spend it on parking?

[delts145]

Sorry guys if this seems like a dumb question off of the top of my head this morning. I haven't read alot into this topic yet.The first question that came to mind was does this only apply to surface parking, but not the construction of a multi-story parking terrace? I mean, could someone like Costco conceivably apply for a multi-level terrace, instead of expanding their surface lot?

[UTPlanner]

Delts, you could not do that. The parking maximum is based on a total count of parking stalls. For most of the city's residents or businesses it really has a negligent impact but for big box retailers who are infamous for overparking it will have a huge effect. I personally like the idea. I hate driving by giant parking lots that were constructed for 2 or 3 days of crazy Christmas shopping and generally sit mostly empty. It will hopefully encourage a more dense development on those sites.

[delts145]

Thanks UTPlanner. Here in Central L.A. the big box retailers now conform to multi level stores and parking, and up to the curb construction. Of course, that would be the hopeful outcome for Salt Lake City also.

[ajiuO]

Does anyone know when they are going to start selling the phase 2 units at Broadway Park lofts? I went and looked at them when they were auctioning off phase 1.. They were kind of cool... There is a website that says that the heating system there sucks though.. I wonder if they were able to work that out with the new phase units.

The top floor units had roof access.. I kind of wonder what the big corner units will look like.

Phase 1 units usually sale for around 200k.. I wonder what phase 2 will go for.. Its to bad we don't have more loft and / or condo developments in that price rang down town.. Would probably bring a lot of people in

[SLC Projects]

Grand America owner acquires downtown Salt Lake Flower Patch
http://m.sltrib.com/sltrib/mobile3/57241353-219/flower-lake-salt-patch.html.csp


I wonder what the owners have in store with that land?

[Future Mayor]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

Grand America owner acquires downtown Salt Lake Flower Patch
http://m.sltrib.com/sltrib/mobile3/57241353-219/flower-lake-salt-patch.html.csp


I wonder what the owners have in store with that land?

Even way back when they first went through the fight, that if the Grand America did get the property that they should extend the interior halls to the NE corner and have a flower shop at the corner with both an interior and exterior entrance. I think it's a great location for a flower shop, being right on 500 S, and people are headed home from work and think to themselves "Crap it's my anniversary(or wife's birthday) and I didn't get my wife anything, I'll at least get her some flowers."

Although I don't see them doing that as the area of the hotel closest to the corner is convention space, and the parcel is pretty small.

I wonder if they could fit in another room building there, maybe something short like the two on the south or maybe a tall skinny building? If they are going to replace the current building (which I'm sure they are), it would be nice to have some height there. Even if just a room tower at 6-8 stories.

[jimmycdii]

Originally Posted by ajiuO

Does anyone know when they are going to start selling the phase 2 units at Broadway Park lofts? I went and looked at them when they were auctioning off phase 1.. They were kind of cool... There is a website that says that the heating system there sucks though.. I wonder if they were able to work that out with the new phase units.

The top floor units had roof access.. I kind of wonder what the big corner units will look like.

Phase 1 units usually sale for around 200k.. I wonder what phase 2 will go for.. Its to bad we don't have more loft and / or condo developments in that price rang down town.. Would probably bring a lot of people in

I live in a phase 1 unit. The Phase 2 units are coming along, but very slowly (Clearwater seems to follow the La Porte school of construction speediness). When I moved in I was told they'd be done in the spring, then the summer, and then pretty much every month after that. I doubt they'll really be done before spring/summer 2014.

The corner units are pretty cool. If you can get into the building now, you can wander around in the construction area and check them out. They're not done of course, but they're close enough that you get a sense of what they're like. They're very big, and have lots of windows and whatnot.

As far as the heaters go, I think they'll have a hard time fixing the problem. It's not that the heaters themselves are bad, it's that an entire wall of the unit is windows/a glass garage door type thing. So, they look really cool, but they're not very well insulated. I can usually feel a cold breeze blowing in from multiple spots on my garage door window. We've had a hard time getting the temperature above 61, and that's with running the heater nonstop (w/ a $200 utility bill). It's not a huge deal for us as we tend to keep our homes cool, but I know that is a complaint that many people have had.

There is one unit for sale right now in the Phase 1 area. I think it's listed for $199,900, but I also think they're willing to go down 5-10K. I also overheard a realtor who was showing that unit saying something about the Phase 2 units being the same price.

Hope that helps.

[ajiuO]

Originally Posted by jimmycdii

I live in a phase 1 unit. The Phase 2 units are coming along, but very slowly (Clearwater seems to follow the La Porte school of construction speediness). When I moved in I was told they'd be done in the spring, then the summer, and then pretty much every month after that. I doubt they'll really be done before spring/summer 2014.

The corner units are pretty cool. If you can get into the building now, you can wander around in the construction area and check them out. They're not done of course, but they're close enough that you get a sense of what they're like. They're very big, and have lots of windows and whatnot.

As far as the heaters go, I think they'll have a hard time fixing the problem. It's not that the heaters themselves are bad, it's that an entire wall of the unit is windows/a glass garage door type thing. So, they look really cool, but they're not very well insulated. I can usually feel a cold breeze blowing in from multiple spots on my garage door window. We've had a hard time getting the temperature above 61, and that's with running the heater nonstop (w/ a $200 utility bill). It's not a huge deal for us as we tend to keep our homes cool, but I know that is a complaint that many people have had.

There is one unit for sale right now in the Phase 1 area. I think it's listed for $199,900, but I also think they're willing to go down 5-10K. I also overheard a realtor who was showing that unit saying something about the Phase 2 units being the same price.

Hope that helps.

