Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[i-215]

Originally Posted by delts145

Did I miss something, but has the SLC Thread been demoted? I know one of the moderators finally got around to cleaning the thread up, but did they also demote the thread as a non-sticky?

I guess we'll have to just keep posting stuff to keep it on top.



For instance, do you feel it's time for a re-clad of the C.O.B. This building screams 1975 and it's the town's second tallest.

[Comrade]

Not sure if a reclad could save the LDS Church Office Building. A taller, more modern tower would for sure, though. That thing is...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRLHbHm1tB4

[arkhitektor]

Any chance the Wasatch Front could be a serious contender for this?:

Amazon Announces Plans for Huge New North America Offices
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/technology/amazon-headquarters-north-america.html

[Always Sunny in SLC]

Originally Posted by arkhitektor

Any chance the Wasatch Front could be a serious contender for this?:

Amazon Announces Plans for Huge New North America Offices
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/technology/amazon-headquarters-north-america.html

I am sure GOED will pursue this, but I think we are unlikely to get it because of the last qualification of the need to attract and retain talent. I also think this is too big a project and company to house in our downtown. We already have the issues with the distorting effects of the LDS church pulling everything into its orbit. I prefer a downtown that grows with less emphasis on big employers and more on individuals and dozens of smaller businesses. It hurts to say, but Denver would be a better fit in the West.

[Makid]

Originally Posted by arkhitektor

Any chance the Wasatch Front could be a serious contender for this?:

Amazon Announces Plans for Huge New North America Offices
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/technology/amazon-headquarters-north-america.html

SLC does meet the requirements for them. It may even have some advantages over some others, depending on the sites.

Ideally, this would be something that the City could go for, They could work with the LDS Church to do a low cost purchase of the 4th South and Main full block of parking.

This location would be nearly perfect for a campus equal in size to Seattle. Next to the current N/S Trax line and next to the future 4th South line. This would give them great access to transit as well as commuters (transit and car) from North to South. It also has one of the quicker airport accesses in the country.

The lot size also would allow for a corporate plaza/park in the block as an employee amenity.

The only downside is that the current housing market is already tight. A project like this would tighten it further at least in the near term.

It would help increase the Tech position of SLC and the number of companies that choose city locations over say Lehi/Draper.

To avoid Amazon going South, SLC would need to work with the LDS Church on the land as well as the State on possible incentives (property tax rebates, etc.) to help land Amazon.

[Marvland]

Originally Posted by arkhitektor

Any chance the Wasatch Front could be a serious contender for this?:

Amazon Announces Plans for Huge New North America Offices
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/technology/amazon-headquarters-north-america.html

SLC would be an absolutely perfect fit for this for the same reasons as the mass influx of tech and finance into Utah. We still have large contiguous infill blocks available (fleet block, Granary assemblage, Bamberger/Priskos land banks, etc), a cheap highly educated workforce, high quality of life, solid and growing food and beverage scene, great logistical location, a massive tech backbone and one of the nations major internet trunk lines. Unfortunately, our city is absolutely paralyzed politically so we will have to depend on the state to organize and rally, so we have a low chance of scoring it.

[Always Sunny in SLC]

Originally Posted by Makid

SLC does meet the requirements for them. It may even have some advantages over some others, depending on the sites.

Ideally, this would be something that the City could go for, They could work with the LDS Church to do a low cost purchase of the 4th South and Main full block of parking.

This location would be nearly perfect for a campus equal in size to Seattle. Next to the current N/S Trax line and next to the future 4th South line. This would give them great access to transit as well as commuters (transit and car) from North to South. It also has one of the quicker airport accesses in the country.

The lot size also would allow for a corporate plaza/park in the block as an employee amenity.

The only downside is that the current housing market is already tight. A project like this would tighten it further at least in the near term.

It would help increase the Tech position of SLC and the number of companies that choose city locations over say Lehi/Draper.

To avoid Amazon going South, SLC would need to work with the LDS Church on the land as well as the State on possible incentives (property tax rebates, etc.) to help land Amazon.

I thought Earl Holding own that block and the LDS Church owned the block East of the business college.

[airhero]

Honestly, if Amazon gives SLC the time of day, I think a strong case can be made. Going along with the reasons already mentioned (and sort of repeating them), the city has been planning for a southern tech anchor for a long time now. There's land for it-the 400 South Main block. It's owned by the LDS Church, who I'm sure will be fully supportive of Amazon coming here, and I'm sure they could be generous when transferring the land to Amazon. It would be a perfect place for Amazon to build basically whatever they want.

Amazon wants to be near an international airport, and as has been pointed out, SLC is extremely close to its airport. From the parcel, it is 8 minutes driving and just shy of 30 by train. Also brand new airport terminal and concourses are under construction, which could be highlighted. There is also a TRAX stop right at the parcel in question. From there you can go directly to the airport, the University of Utah, other places in downtown, and the south Salt Lake Valley without having to transfer.

