Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 3

[downtownslcresident]

Those pictures are really great, projects! Thank you so much!

[Old&New]

Originally Posted by Old&New

How about this for a Fair Park Master Plan:

Current site layout:


My proposal:


Real Minor and the Public can pool the money to accomplish the first phase, where a new rodeo is built and the current rodeo bleachers become part of the minor league soccer stadium.

Then, when Real Major Needs a new Stadium, they can build a new stadium on the current rodeo site at the Fair Park, which will not displace the new rodeo, and Real Minor can take over the stadium in Sandy.

Any thoughts on this?

[jedikermit]

^^^

Old&New, I really love it...both the overall plan and the plan to phase it in so it doesn't disrupt the traditional fair/rodeo activities. I do wonder how much it will disrupt the neighborhood directly to the north, although they're already disrupted every time there's a large event at the fairpark anyway.

[AllOutOfBubbleGum]

Originally Posted by jedikermit

^^^

Old&New, I really love it...both the overall plan and the plan to phase it in so it doesn't disrupt the traditional fair/rodeo activities. I do wonder how much it will disrupt the neighborhood directly to the north, although they're already disrupted every time there's a large event at the fairpark anyway.

Never underestimate locals whining about developments. San Jose earthquakes are finishing up their stadium right now and the neighbors whined about it being too big and too loud. You would think that's something to consider until you realize they are building it right next to a Freaken AIRPORT.

[DMTower]

It looks great, but it would be easier to appreciate if I knew what it looked like right now. I'm too lazy to look it up.

[JMK]

Photo Update: Capitol Theatre Ballet West Expansion

[Old&New]

I love this development!

Originally Posted by jedikermit

^^^

Old&New, I really love it...both the overall plan and the plan to phase it in so it doesn't disrupt the traditional fair/rodeo activities. I do wonder how much it will disrupt the neighborhood directly to the north, although they're already disrupted every time there's a large event at the fairpark anyway.

That is a real concern. I'm guessing by then the neighborhood would already be used to soccer games being played at the Fair Park. My logic was that a MLS Pro stadium would bring an additional sense of pride to that neighborhood, as well as much needed capital, development, and other amenities long over-due in the neighborhood.

Originally Posted by DMTower

It looks great, but it would be easier to appreciate if I knew what it looked like right now. I'm too lazy to look it up.

I added a pic of the current areal view.

[UTPlanner]

I just went by the Newhouse Apartments, just south of Smiths on 500 South and the front is almost completely bricked up. I like the dark, charcoal color of the brick but I'm not a fan of the pale yellow paneling on the side. I'm not sure why they would choose such a muted color as an accent color.

Also the Seasons at Library have framed up 2 floors on the parking garage. It looks like they also purchased the small office building adjacent to their project.

[asies1981]

Photo updates on various projects in Salt Lake. I agree that the yellow is a poor choice for the Newhouse as you will see in the pictures. http://www.theslcblog.org/?p=688

[ToysNoiz]

That yellow....

I like crimson red.

[Boz]

Bill: I dunno, Bob... What color should we paint this thing?

Bob: Banana yellow, Bill. Banana yellow.

[ToysNoiz]

[delts145]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

USL PRO
"The USL Professional Division, commonly known as USL Pro (stylized USL PRO), is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. USL Pro is sanctioned as a Division III Professional League by United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer), placing it under Major League Soccer (Division I) and the North American Soccer League (Division II) in the hierarchy."

"In January 2013, USL and MLS reached an agreement to integrate USL Pro league competition with the MLS Reserve League, primarily to improve player development in North America, strengthen league competition and build ties between divisions in the American soccer pyramid. This multi-year deal encourages MLS and USL Pro team affiliations and player loans, and it will lead to more games for teams and developing players."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USL_Pro

So basically all MLS teams will have it's own USL PRO teams within a few years. RSL needs this if they want to keep up with the other MLS teams.
During the last year or so RSL have been signing a few home grown players they have down in their RSL-Arizona Academy. Right now RSL has around five or six homegrown players ( kids who are 17 or 18 ) on their main roster who are unlikely to get any playing time. This is why having a local USL PRO team will be great for us. It will give these kids a chance to continue to develop and get them plenty of playing time and if the 1st RSL team needs anybody due to injuries or whatnot, they can take who they need from this new team.

I've never heard anywhere that the fairgrounds would have to move due to this stadium. All the renderings I've seen has the stadium on what is now the north parking lot with all the other fairground buildings around it. If anything this will help the fairgrounds by bringing people to the grounds year around. Not just a few weeks out of the year.

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

Plus a new complete rodeo grounds and a convention center.

"A multiphase study by architectural firm CRSA noted that a sports complex would be part of a bevy of improvements estimated at $47 million that are necessary for the Fairpark to be financially viable.

