Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 4

[UTPlanner]

Does anybody else find it ironic that people are being so negative about other's perceived negative comments? I certainly do-- and I think we should remember this is a public forum. I welcome other's feedback and commentary. I embrace some of that commentary and I ignore that which I don't find is accurate or helpful.

Someone mentioned a parking lot south of the courthouse. Do you mean the federal courthouse or the Matheson Courthouse? South of the Matheson Courthouse is the Grand America Hotel. There is an empty parking lot southwest of that building on the same block. The SL County DA is going to build a new building on the east portions of the lot and the west portions of the same lot, at the corner, will be a private development of some sort. There are not yet a lot of details about what that may be like but it will occupy the corner of Main Street and 500 South.

South of the federal courthouse there is very large parking lot extending from 400 South to 500 South and Main Street to West Temple. That parking lot was once owned by Earl Holding but is now owned by the LDS Church. I have not heard of any plans in the near future to develop the site.

[bflatflat9]

Originally Posted by UTPlanner

Does anybody else find it ironic that people are being so negative about other's perceived negative comments? I certainly do-- and I think we should remember this is a public forum. I welcome other's feedback and commentary. I embrace some of that commentary and I ignore that which I don't find is accurate or helpful.

Someone mentioned a parking lot south of the courthouse. Do you mean the federal courthouse or the Matheson Courthouse? South of the Matheson Courthouse is the Grand America Hotel. There is an empty parking lot southwest of that building on the same block. The SL County DA is going to build a new building on the east portions of the lot and the west portions of the same lot, at the corner, will be a private development of some sort. There are not yet a lot of details about what that may be like but it will occupy the corner of Main Street and 500 South.

South of the federal courthouse there is very large parking lot extending from 400 South to 500 South and Main Street to West Temple. That parking lot was once owned by Earl Holding but is now owned by the LDS Church. I have not heard of any plans in the near future to develop the site.

UTPlanner---Voice of reason and inside scoops.
Always look forward to these posts.

[Dallas Snob]

Having lived in SLC for 15 years, I feel I have earned the right to comment on this string...but I think 15 years should be the starting point. Anything less and you really have no right to an opinion. BWA-HA-HA!

There was a time when I first started posting years ago that I felt certain people would be down right rude. That they would dismiss comments out-of-hand and almost berate the poster. I haven't seen much of that here for quite a while now.

I have come to know the people on this post as almost religious fanatics (tongue in cheek)...some of them as religiously fanatic about the city as the (unnamed) church they despise. What I like about it, is, that SLC forumer's are rabidly addicted and proud of their city and have higher standards than those of other areas...and they should! What city in the world can boast the breathtaking natural beauty that SLC is surrounded with? Almost none. I know that I took Brigham Young's words "This is the right place" to heart when I lived there, and I wanted it to be the best place it could be. I have found that the landscape almost inspires us to want more, be the best, don't mess it up....and we all know that SLC has in so many ways "messed it up" with those god awful oil refineries and steel mills and sand pits and strip mining...

But the city to me is incredible. When I see the pictures of downtown, I see such a rich kaleidoscope of styles, eras, architecture, expression, and culture that is inspiring to me. No city is immune from the endless expressionless boxes. God knows, in Dallas we have our share and more are built every day. But there are so many gems! I love every tall building in SLC for one reason or another. From the WTC look of the COB to the Gothic stones of the temple, to the curving glass of the Cascade. If they were all the same style, how boring would that be? The consumers eye in SLC is constantly being played with by a plethora of architectural styles and images that blend, mock, flirt and have 🞵🞵🞵 with each other...and the consumer is the one that walks away smoking a cigarette of satisfaction!

No. EMBRACE the diversity of your cities architecture. Challenge the status quo, strive to create something that YOUR generation can be proud of....as generations before you have already done. Some successfully and some not so successful. But let's not make changes to buildings because we don't appreciate the generation in which they were inspired; such as the COB. Let's try to understand their place in history, and as such, their place in the fabric of a truly historic and dynamic and exciting metropolitan engine of the Mountain West.

[jedikermit]

Originally Posted by Dallas Snob

The consumers eye in SLC is constantly being played with by a plethora of architectural styles and images that blend, mock, flirt and have 🞵🞵🞵 with each other...and the consumer is the one that walks away smoking a cigarette of satisfaction!

I know it's only January, but I think that's the Quote of the Year.

