Provo MSA Development Thread

[i-215]

New renderings for the University Place (University Mall redevelopment) project.

http://econdev.orem.org/Orem/Featured-Real-Estate-/University-Place

[Neuroguy]

So, it looks like RC Wiley is filling in the old Nordstrom location, or at least according to this version. Interesting….

[SLC Projects]

This is what I think Sandy City needs to do with South Towne Mall. Big improvement overall.

[StevenF]

This is a lot closer to what the original architect of the mall wanted back in the 60s. He wanted to bring urban style shopping to the suburbs with housing and office close by. His full idea was never finished and the mall turned into a large shopping area surrounded by parking.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by Neuroguy

So, it looks like RC Wiley is filling in the old Nordstrom location, or at least according to this version. Interesting….

Yeah, they made a big announcement on RC Wiley moving to the Mall a while back. I think it's a good fit for that particular mall. I like the look of many of the mid-rises. It would be cool if this eventually evolves into a Century City, L.A. type situation, with a hub of high rises also. I think that's an excellent location for a dense downtown, that could also expand along State and 1300.

[goldcntry]

I like it! And yes, this would be an excellent template for South Towne Mall... almost an instant TOD.

[JMK]

New Utah themepark will be interactive and immersive

KSL
Amanda Taylor
May 22nd, 2014

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=30003054&nid=1205&fm=home_page&s_cid=toppick1

PLEASANT GROVE — The new 45-acre Evermore Adventure Park is a never-before-seen type of interactive, ever-changing theme park.

It's a trip back in time, to Victorian England with a fantastical twist. The park will be a choose-your-own adventure experience, with options for guests who want to explore and immerse themselves in the environment.

Besides featuring interactive entertainment, the Victorian park will change with the seasons.

“During summer, Evermore will present ‘Carnival of Wonders,’ featuring acrobatics, dance theater and music,” Salt Lake Magazine said. “Things get spooky during the Halloween season with ‘Ripper's Cove,’ a haunt encompassing all five sections of the park. And during the holidays, An Evermore Christmas welcomes guests into a Dickens-style winter wonderland.”

The Daily Herald reported founder Ken Bretschneider and his team have been working on the project for two years, and they are hoping to start building this summer. They aim to open Phase 1 of the park next summer.

“This is taking a quaint European village and plopping it in the middle of Utah,” Bretschneider told Salt Lake Magazine.

To enhance the experience, making guests feel like they have truly entered another world, the actors who are employees in the park will be responsible for acting out different stories for visitors to become a part of. The ambitious project will have a town square, ice cream parlor, three restaurants, a lake with an island and a Victorian hotel that will be open to guests.

“The closest thing you're going to find is Disneyland, and Disneyland is an amazing place, but it's not Evermore,” Bretschneider told Salt Lake Magazine. “It's not what we're trying to do here, and that's to create a completely embedded, immersive adventure park where you get to kind of choose different adventures and live them out. You can go as deep down the rabbit hole as you want, and you can go very deep.”

[Future Mayor]

Do we know where in PG it's going to be located? According to google maps, PG ends at I-15, so where on the east side of I-15 is there 45 available acres. One thing that bothers me is that there is FrontRunner station close to PG so it's obviously not going to be overly convenient for transit access.

[i-215]

I'm highly skeptical this "Evermore" thing is actually going to be built completed. Who is financing the project?

[Future Mayor]

Originally Posted by i-215

I'm highly skeptical this "Evermore" thing is actually going to be built completed. Who is financing the project?

Ditto!!!!!!!

[Neuroguy]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

Do we know where in PG it's going to be located? According to google maps, PG ends at I-15, so where on the east side of I-15 is there 45 available acres. One thing that bothers me is that there is FrontRunner station close to PG so it's obviously not going to be overly convenient for transit access.

From what I found in looking into this park awhile back, on the plot of land to the north and east of the junction between Pleasant Grove Blvd and 7280 N. There is a Hee Haw's farm (i.e., pumpkin patch/corn maze) there now. Evermore has their website up and they talk about a pumpkin carving contest this past year, so I wonder if they own or are associated with Hee Haw's already.

[mobius42]

The daily herald says the address is 550 s. North county blvd.

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/no...941ed-1d9b-5bd0-84e5-1a46824a8b7e.html#0

Like neuroguy said that would put it next to Hee Haw's.

A couple hundred trees were placed right next to the Hee haw's property that are still in pots/burlap. It looks like it should be for a nursery. I've been told those are supposed to be for Evermore. Interesting that they'd bring trees before anything else has been done.

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by i-215

I'm highly skeptical this "Evermore" thing is actually going to be built completed. Who is financing the project?

One of the main people behind Evermore is the guy building the Air Hotel.

[delts145]

Two Of The Nations Five Fastest Growing Cities Are Along The Wasatch Front.

"Utah had two of the top five: South Jordan, at No. 3, and Lehi, at No. 5."

Gardens at Thanksgiving Point - Lehi


By Jesse J. Holland - Associated Press

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765653835/Census-Texas-has-3-of-5-fast-growing-cities.html?pg=1

.

[KPBDEV]

Hi my name is Ken Bretschneider. I'm the lead developer behind the new AIR Center/Hotel project and Evermore Adventure Park. I wanted to provide additional details about Evermore below.

