Salt Lake MSA Development Thread

[Stenar]

If they could put a pedestrian bridge over the tracks from the apartments and houses on the east side, that would help. There is even more multi-level housing on the east side of the tracks than show in the image above.

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

While the past few posts have gone off on suburban vs highrise, I think the real issue concerning Vista Station is that it went from being proposed as a serious TOD and is now a regular Suburban office park with a few small buildings in the midst of a vast sea of parking.

The one positive I can say is that at least 4 of the 6 office buildings shown in the ksl rendering are being built on the east side, across from the Front Runner Station, so at least they are within walking distance of the Front Runner stop. Hopefully the areas to the north and south of the station will be developed into some housing, with nice pedestrian connections to Front Runner.

I think one thing that cities are afraid of is reducing their parking requirements, both minimums and maximums. Maybe Draper has done this for vista Station, but it sure doesn't appear as if they have. Reduce both the minimum requirements and the maximum allowed for this area and that will provide more land for development and will make for smarter development as they will have to utilize the proximity for Front Runner more efficiently.

Yes developers continue to build a large number of 5 story office buildings in suburban office parks, except for a select few that feel a need to develop both for a profit and for the overall good of the people/city/valley/state, they will develop how a city allows them to develop. If the city allows suburb style office buildings in seas of parking lots, that is what is going to be built. So until Planning Commissions and City Councils see the vision for more compact development and the needed retention of agricultural land, things will continue as they are. Development Nerds (like us) and city planners can educate, preach, bitch and moan all they want, but until elected and appointed officials grasp the importance of these concepts and buy in things will continue to develop Status Quo.