[LeVaJe]

The large parking lot south of the federal courthouse is listed under City Creek Reserve, inc and Property Reserve, inc (owned by the LDS Church as UTPlanner said).
It is specifically targeted as the location of a catalyst project in the draft SLC master plan but without a specific plan for the project.

A while ago I was searching for skyline pictures of Salt Lake and found some silhouette images. What was most noticeable, other than the mountains being featured, was that few buildings had a non box silhouette. There are some unique ones but not many. There are some with domes, or points, or terraces on top, but overall they are still a box. What I think the skyline could use the most are buildings with unique shapes, curves, angles, terraces, overhangs, etc., that are prominent in their silhouette.
If Ken is reading this, please try for a unique silhouette for the Air Center.

I also think we need a super tall, narrow and tapered (so as to not obscure too much of the mountains) tower, right in the middle of the skyline. I doubt that would happen any time soon though.

[bflatflat9]

Originally Posted by jedikermit

I know it's only January, but I think that's the Quote of the Year.

Dallas Snob should be a writer for Salt Lake Magazine. Awesome descriptiveness.
You know it's all relative though.
Compared to San Fran, it's a huge overstatement, but to other places, mostly smaller, it's the part of the chapter that you remember most.
And have you noticed that ex-SL'ers glow with pride speaking of their jilted lover.
Actually, I've heard bashing too.
I used to love her, but I had to kill her....

[Dallas Snob]

Originally Posted by jedikermit

I know it's only January, but I think that's the Quote of the Year.

Flattery will get you everywhere...and thank you for that compliment! Maybe it's because I borrowed the entire DVD series of 🞵🞵🞵 and the City and have been watching them this week; so my writing is tending towards to 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵. You should see the emails I'm sending out at my CPA firm!

[LeVaJe]

So a while ago there was a discussion about what to do with the homeless in Salt Lake, well The Daily Show just did a segment about why there are now no homeless in Salt Lake.

[arkhitektor]

Originally Posted by LeVaJe

I also think we need a super tall, narrow and tapered (so as to not obscure too much of the mountains) tower, right in the middle of the skyline. I doubt that would happen any time soon though.

I found this old college sketchup project on a forgotten hard drive the other day. It's not particularly sophisticated, but gives an idea what a 515' tower might look like in the center of downtown.

[eagleye1144]

Speaking of 500'+ towers, What happend to the CCH? What was the latest update on that?

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by eagleye1144

Speaking of 500'+ towers, What happend to the CCH? What was the latest update on that?

Every six months during a outdoor retailer show we all hold out hope of hearing some kind of announcement. The winter show starts in about a week. Holding out hope we learn something besides news channels doing stories on how SLC needs more hotel rooms.

[eagleye1144]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

Every six months during a outdoor retailer show we all hold out hope of hearing some kind of announcement. The winter show starts in about a week. Holding out hope we learn something besides news channels doing stories on how SLC needs more hotel rooms.

Thank you, but 1 more week! Arrgh. I have no patience for this one

[asies1981]

Photo update of the Seasons at Library Square.

[ToysNoiz]

Originally Posted by LeVaJe

The large parking lot south of the federal courthouse is listed under City Creek Reserve, inc and Property Reserve, inc (owned by the LDS Church as UTPlanner said).
It is specifically targeted as the location of a catalyst project in the draft SLC master plan but without a specific plan for the project.

A while ago I was searching for skyline pictures of Salt Lake and found some silhouette images. What was most noticeable, other than the mountains being featured, was that few buildings had a non box silhouette. There are some unique ones but not many. There are some with domes, or points, or terraces on top, but overall they are still a box. What I think the skyline could use the most are buildings with unique shapes, curves, angles, terraces, overhangs, etc., that are prominent in their silhouette.
If Ken is reading this, please try for a unique silhouette for the Air Center.

Those silhouette images were done by 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 graphic designers. A good graphic designer would find the most interestingly shaped towers in a skyline, and make them stand out the most; instead of picking the boxiest buildings and making them ridiculously huge.

[Reachforthesky]

So...I believe some on here call this the ugly Borg Cube... Guess who thinks its AMAZING??



"The American Institute of Architects awarded its highest honor, the Institute Honor Award, to the new United States Courthouse in Salt Lake for its "excellence in architecture, interior architecture and urban design,"



http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=3309431...eceives-architecture-award&s_cid=queue-1

[Hatman]

Originally Posted by LeVaJe

So a while ago there was a discussion about what to do with the homeless in Salt Lake, well The Daily Show just did a segment about why there are now no homeless in Salt Lake.