We have currently acquired 45 acres east off of the I-15 Pleasant Grove Blvd. exit. Our property spans both North County Blvd and Pleasant Grove Blvd. Around and behind the new Holiday gas station.

Phase 1 construction should start around August or September of this year (depending on permitting, etc.) and be completed within 12 to 14 months following. We have over 1,500 mature trees on the property that will go into the Phase 1 landscaping.

Phase 2 construction will overlap Phase 1 and is expected to be completed by early fall of 2016. Phase 2 represents full operations of the park. There will also be a Phase 3 which represents construction of a full service Victorian styled Hotel, Theater and additional attractions.

Evermore is what we are calling an Adventure Park. Think of a hybrid between a theme park and event center. Evermore will present immersive entertainment experiences by using state of the art AV technologies, and world class craftsmanship in theatrical design (architectural, sets, props, makeup, wardrobe, human puppeteering, animatronics, etc.).

Evermore will operate yearly featuring 3 seasonal festivals (Autumn Fest, Winter Fest and Summer Fest). Within each season we will feature a primary attraction as follows:

• Autumn Fest - Evermore Presents "Ripper's Cove" (the worlds most elaborate haunt experience with 5 massive attractions)

• Winter Fest - Evermore Presents "An Evermore Christmas" (step into a Dickensian styled Christmas celebration and explore a Fantasy Christmas world like no other)

• Summer Fest - Evermore Presents "The Carnival of Wonders" (featuring a series of attractions and events throughout the summer based on fantasy themes from the Victorian era)

Evermore will feature hundreds of events. Evermore is unique in that it will always be changing with each season, providing new entertainment experiences throughout the year.

We are making a large personal investment to make this project happen.

Below are some of the designs and renderings of Evermore Adventure Park:

[Future Mayor]

I figured if we mentioned it enough you'd chime in and let us know more details. Thanks for the information, it does sound very unique and exciting. I hope all goes as planned with your time line.

I do have a question though, do you have any plans to cooperate with UTA or having shuttles from the nearest FrontRunner Station/s?

[jtrent77]

Two things:

1) I think the Evermore idea is very intriguing. But one question about it, how are things looking to ensure that it is actually finished rather than what has happened to the "kneeboard lake" ala point of the mountain with Gehry, or worse the half built housing village in Orem?

2) As far as connections with public transit, I think there should be something Victorian style, the question is what is Victorian style that can transport a lot of people from the Front Runner station to the park? Horse drawn carriages wouldn't be able to do it fast enough....something to ponder.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by jtrent77

Two things:

1) I think the Evermore idea is very intriguing. But one question about it, how are things looking to ensure that it is actually finished rather than what has happened to the "kneeboard lake" ala
point of the mountain with Gehry, or worse the half built housing village in Orem?

2) As far as connections with public transit, I think there should be something Victorian style, the question is what is Victorian style that can transport a lot of people from the Front Runner
station to the park? Horse drawn carriages wouldn't be able to do it fast enough....something to ponder.

I assume Ken will continue to handle Evermore in phases, as investors and attendance enthusiasm will allow. I certainly hope it succeeds, as I think Utah County is an excellent location for this
type of entertainment.

I like your note about the transit Jtrent. I agree, that it would be very cool if shuttle service were of a Victorian design.

Victoria herself reigned up to her death in 1901. There were actually some very cool looking non horse powered autos, trolleys, buses and trains at that dawning decade of the 20th Century.
Below are a few pics of London transport that was en vogue at the time. Wouldn't it be so cool if some type of Victorian styled transport were arranged to shuttle patrons from a
Front Runner station to the complex itself.


http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk


http://www.virtualbook.hull.ac.uk


http://cdn.londonreconnections.com

A modern replica of the era's London Omnibus

http://gb.fotolibra.com



No.23 an open air car. Built in 1901 for the London street railway.

http://www.railroad-line.com

Met Locomotive 1, a restored steam engine, travelled from its sheds near Earl's Court, west London, pulling Victorian carriages, to start a journey from Kensington Olympia to Moorgate.
read more...http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-21003259




"...Passengers travelled in coaches dating from 1892 and 1898." This is where the hundreds of Utah Valley's budding actors would have a field day, dressed in period attire and mixing with
patrons on a Victorian shuttle train. Perhaps, incorporating an Austin or famed Dickens scene into the train shuttle. I can see where Ken would have a lot of enthusiasm for this "Evermore" project.
I hope his enthusiasm will rub off on major investors. This isn't just an everyday amusement park, it's a theme park bordering on a type of Disneyland/Universal mixed with Williamsburg
adventure. Millions of tourists a year are now looking for excuses to make their way to Utah's famed scenery. This would be a wonderful expansion of Utah's tourist venues, not only for the locals,
but for the millions of visitors.


I'm sure there would even be many couples or smaller groups who would love to have their immersive experience by reserving smaller transport, such as these vintage autos,
or even for that matter carriages that are horse drawn.

http://upload.wikimedia.org

[jedikermit]

^^^^^

Love that idea, Delts!

[Old&New]

Delts, If the Draper line were extended down to pleasant grove, the tracks would run very near the Evermore property.