Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 4

[SL,UT]

Originally Posted by ajiuO

There is also the planetarium... It's to bad they ended the iMax deal with megaplex. Dicks is also an anchore.

I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that a entertainment district implies that it's going to be all bars. The movie theater, The children's museum, and the planetarium... Are forms of entertainment!!! How about a A bowling alley, comedy club? There are a lot of forms of entertainment... And who cares what the church or the state of Utah thinks? The mall is not owned by them. It's up to the owners of the mall to make this happen... It's not going to become a place filled with bars and strip clubs... No one is suggesting that. There is nothing wrong with having a couple of bars in there and it would be no different than Main Street.... And just because it's a good place for nightlife doesn't mean that there can't be a different day life purpose there.

I guess When I think of entertainment districts I think of places like the gas lamp quarter in San Diego, Or Cap Hill in Seattle. I doubt that Salt lake is big enough to have something like that....

[ctobsl]

@ scottharding.

The Gateway Neighborhood, I like that...

[Marvland]

Originally Posted by Comrade

The entertainment district is probably not as likely with the structuring of our liquor laws and the limitations of licenses and club/bar locations in a general area. It's a pipe dream, but a fun one to have for the day the state eases up its restrictions.

While there is a scarcity of new liquor licenses here, there are no area restrictions or block limitations any more. That went away in 2010. I have friends who run bars in NYC where there have been no new licenses issued for 20 years. Their solution? Fork out $1.5 million for an existing license. With license purchase/transfers now legal as of last July, the intrepid potential bar owner is limited only by his imagination. That sense is palpable at the commission meetings. Lots of fun stuff in the horn.

[Ironweed]

bflatflat9's connection (Mutt) wanted to meet with my source (Jeff) to talk about the new CCH. I offered to take them for coffee, but they said they wanted me to take them to the state liquor store. After procuring some 'fisheye', we went to Liberty Park to talk about development details. Evidently, Omni is now officially out of the picture. A joint Travel Lodge/Motel 6 collaboration is definitely in the works. After a few swigs, I was able to gather more info: They shared a photo of the Walthamstow Travel Lodge in London. They said this was to be an exact replica of the new Salt Lake City CCH. They both turned to their invisible friend Harvey, and he apparently confirmed it. Motel 6's Logo will be horizontal at the top of the building. I also understand that the building will be connected directly to the Shilo to create a grand hotel superplex. The hotels will be offering shuttle service to the convention center from the hotels with golf carts obtained from the newly closed Glendale course. The Green jello brunch is sure to be a hit!

Hotel Designs-http://www.hoteldesigns.net/industrynews/image_42151.html

[EPdesign]

Originally Posted by Ironweed

bflatflat9's connection (Mutt) wanted to meet with my source (Jeff) to talk about the new CCH. I offered to take them for coffee, but they said they wanted me to take them to the state liquor store. After procuring some 'fisheye', we went to Liberty Park to talk about development details. Evidently, Omni is now officially out of the picture. A joint Travel Lodge/Motel 6 collaboration is definitely in the works. After a few swigs, I was able to gather more info: They shared a photo of the Walthamstow Travel Lodge in London. They said this was to be an exact replica of the new Salt Lake City CCH. They both turned to their invisible friend Harvey, and he apparently confirmed it. Motel 6's Logo will be horizontal at the top of the building. I also understand that the building will be connected directly to the Shilo to create a grand hotel superplex. The hotels will be offering shuttle service to the convention center from the hotels with golf carts obtained from the newly closed Glendale course. The Green jello brunch is sure to be a hit!

Hotel Designs-http://www.hoteldesigns.net/industrynews/image_42151.html

So you're saying we're at least still getting a hotel. Sigh of relief

[bob rulz]

Originally Posted by Marvland

The only truly limiting factor limiting nightlife in SLC is the lack of social club licenses. That's a false and imposed scarcity. Sure, we have our wish list of items: Zion Curtain (will go away soon), and metered pours, which do nothing to limit consumption, are hot button issues. The single most limiting thing to our nightlife is the lack of non-3.2 draft beer. I would trade everything for real beer on draft, but that has more to do with the DABC not wanting to deal with refrigerated shipping.

