Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 4

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by TonyAnderson

Agree. Salt Lake City needs to get to a point where it's more than just a college town, if it wants to be respected as a legit major city.

Huh? Salt Lake City has pretty much never been "just a college town."

[urban.cyclist]

Originally Posted by delts145

The balconies are the only part of the building that has me wondering if I'm going to like the finished product or not. At first, it was just that they appeared to be solid painted stucco. Just the fact that they're solid and very plain in their design makes them seem like an awkward attachment. I don't know how much any color, darker or lighter will help. I'm hoping it's just the rendering that makes them appear so bulky and unimaginative. I tried zooming the pic up 400%, but even then it's hard to tell what kind of material finish they're using on the balconies. The color would be important, but I think even more important would be to use a material finish that would give their heavy solid appearance some kind of definitive pattern and texture. Otherwise, the balconies will seem like kind of a cost cutting afterthought, and undermine what appears to be the excellent quality of the rest of the structure.

I think it's supposed to be corten steel. Though the rendering certainly doesn't show it well.

[s.p.hansen]

Originally Posted by Stenar

Huh? Salt Lake City has pretty much never been "just a college town."

Yeah, that makes no sense based on any phase of Salt Lake City since its inception.

[Future Mayor]

Originally Posted by TonyAnderson

Agree. Salt Lake City needs to get to a point where it's more than just a college town, if it wants to be respected as a legit major city.

I too am a little confused by this? Logan, Ephraim, Cedar City, college towns, Provo, St George, Price sort of college towns. Ogden, SLC, not college towns.

I actually think the College town feel needs to be more prominent in Salt Lake City, particularly in East Downtown along the Trax Corridor.

[delts145]

Agree. If anything, Salt Lake would do well to enhance a college town feel along 400 S., especially eastward. I have often daydreamed about bringing the campus down westward, all the way to the intersection of 700 E and 400 S. The intersection would be one giant beautiful fountain centered Piazza, surrounded by great architecture that is University centric.

No one here in L.A. or So. Cal in general thinks of Salt Lake City as a college town, anymore than they think of L.A. or San Diego as college towns. Many think of SLC as a big ski town, or a Mormon centric town, which is also an incorrect exaggeration.

I would definitely like to at least see the U. of U. speed up it's University Village plans. USC is building a great University Village currently, and UCLA has a great village centered around Westwood. I'm not going to complain though. The U.'s buildup has been phenomenal these past few years.

[Liberty Wellsian]

Originally Posted by DMTower

If they painted the balconies a dark mocha/black color it would instantly make the whole thing look a lot better.

I think they need to bisect the balconies. A seam or a void running horizontally through them.

[spoonman]

As the opinion of a complete outsider, I don't think of SLC as a college town. I think of SLC as a growing mid-sized city, with a healthy banking and tourism economy and growing downtown. Nor sure if wrong or right, but that's my understanding.

[ajiuO]

Are the peirpoint apartments going to actually be brick and not stucco? I hope so. That will be way nice. I bet they release a new rendering at the last moment that replaces 60% of the brick with stucco... but I hope not.

How hard would it be to set up a mass protest outside of city hall to ban or severely limit the use of stucco within city limits?

[Future Mayor]

The over use of stucco has been brought up by Council member, along with the lack of first floor retail along the trax corridors, and they have directed staff to address those issues.

[delts145]

That's good to hear. Keep us updated on that.

[nushiof]

Who has a Convention Center Hotel update? It feels like the process is stalling out.

[ajiuO]

Originally Posted by nushiof

Who has a Convention Center Hotel update? It feels like the process is stalling out.

I would also like an update on the air center (witch I actually think is dead), the regent street hotel, the garbage that they started constructing on state street and then abandoned, the burnt out building across the street from UPAC, APS, and the Delta Center. 👍

[urban.cyclist]

Originally Posted by ajiuO

Are the peirpoint apartments going to actually be brick and not stucco? I hope so. That will be way nice. I bet they release a new rendering at the last moment that replaces 60% of the brick with stucco... but I hope not.

