Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 3

[jedikermit]

Originally Posted by Orlando

Great update Viperlord! What line of work are you in?

Ninja. Clearly ninja.

[utenation]

Originally Posted by Makid

The idea behind the Shilo location is that it would cause the tower to be substantially tall. I can say from my own estimations that it would be between 550' and 650' depending on the design and layout of the suites. The height was based on the 1000 room level. The RFP I think will state what has been stated in the media of 800 to 1200+ rooms in a single hotel.

800 rooms could give us something over 500' and 1200 rooms could push closer to 700' if the Shilo is the chosen location.
.

If we are talking a truly big boy tower, I would love to see something like the Ritz Carlton in LA... SLC is looking to have the CCH be a true standout.. I say swing for the fences.. Maybe a pipedream. But still.

I love this design and night-time colors.. This is 662 feet.








Source:Wikipedia

[AllOutOfBubbleGum]

Originally Posted by Makid

I should say that OR isn't the only driving factor for a future expansion of the SP. Comic Con is also behind a push as well. The September event will be utilizing the entire exhibit hall of the SP again, like they did with the FanX event. They are also going to utilize some space in the surrounding hotels as well as a way to try to spread out a bit so it doesn't feel so cramped inside.

I don't know how they are going to succeed in spreading it around as they will need something to make people go to the utilized hotels other than just a booth to purchase t-shirts/movie posters or the like. I am interested to see how this will work.

Another interesting thing I found out yesterday is the SP has a capacity for 150 thousand people. Comic-Con expects to have 100 thousand plus at the fall event. This was according to one of the organizers speaking to FOX 13.

I am interested to find out how many people are staying in hotels? How long can they hold it in the SP before they run out of room?

Other then Outdoor Convention and Comic-Con what are the big shows for the SP. off the top of my head

OD-summer - winter
Comic-Con
FanX
Hunting and Conservation Expo.
USANA convention -- Other MLM's

These are just the consistent shows. There has got to be more, I'm just basing it off of when my parking spot is taken during the year.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by AllOutOfBubbleGum

Another interesting thing I found out yesterday is the SP has a capacity for 150 thousand people. Comic-Con expects to have 100 thousand plus at the fall event. This was according to one of the organizers speaking to FOX 13.

I am interested to find out how many people are staying in hotels? How long can they hold it in the SP before they run out of room?

Other then Outdoor Convention and Comic-Con what are the big shows for the SP. off the top of my head

OD-summer - winter
Comic-Con
FanX
Hunting and Conservation Expo.
USANA convention -- Other MLM's

These are just the consistent shows. There has got to be more, I'm just basing it off of when my parking spot is taken during the year.

Adobe ( I believe ) also has yearly conventions. That seems to draw a lot of people.

[Future Mayor]

Those conventions listed are important but don't forget, that a Major component of needing the CCH is the many conventions that don't book at the Salt Palace every year because we don't have a CCH.

[Orlando]

Originally Posted by delts145

Whaaat!! The Shilo Inn site. We all kind of dismissed that site a long time ago as too small. So, I'll be super interested now to hear how that site is going to work. Do you guys think there's going to be more demolition than just the immediate hotel and parking garage? Perhaps stretching down 200 So.?

I certainly hope not. There are some very nice older buildings and cafes and nightclubs along that stretch, and not to mention all the charming older buildings along Pierpont avenue. If they tear down the Shilo and contain it to just the Shilo Inn site for the tower, it would make for a much taller tower. But, where would they put the convention part of the tower. Maybe they would put the parking garage for the hotel on the empty lot to the south of the hotel and on the other side of Pierpont Avenue. Oops. I just saw DMTower's diagram. That's exactly what I'm thinking. With retail on the streel level of the parking garage.

Also, I agree with Projects, that one benefit of having it along West Temple is the wall that it will help to create. We will have 99 West, Marriott Hotel, DoubleTree Hotel, the new Courthouse, Air 7, and the new Convention Hotel. Should be quite nice.