I was at the UDABC commission meeting yesterday and the line for social club licenses is at 15. I know of at least 20 food and beverage openings scheduled for downtown this year.

And not every other city has a great downtown nightlife. Walk down the 16th Street mall in Denver at 10pm on a Tuesday. The mall dies, as in Twilight Zone. You will find a hollowed out ghost town. I wandered around the 300 S. Main-state block last night (Tuesday) and the 8 bars and ten restaurants were all alive and vibrant. We have a pretty sneaky bar scene and it's getting better as fast as any scene in the country.

I don't have anything to compare it to because I've yet to live outside of Utah as an adult and haven't had the chance to truly visit other cities yet.

But every time I go barhopping downtown, or even just to a bar, I have a great time. There's different bars with different atmospheres to them and as long as you go to the right place (right in the heart of downtown) then there's plenty of different places to walk to. I still think we could do better in terms of restaurants that are open late, but you can still find those, too. Basically every single bar downtown is super crowded on weekends. The club scene may not be high-end but we still have some of those if that's your thing too. (I've been - it's not really my scene but I can still have fun.)

So yeah, if you've had the chance to compare the nightlife to certain other places, Salt Lake may pale in comparison, but if you can't have fun downtown on a weekend night then maybe people should adjust their expectations. So yeah I agree with you (although again I have no frame of reference for it). Just my two cents.

[ctobsl]

Hotel Designs-http://www.hoteldesigns.net/industrynews/image_42151.html

You're kidding, right?

[EPdesign]

Originally Posted by ctobsl

Hotel Designs-http://www.hoteldesigns.net/industrynews/image_42151.html

You're kidding, right?

hahaha. yeah

[KPBDEV]

AIR Urban Center (AUC) Update

Hi as promised below represents our final design selection for AUC. After looking at countless ideas I feel we have something iconic coming to SLC (both in design and services/offering).

We will have some big announcements coming soon, including the hotel group we have chosen (you will not be disappointed). The following renderings are not final quality, but provide a good overview of the design/layout. In the next month we should have complete renderings, which will include the materials/skins and other design related details. Many details that will warm up our design are still forth coming. AUC will project high energy at street-level, yet will be warm and inviting when completed (details are not yet shown in these preliminary renderings).

Special thanks going out to our Architects/IBI, who I believe have done an amazing job at coming up with an original and beautiful design for AUC!

We are very close to having all of the pieces to get AUC underway ...

Cheers, Ken

AUC Corner 400S & West Temple



AUC 400S (East Facing)



AUC Hotel Courtyard



AUC Pooltop Day



AUC Pooltop Night



AUC Sidewalk View



AUC Rooftop Overview

[airhero]

Originally Posted by KPBDEV

We are very close to having all of the pieces to get AUC underway ...

With all this convention center hotel disappointment it's great to have such good news! And this design is definitely my favorite of all the designs up to this point.

[H4vok]

Thanks for sharing the update and renders Ken! The corner is prime for a nice mix-use building.

[scottharding]

Wow! Thanks Ken, for sharing this with us. I think it looks great and will be a killer addition to the city. Here's hoping it moves along without delay! Looking forward to more details.

Also, it's cool that the rendered folks are watching Reservoir Dogs. Kudos.

[Orlando]

Ken,
Thanks for sharing. Thanks for being so open with the process. Just curious though, is there a rendering from above? It's difficult to see what the top of this building is doing. The last version of this seemed kind of cool until you saw the disjunction with the top of the building. There's a lots of stuff going on with this design. But, thanks again for sharing and I do hope you will be successful in getting a cool highrise built there.