I love this. It makes me so proud of my state. I love how innovative we can be here on occasion, and it is especially rare to be featured on the Daily Show for doing something good. This absolutely made my day. Thanks for sharing!

[delts145]

Originally Posted by eagleye1144

Speaking of 500'+ towers, What happend to the CCH? What was the latest update on that?

Makid regurlarly gives us updates regarding the ongoing schedule of the CCH. The updates have been pretty concise and informative. I asked him for an update recently and he gave us one on this thread dated Jan. 6th. I placed it below for your convenience. From Makid's updates it would seem to me that the CCH is pretty much following what would be considered a normal schedule for this scale of project. Make a note of these dates, and when the next marker of the time frame comes up, we can monitor the progress of CCH. It would seem that the next major step will be the proposal approval, which is expected to be completed around the end of the OR Winter show. Those dates are coming up soon as the OR Winter Show is Jan. 21-24.

The last set of major announcements involved the selection of the developer, which is now set as Omni. The process proceeded quickly, as Salt Lake was in no mood to entertain pie in the sky flirtations. This, especially because of the major problems with CCH projects of recent history, such as Phoenix. IMO, and based on what Makid has been reporting, Omni is one of the most if not THE most experienced in the category of CCH development. They have the clout, are highly respected and have a successful track record of doing things right. Salt Lake City is fortunate that Omni saw its potential as worthy of their serious involvement. Omni's involvement means a likely positive schedule and outcome.

The biggest thing on my mind regarding the CCH right now is not whether it is being held up, or if it is proceeding on an acceptably accelerated schedule. The schedule to me is being conducted concisely and carefully, but quickly. My biggest question is whether we will get a quality product and or design that is special to Salt Lake City. Just as the Hotel Utah, The Salt Lake Temple, State Capitol, The City and County Building, CCC, SLC Library, Rio Tinto, Public Safety Building, etc., etc. are among the quality of national and world caliber icons, so also should this CCH be in that category. Not just another bland wall of windows dictated by an all too familiar national repetition of sister cities.

Originally Posted by Makid

Delts, last I heard the proposal was still going through the due diligence review. I would expect that as Omni is a sole owner/financier of the project that the process will be quick. By quick I do mean that I am hoping to hear that the proposal is accepted by the end of the OR Winter expo.

From there, the time frame for construction depends on site selection by Omni and purchasing the site. This process could take up 3 to 6 months. Then there is demolition of the existing structure(s) all depending on the location that is chosen.

If we get an announcement of proposal acceptance by the end of February (latest I expect), we should have groundbreaking before the end of the year.

Best case scenario though is that we have announcement of proposal acceptance with OR Winter and groundbreaking with OR Summer.

That would be about 6 months between Winter and Summer shows. That should be enough time for acquisition, planning and approvals for the hotel to begin digging the foundation with OR Summer.

Now, regarding the Arrow Press building, the video was recorded in early spring of 2014. This was before the proposal information was known. This is why I think the owners were still hopeful for selection. Of course, there is still a chance it will be selected by Omni but I rather doubt it with the meeting space requirements.

Also, for those that were shocked about only 1 proposal after all of the interest (60+ developers). This is due to some of the proposal requirements about financing, proof of recent (2 years or less) construction of hotels of equal size and the need to have it open by 2018.

[brankrom]

Out walking today I was able to look at the old Braza Grill space and the new midish block connector. Thought it was interesting that it drops so far below street level.

[Bob The Builder]

Originally Posted by Reachforthesky

So...I believe some on here call this the ugly Borg Cube... Guess who thinks its AMAZING??



"The American Institute of Architects awarded its highest honor, the Institute Honor Award, to the new United States Courthouse in Salt Lake for its "excellence in architecture, interior architecture and urban design,"



http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=3309431...eceives-architecture-award&s_cid=queue-1

Remember, resistance is futile against the feds errr.... I mean the Borg.

[Future Mayor]

Originally Posted by asies1981

Photo update of the Seasons at Library Square.

Light and dark brown stucco. Gee that's Craptacular. I like the design but the color and material choice is horrendous.

Originally Posted by brankrom

Out walking today I was able to look at the old Braza Grill space and the new midish block connector. Thought it was interesting that it drops so far below street level.

That's because the Braza Building had a basement. They needed to make sure to seal up all the newly exposed surfaces before filling it in with dirt and leveling it off. All the buildings along Main St have basements.