[Comrade]

Well, if, and I still feel it'll be a big if, SLC gets a 700 footer for its convention center hotel, that would give them the third tallest tower (not counting Stratosphere in Vegas) in the region - with Denver's 1801 California and Republic Plaza being taller (barely). SLC's tallest would be taller than Phoenix's, Las Vegas' (again, not counting Stratosphere) and, though not really in our region, Portland's.

So, that's something...

[Orlando]

I certainly hope we do not get a 700 foot tall tower. That would be so out of place in SLC. A 500 footer would be great, but even then it might stand out like a sore thumb. I'ld rather see a 400 to 500 foot tower, and then add an additional tower later on on the lot to the south across Pierpont or at RWP.

Btw, I don't think ComicCon or FanX have been here long enough to be a strong determinant for the size of need of the hotel. It could be the cool thing now, but what about ten years from now? Will we really see 100k+ people attending it? Also, how many of those are just local yocals who won't be staying at a hotel? Probably the vast majority. I know what Delts would say, "I bet we'll see even 200k or even 300k more people. I think we will need (3) 700 foot tall towers in ten to twenty years from now!!" Just teasing Delts. I really do appreciate your enthusiasm for SLC.

[Orlando]

Here's a quick photoshop massing image of all the new buildings proposed in downtown SLC.

[Palladio]

I hate to completely jump subject all of the sudden, seeing as I'm really enjoying all of this CHH talk but...

Does anyone know what is happening on 21st in Sugarhouse? I just got back from Utrecht and Sugarhouse Coffee and I feel like 50% of the trees on 21st have been chopped down. Not going to lie, it makes the whole street feel much more exposed and open--not in a good way.

Anyone know if there was a particular reason for this?

Also, does anyone have photo updates of some of the Sugarhouse developments? I'd post some myself, but surprisingly enough my summer architectural design class at the U is already kicking my butt.

[Makid]

For the other conventions that are currently passing Salt Lake by due to no CCH... The majority of them are 20,000 plus attendees.

Also, the owner of OR has stated in the past that if Salt Lake got a CCH, they would start moving more of their conventions to the Salt Palace as the area fits their overall brands better than Las Vegas.

The first show they would bring was stated to be a twice a year show with average attendance of just over 30,000 each. Based on OR's numbers, these 2 additional shows would bring in roughly $50 Million to the Salt Lake area. That is a large amount from just the 2 conventions. Just think if Salt Lake landed even 20% of those that passed us by in the past.

This is why I think once the CCH is under construction we will hear about another larger hotel being built as the demand will increase. I do think that it will be an addition that will further tip the balance in the favor of SLC for development and corporate expansion.

[jmonkey]

Palladio, I believe they have started the Monument Plaza redesign, but it is an absolute war-zone right now. They cut all the tops off the trees on the sidewalks a couple of weeks ago. This week, they have been tearing out the concrete all around the monument, and they were removing the trees on the island, although I think they were transplanting these trees somewhere else. All the sidewalks around Sugarhouse Crossing are still closed, and now all of Monument plaza is ripped apart and closed. Half of my lunch-time walks just got diverted across the very unsafe crosswalk at McClelland and 2100 South. I generally don't feel like risking my life crossing the street for lunch though.

I haven't done any photo updates lately. I was checking out the exterior finish on the south side of Liberty Village the other day, and it looks very nice. Nice red brick to contrast with all the nearby orange brick, and very nice looking stone around the first floor windows and doorways.

[delts145]

I'm looking forward to your update jmonkey. Sounds like Liberty is turning out very nice. I like the palette and choice of finish materials you described. As aloways, the description of all the action at Sugar House is very exciting.

[Utaaah!]

As Viper mentioned, here's more detail on the Beehive Brick Building redo. I really like to see these old buildings re-purposed -- it helps the city retain the little character it still has.