[linguisize]

Yes, this is the best design so far, I love it. So uh... lets get started I guess! I'll start throwing champagne bottles at the property, you tell me when to stop Ken.

[ajiuO]

Wow! That will definitily be one of my favorite skyscrapers in Salt Lake. I really thin you guys have picked a good design for that area. In addition to looking good itself i think that it will do a lot to make the borg cube look better and not so out of place

how many stories is this building (I count 20-21) and what is the height. I was kind of hopping for a new tallest... but its still a great looking building :-)

[delts145]

Very nice Ken. Can't wait to see this one get started. I think this will go a long way in getting developers to think outside the box more for Salt Lake when it comes to high rises, much in the same way as they have with the Library, Rio Tinto, and Public Safety Building.

Good point AjiuO. Not only will this be a much needed and very attractive addition to that empty corner, but it will do wonders in complimenting the design and improving the placement of the Courts Building.

I think this design follows much of the more forward thinking projects now coming on to the scene here in Downtown Los Angeles, which is an excellent step IMO. For me, the tower is elegant, but also interesting. So far, the angles and materials chosen strike the right balance of giving Salt Lake City something very contemporary, yet unique and engaging.

I like this trio of new Towers coming to Downtown Salt Lake City. The 111/PAC Project, combined with this and the future 151 add a sense of moving forward with the more attractive new styles coming out in tower translucence and corner engagement.


AIR URBAN CENTER - COURTESY KEN BRETSCHNEIDER

[delts145]

Originally Posted by airhero

With all this convention center hotel disappointment it's great to have such good news! And this design is definitely my favorite of all the designs up to this point.

Speaking of the CCH. Is there any movement toward whether Omni is in now or out! Makid, Anyone??

[goldcntry]

The designs just keep getting better and better Ken! Keep it up! Here's hoping for similar positive progress for Evermore....

[ctobsl]

Thank you Ken,

This is a very nice design and will be a great addition to our downtown.
As you are coming into the city, this will be one of the first towers you see and it will create an impact and excitement especially for that part of town. I can't wait for it to start rising up into the city's skyline.

Is there going to be some kind of lighting effect for the crown of the tower?

Anthony

[Makid]

Ken,

I love the AUC and am happy to see it progressing nicely. Each day on my way into work I look at the skyline (looking NE from the 201/I-15 interchange to 9th South exit) and just imagine what the AUC will do from that angle. I can't wait for ground breaking and for it to rise.

Do you have an estimated start date/ground breaking date?

Originally Posted by delts145

Speaking of the CCH. Is there any movement toward whether Omni is in now or out! Makid, Anyone??

Delts, I did do a response regarding the CCH and it is 1 or 2 pages back. a recap of that information follows:

All my contacts haven't heard anything from Omni regarding the CCH. However, if I remember correctly, when Omni was officially selected, they signed a contract regarding the publicly stated dates (groundbreaking Fall/Winter of 2015 and opening 2017). As soon as I hear anything, I will provide information (even if it is just Omni is talking again), anything more may not be possible until it is public.

Outside of the above, the downtown hotels are having their best year in occupancy and rates. They are averaging greater than 75% occupancy through the year and multiple times already this year they have been at 95% occupancy. Normally, 95% or higher only happened during Outdoor Retailer but it has happened at least 4 times so far this year. I would expect that to happen at least 4 more times before the end of the year.

There is also an increased demand in the Salt Palace Convention Center to host larger conventions. These as well as future planned hotels may require the Convention Center to be expanded again in the next 5 to 7 years. No information on this yet as it is still just mild talk. The CCH is the focus and no expansion plans will be moved forward until after the CCH is complete and opened for at least 2 years (unless there is a major increase in convention activity).

This is all the news that I can provide, nothing really regarding Omni but with Occupancy and rates increasing, we may see additional hotels added soon (outside of the CCH), like the one in the AUC (segway back to Ken's great renders and news).