The stadium, combined with a completed rodeo grounds and convention center, would help turn the Fairpark into a 365-day-a-year venue rather than the sporadic offering of events that occur now.

All excellent points Projects, and I agree enthusiastically. IMO, the stadium will be a big plus in keeping the fairgrounds viable and in place. That, and with the much needed improvements in the rodeo grounds and the addition of the convention center will finally put the fairgrounds on much a firmer footing.
.

[brankrom]

That's some huge convention space, just look at the size compared to the ballroom.

I've been to few small conventions at South Towne and that place dwarfs some of the events they hold there.

Regarding the RSL minor stadium... the whole thing just seems ass backwards why put the major league stadium in the burbs and the minor league development league stadium in the capitol city?

Not being a soccer fan I don't know what kind of draw these MLS development leagues are especially when they are in the same market... Is every RSL game selling out to make people want to see a not so good facsimile? Will the seasons be concurrent with the RSL season with the accompanying boatload of games?

I lived in Santa Ana (Orange County) for 3 years and there was one of these minor league stadiums in downtown Santa Ana and it was a big draw during the season and it was a pretty nice facility. Only difference is it was in the days prior to MLS.

[DCRes]

I noticed yesterday some equipment on the Air Center site and that the land looked to be all leveled. This is the first movement we've seen in a while.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by brankrom

That's some huge convention space, just look at the size compared to the ballroom.

I've been to few small conventions at South Towne and that place dwarfs some of the events they hold there.

Regarding the RSL minor stadium... the whole thing just seems ass backwards why put the major league stadium in the burbs and the minor league development league stadium in the capitol city?

Not being a soccer fan I don't know what kind of draw these MLS development leagues are especially when they are in the same market... Is every RSL game selling out to make people want to see a not so good facsimile? Will the seasons be concurrent with the RSL season with the accompanying boatload of games?

I lived in Santa Ana (Orange County) for 3 years and there was one of these minor league stadiums in downtown Santa Ana and it was a big draw during the season and it was a pretty nice facility. Only difference is it was in the days prior to MLS.

Yes it does seem backwards, but you have to remember all the BS politics that went into the placement of Rio Tinto Stadium and how to fund it. Unlike Dell Loy Hansen who is the owner of RSL now who has much deeper pockets Dave Checketts was the owner and founder of RSL and he wasn't willing to pay for the whole development and wanted the state to pay for most of it. Salt Lake County mayor Peter Corroon kept f**king up every stadium proposal that came across his desk. Lucky for us we had good leadership in Jon Huntsman Jr and Rocky Anderson as well as other who pulled an all nighter to keep RSL here in Utah after Checketts made threats about moving the team out of state to St Louis ( Real St Louis RSL ) if a stadium deal wasn't reach. It was a crazy few days where one moment a deal was reach, then the deal was dropped and the team will be moving, to another deal was reach to no it wasn't.
So basically it was either Sandy or St Louis and even Rocky Anderson ( who wanted it in his city of Salt Lake ) helped with moving the plans forward for the Sandy site. Better Sandy then out of state.
If you want to blame anybody for it not being downtown or Salt Lake blame Peter Corroon. At least Checketts is no longer the owner and Dell Loy Hansen who has much deeper pockets as I already stated even came out and said that he will fund 100% of this minor stadium for this new team.

[SLC Projects]

Denver has a fun thread going on right now. "What five blocks would you redevelop" So I thought I would ask that same question, only pick one or two blocks instead of five.

"What Salt Lake City block or blocks would you redevelop?

For me I think I would go with the big parking lot block that is on Main, 400 South, West Temple and 500 South. I would development a newhouse hotel look a like for the north east corner. South of that I would place a six story apartment building with retail facing main. ( always felt main street needed more housing ) then to the west of that I would place a bowling allay or maybe some kind of a plaza.

[asies1981]

Post on the Outdoor Retailers Market since they start tomorrow and we have partially have them to thank for a possible new tallest skyscraper, lol. http://www.theslcblog.org/?p=710

[asies1981]

Originally Posted by brankrom

Seeing all these huge boxes of apartments (I really like the density and the designs aren't half bad either)> But what downtown REALLY needs now, in addition to what is currently planned, are some row homes, brownstones.
We've seen a few row homes at 300 S 700 E and 500 N 300 W in Marmalade but row homes seem to be almost ignored.


Almost all the row home the modern industrial style. I like the modern stuff but some of the exterior finishes look really cheap. Whoever thought the corrugated metal look was cool for residential neighborhoods? I could see using it in a RDA with industrial properties in the 9 Line area, but I'm seeing it used on tear downs in Yalecrest and 9th and 9th neighborhoods. It seems Daybreak like the corrugated metal look too.

Another good example are the townhomes at 1700 South and 900 East

[SLC Projects]

111 South Main's Crane

Photo from ToysNoiz