Salt Lake’s Beehive Brick Building to become studios, residences


Photo courtesy of The Salt Lake Tribune

[utenation]

Originally Posted by Orlando

I certainly hope we do not get a 700 foot tall tower. That would be so out of place in SLC. A 500 footer would be great, but even then it might stand out like a sore thumb. I'ld rather see a 400 to 500 foot tower, and then add an additional tower later on on the lot to the south across Pierpont or at RWP.

I don't think a 500+ footer would be out of place at all.. A 700 footer, probably.

My theory is, once you break the seal, the game is on for the tallest. SLC is loaded with 300+ foot towers.. It's time to go vertical.. Once this happens, all the infill will be a great compliment..

SLC is due.. The demand is there..

[jedikermit]

Originally Posted by Orlando

I certainly hope we do not get a 700 foot tall tower. That would be so out of place in SLC. A 500 footer would be great, but even then it might stand out like a sore thumb. I'ld rather see a 400 to 500 foot tower, and then add an additional tower later on on the lot to the south across Pierpont or at RWP.

Btw, I don't think ComicCon or FanX have been here long enough to be a strong determinant for the size of need of the hotel. It could be the cool thing now, but what about ten years from now? Will we really see 100k+ people attending it? Also, how many of those are just local yocals who won't be staying at a hotel? Probably the vast majority. I know what Delts would say, "I bet we'll see even 200k or even 300k more people. I think we will need (3) 700 foot tall towers in ten to twenty years from now!!" Just teasing Delts. I really do appreciate your enthusiasm for SLC.

I agree with all of those things. I don't want a 700 foot tower (but 500 would be nice), and ComicCon & FanX could either be a flash in the pan or unsustainable at those numbers. The article linked to yesterday morning touted that attendees came from 40 different states, but the vast majority of people I talked to at the LEGO display (and I talked to hundreds over the three days, pimping BrickSlopes), were local. I can see ComicCon "settling down" to an annual thing for around 70,000 people, but most of those would be Wasatch Front nerds, instead of exotic Colorado nerds. All based entirely on my opinion, no facts. Cuz that's how I roll.

[jedikermit]

...and RE: the Shilo Inn location for the CCH, as a conference attendee, I would love it. Much rather have it there for access to the SP.

As a Salt Lake resident, I think it would be a missed opportunity to bridge the Main Street-to-Gateway gap, as we've discussed here at length. And hopefully they could build the hotel and convention space on the same footprint as Shilo--I would hate to lose some of those older buildings adjacent to it. Plus, more height.

[Comrade]

I don't even think a 700 footer would stand out too much.

Of course, it might depend on the angle of the skyline.

[Orlando]

[delts145]

Well sure, it stands out a little, but it's not anywhere near as awkward as Devin in OK City. LOL, Hey, if they were to give SLC a 700ft. slender iconic tower, I certainly wouldn't be whining about the aesthetic balance of the skyline. I would love to have the opportunity to complain about when we'll get the next one for the approoopriate visual balance darrrling...laadiidaa...

That's interesting to note Makid. I don't recall us ever having that pointed out as far as additional conventions from the OR.

Originally Posted by Makid

For the other conventions that are currently passing Salt Lake by due to no CCH... The majority of them are 20,000 plus attendees.

Also, the owner of OR has stated in the past that if Salt Lake got a CCH, they would start moving more of their conventions to the Salt Palace as the area fits their overall brands better than Las Vegas.

The first show they would bring was stated to be a twice a year show with average attendance of just over 30,000 each. Based on OR's numbers, these 2 additional shows would bring in roughly $50 Million to the Salt Lake area. That is a large amount from just the 2 conventions. Just think if Salt Lake landed even 20% of those that passed us by in the past.

This is why I think once the CCH is under construction we will hear about another larger hotel being built as the demand will increase. I do think that it will be an addition that will further tip the balance in the favor of SLC for development and corporate expansion.