Yikes.. That sounds like my utility bill in the summer.. I have greenhouse windows... Do they allow you to replace the garage doors with something else?

That was one of my big concerns when looking at the place... They look cool.. But.

I think my other issue was not having a tub... I'm sure there is a solution to that though... I bet they are nice in the summer.

The south facing ones probably won't have as big of a problem with heating... I have large south facing windows and have actually had to use AC in the winter.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

Even way back when they first went through the fight, that if the Grand America did get the property that they should extend the interior halls to the NE corner and have a flower shop at the corner with both an interior and exterior entrance. I think it's a great location for a flower shop, being right on 500 S, and people are headed home from work and think to themselves "Crap it's my anniversary(or wife's birthday) and I didn't get my wife anything, I'll at least get her some flowers."

Although I don't see them doing that as the area of the hotel closest to the corner is convention space, and the parcel is pretty small.

I wonder if they could fit in another room building there, maybe something short like the two on the south or maybe a tall skinny building? If they are going to replace the current building (which I'm sure they are), it would be nice to have some height there. Even if just a room tower at 6-8 stories.

It seems like for the price they probably had to pay for that plot, they're definitely going to need to use it for something more than just the flower shop. I can't imagine a flower shop only, ever returning that type of investment within a reasonable amount of time. I hope some type of tower configuration could work for that corner.

[JMK]

I thought it was interesting that the Flower Patch was a biker bar before Greg Parrish purchased it

Originally purchased in February 1986, Parrish said he remembers the day he bought it.

"It had five motorcycles sitting out on the corner and two toilets,” he said.

After sprucing up the property from what had been a biker bar, he commented that holding onto that location was very profitable over the years.

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=27980045&nid=148...nd-america&fm=home_page&s_cid=featured-2

[Future Mayor]

Originally Posted by delts145

It seems like for the price they probably had to pay for that plot, they're definitely going to need to use it for something more than just the flower shop. I can't imagine a flower shop only, ever returning that type of investment within a reasonable amount of time. I hope some type of tower configuration could work for that corner.

I didn't mean solely a flower shop, but that whatever they do with it, include a flower shop on that corner. I should have explained that a little better.

[T-Mac]

I am wondering if Grand America has plans for a couple of additional towers on the Flower Patch corner and on the corner of 600 South and State as well. Both of those corners look like the same footprint and with being on a corner in downtown, does this have the same height requirement of 100'? Just a thought.

[Orlando]

The original plans called for a 14 story office tower mid-block on 500 south. That was dependent on the sale of the Flower Patch, which, of course, didn't happen. I saw the original renderings. It looked very classy. It was clad in the same white stone, but a little more simple.

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by Orlando

The original plans called for a 14 story office tower mid-block on 500 south. That was dependent on the sale of the Flower Patch, which, of course, didn't happen. I saw the original renderings. It looked very classy. It was clad in the same white stone, but a little more simple.

I used to work at the Grand America in marketing and pr. The Executive Tower wasn't an office tower. It was going to be full of executive suites, there would be access to office amenities, but it wasn't a regular office tower. It actually depended on the sale of the pawn shop and the Flower Patch both, but almost more so the pawn shop because the Executive Tower was going to be on 600 S.

I think most likely, they'll demolish the Flower Patch, landscape it and perhaps expand slightly the parking lot behind it. That parking lot is used by event managers to bring in items for events in the ballroom there. The parking lot wasn't part of the original plans, but has come in handy.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

I didn't mean solely a flower shop, but that whatever they do with it, include a flower shop on that corner. I should have explained that a little better.

Of course not, I was agreeing with you. I'm the one who should have explained a little better. Basically, I'm hoping for a lean tower too. A flower shop at the street level would be great, but we'll probably get what Stenar is talking about.

[Future Mayor]

I'm all ready to give my regarding the Alta Gateway project at the Planning Commission tonight.

[ToysNoiz]

Tell 'em how it is, Future Mayor.

[Future Mayor]

I had just a little over two pages of comments to express, but due to the time limits that everyone has, I was only about to get through 1/3 of one, next time I'll e-mail my comments.

I brought up the issue that contrary to the staff analysis, it does seem to make a nearly 500' wall effect on 500 W, and combined this with Liberty Gateway and the Storage place, that makes three buildings on the west side of 500 W all at or very near 50' tall. I suggested that the developer should have raised the height by one or two stories at the corner, with step downs along 500 W allowing for a narrower building North to South and creating room for an E/W mid-block walkway. One Commission Member brought up his desire for an E/W mid-block access, prior to me bringing it up.

The architect responded by saying that taller than the current 4 story proposal would have changed the construction model and would have priced the development out . He also defended there 2-3 foot differentiation from the sidewalk along the length, and minor differences in height as plenty of visual stimulation. He also said that the entrance on the corner, the three garage doors and 2-3 more first floor exits, along with the first floor patios, would activate the street.

The Planning Commission approved the development. There really isn't much that could be done, as staff and the architect felt the Wall Effect wasn't going to happen, because other than that, it met the a Planned Development in the Gateway area.


The PC also approved Seasons at Denver St. It scored high enough in the transit zone scoring that it only needed administrative approval. However it had to go to the planning commission because the rear setback was is smaller than ordinance allows.


The PC also approved the Eco-lofts, approx 420 S 900 East (Kiwanas). This too scored high enough to only require administrative approval, but due to the canal at the front end of the property the building would encroach into the rear setback and thus needed to go before the PC. FYI, this will be Silver LEED.


Even though I don't love the 500' wall on the Alta project I am happy to see three new residential developments being built, particularly in the Gateway area, and along the University Trax line.