How hard would it be to set up a mass protest outside of city hall to ban or severely limit the use of stucco within city limits?

This area requires 60% durable materials on all facades. So no worries. It will be brick.

[s.p.hansen]

What used to be a dead space on Main Street for so many years finally has this bursting of light. Even with it not open yet people are drawn to the Eccles Theatre at night... a lot of them playing Pokémon Go...





Also, it's so interesting to me how putting this much bigger highrise on the corner and the increase of pedestrian level engagement in the lobby and the entrance of the Theatre has totally shrunken this visual divide that existed on Main Street. Walk down the East side of Main Street in a week or so when they fully open the sidewalks near the Theatre. Start at the Zion's Bank Building in City Creek Center and make your way down to 400 South. I think it will blow your mind a little just how fast you'll get there. The street is so interesting from one end to the other that it really doesn't feel like a chore.

The West side of Main Street still needs some work. I think once they get that theater fixed up with the condos or apartments on top and once they fill in the big parking lot behind the old Zion's Bank it should feel about the same. A really tall building adjacent to that old Zion's bank would go a long ways though.

[Ironweed]

Originally Posted by ajiuO

I would also like an update on the air center (witch I actually think is dead), the regent street hotel, the garbage that they started constructing on state street and then abandoned, the burnt out building across the street from UPAC, APS, and the Delta Center. ������

I drove past the La-deported project on State yesterday. It appears the graffiti gafoons now own the building. Looks terrible. Hopefully the city will get that one addressed ASAP! Disappointed with the AIR center thing..... Anyone remember the 'gong' show?

[UTPlanner]

The LaPorte project on State Street is definitely a complete and utter mess but the RDA is moving forward with fixing the mess. The city is working to sign a contract with a developer to take over the project as we speak. One significant issue is the number of liens on the property. At the end of the day, everybody will lose money including the developer, the bank/financier, sub contractors and SLC stands to lose a significant amount of money as well. The project will have to start completely over meaning the removal of all of the steel and most of the concrete that was poured. I don't know the timeline for moving forward but I know they are moving as quickly as the situation allows.

There is not much to say about The Void/Air Center except that they have requested an extension of their earlier approvals. This is a good sign however I do not have a lot of faith that this project will move forward in the near future.

There is also very little to say about the Convention Center Hotel. At this point, they have not met with the city in months and I'm not aware of any real discussions occurring. That does not mean they're not happening but the individual I know that is on the selection committee has had no interaction with the group in months.

And there is absolutely nothing to say about a project at Arrow Press Square. There has not been and there is currently is no real project there. The property owner is a land banker that throws up a psuedo design every 5 years or so and then does absolutely nothing. Do not count on seeing any movement on a project there in a timely fashion.

Yes, the city is moving forward with updated design requirements for all zoning districts in the city. It is proposed that in some districts such as the TSA that there will be significant changes including limiting the use of EIFS. Other districts such as the M-1 will see very little changes. These proposed requirements will be discussed at an upcoming Planning Commission meeting. It is a very large project and will take time to get through the City Council as I'm sure many are aware that we all have differing opinions about what is "good design". This will also be true with the City Council. We are also limited as a local government body as to how much control we can place on developers. Especially always knowing that the state legislature is constantly watching every move that SLC makes and their love of destroying anything that they believe is an "overreach" by SLC.

[ajiuO]

Originally Posted by UTPlanner

The LaPorte project on State Street is definitely a complete and utter mess but the RDA is moving forward with fixing the mess. The city is working to sign a contract with a developer to take over the project as we speak. One significant issue is the number of liens on the property. At the end of the day, everybody will lose money including the developer, the bank/financier, sub contractors and SLC stands to lose a significant amount of money as well. The project will have to start completely over meaning the removal of all of the steel and most of the concrete that was poured. I don't know the timeline for moving forward but I know they are moving as quickly as the situation allows.

There is not much to say about The Void/Air Center except that they have requested an extension of their earlier approvals. This is a good sign however I do not have a lot of faith that this project will move forward in the near future.

There is also very little to say about the Convention Center Hotel. At this point, they have not met with the city in months and I'm not aware of any real discussions occurring. That does not mean they're not happening but the individual I know that is on the selection committee has had no interaction with the group in months.

And there is absolutely nothing to say about a project at Arrow Press Square. There has not been and there is currently is no real project there. The property owner is a land banker that throws up a psuedo design every 5 years or so and then does absolutely nothing. Do not count on seeing any movement on a project there in a timely fashion.

Yes, the city is moving forward with updated design requirements for all zoning districts in the city. It is proposed that in some districts such as the TSA that there will be significant changes including limiting the use of EIFS. Other districts such as the M-1 will see very little changes. These proposed requirements will be discussed at an upcoming Planning Commission meeting. It is a very large project and will take time to get through the City Council as I'm sure many are aware that we all have differing opinions about what is "good design". This will also be true with the City Council. We are also limited as a local government body as to how much control we can place on developers. Especially always knowing that the state legislature is constantly watching every move that SLC makes and their love of destroying anything that they believe is an "overreach" by SLC.

Thanks for for the update. Any word on when construction might start on the regent street hotel? Do you know if there are any plans to reclad the walker center parking? It almost looks like it in the rendering next to the eat a burger site... but that could have been wishful thinking. I honestly think the walker parking needed a reclad even more then. The regent street parking.

[Future Mayor]

While I agree that the Walker Center garage isn't very attractive, with the semi-reclad of the Regent St Garage, and the addition of the Regent St Hotel, I don't think I'll actually mind the Walker Center garage.

I look at it as a piece of Salt Lake's architectural history. No it's not a pretty piece or anything to be proud of, but I think it shows that the city has grown and evolved. It shows different periods of time and what was used in that time period.

I guess what I'm saying is that it provides variety. That is the same reason I didn't want the First Security Building torn down, no I'm not saying those two are on the same playing field, I'm simply saying it provides a context for the city's growth. If they reclad it I won't be disappointed, but I won't be disappointed if they don't.

[Orpheum]

Originally Posted by urban.cyclist

Found this image of Pierpont Apartments on the Lloyd Architects website. It is going in on 315 Pierpont Ave where a small parking lot is now. Looks pretty good.

I need better renderings.. so far it's
reminds me of:
It's unfortunate Allen-Millo lost all that property.. their plans for that parking lot (and that neighborhood) were so much nicer.

[ajiuO]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

While I agree that the Walker Center garage isn't very attractive, with the semi-reclad of the Regent St Garage, and the addition of the Regent St Hotel, I don't think I'll actually mind the Walker Center garage.

I look at it as a piece of Salt Lake's architectural history. No it's not a pretty piece or anything to be proud of, but I think it shows that the city has grown and evolved. It shows different periods of time and what was used in that time period.

I guess what I'm saying is that it provides variety. That is the same reason I didn't want the First Security Building torn down, no I'm not saying those two are on the same playing field, I'm simply saying it provides a context for the city's growth. If they reclad it I won't be disappointed, but I won't be disappointed if they don't.

There were both ugly and nice looking buildings built durrring each decade. The FSB building is a good looking building, and I'm right with you on that one. The parking garage at the walker center is not a good looking building... but honestly it would take a lot less to make it look decent then the regent st garage. I would honestly be happy if they would just take that metal 🞵🞵🞵🞵 down that they have on the 200s side and paint the thing... not to say I wouldn't like something more extensive.

I don't know if I would classify the regent street garage as a partial reclad... it looks to me as if all of the cladding on that thing is being stripped off, even the concrete panels around the elevator shaft witch are being replaced with glass. They way they are doing it is not dramatically different structurally, but it seems like a full reclad.

The building I'm worried about is the small building across from the old Deseret News building. I've peaked behind the covering. It looks like they are basically just putting stucco over the concreat structure in basically the same form... I hope I'm wrong though and that there is more to it.