The biggest 2 things that would keep Amazon from coming here is 1. They want a bigger or different type of city than SL (tho they did say a metro pop of over 1 mil and Salt Lake is there) and 2. The politics of offering incentives. Also, SL isn't far from Seattle, I'm not sure if that would be considered a problem. I'm not really sure what Amazon is going for here. A second headquarters of equal stature as its first in the same country is sort of odd.

[airhero]

Originally Posted by Always Sunny in SLC

I thought Earl Holding own that block and the LDS Church owned the block East of the business college.

The LDS Church owns both of those blocks. Their ownership of the 400 South Main block is a fairly recent acquisition.

[UTPlanner]

I honestly think that the biggest hurdle for SLC to overcome in securing Amazon is not the state, city or LDS Church but its distance from the existing Seattle offices. If a large company was looking for a second headquarters I'm not sure why they would want both of them in the western US. I'm just guessing but I would foresee an east coast or midwest city securing the new headquarters.

[billbillbillbill]

FYI- Google Earth updated their aerial view of Salt Lake County recently. The image date says 6/17/2017.

*Update- Looks like all of Northern Utah got updated including the Uintas!

[Always Sunny in SLC]

Originally Posted by UTPlanner

I honestly think that the biggest hurdle for SLC to overcome in securing Amazon is not the state, city or LDS Church but its distance from the existing Seattle offices. If a large company was looking for a second headquarters I'm not sure why they would want both of them in the western US. I'm just guessing but I would foresee an east coast or midwest city securing the new headquarters.

Good point. Austin would be logic.

[airhero]

Originally Posted by UTPlanner

I honestly think that the biggest hurdle for SLC to overcome in securing Amazon is not the state, city or LDS Church but its distance from the existing Seattle offices. If a large company was looking for a second headquarters I'm not sure why they would want both of them in the western US. I'm just guessing but I would foresee an east coast or midwest city securing the new headquarters.

Yeah that's what I was thinking. But I could also see proximity to Seattle possibly being a plus for them. Like I say it depends on why they want to do this whole 2nd campus in the first place. Is it for a change of scenery? Is it to attract different types of employees that would be turned off by Seattle? Is it to tap into new markets of college grads? There is a lack of prominent universities in Utah. The U and BYU are fine but I think Amazon would like areas with universities like Georgia Tech or Carnegie Mellon, universities with strong ties to tech. North Carolina and Texas would be good for that too. Plenty of universities in both those states, with a healthy mixture of tech and business grads. I don't see them in Massachusetts or New York or any large expensive city. Detroit could be an interesting option.

But Salt Lake does have a perfect location in the city for this. It's a blank slate that is already well connected to everything.

[nushiof]

[RC14]

The article mentions Amazon is looking for “a stable and business-friendly environment,”
That sounds like SLC to me. We are often ranked as one of the most business friendly cities.
Also, the article mentions that Amazon's reputation "has soured" in Seattle. I wonder if these plans have allot to do with finding an alternative to Seattle's business environment.

[airhero]

Looking at all the requirements or preferences with regard to a location, the 400 S Main site fits every single one so perfectly I'm thinking SLC could really sell it.

In choosing the location for HQ2, Amazon has a preference for:
 Metropolitan areas with more than one million people 1.2 million and growing quickly. Not to mention WF total population
 A stable and business-friendly environment True. Utah is consistently ranked as one of the most business friendly states and Salt Lake as one of the most business friendly cities. City, county, and state leaders have great relationships with businesses established in the area.
 Urban or suburban locations with the potential to attract and retain strong technical talent Tech market is strong here, point of the mountain has shown this and the market for tech people who want to be in DT SL is relatively untapped.
 Communities that think big and creatively when considering locations and real estate options Not sure what this means exactly but I'm thinking the 400 S Main area definitely allows for this.


HQ2 could be, but does not have to be:
 An urban or downtown campus Definitely can happen
 A similar layout to Amazon’s Seattle campus At 400 S Main they can have whatever layout they want.
 A development-prepped site. We want to encourage states/provinces and communities to think creatively for viable real estate options, while not negatively affecting our preferred timeline 400 S Main is as development prepped as you can get. The city has been planning a tech anchor there for a while. What better anchor than Amazon? It's a huge empty lot on the south end of downtown all owned by one landowner that will be very willing to work with city, county, state, and Amazon. There is also the county site across the street near the courthouse the county is trying to get developed. Their preferred timeline is absolutely attainable here. The site is ready at this very moment.

Core preferences for site location:
Proximity to population center-30 Miles It is 0 miles from population center
Proximity to international airport-within approx. 45 minutes It's 8 minutes by car and less than 30 by transit
Proximity to major highways and arterial roads-not more than 1-2 miles 1 mi to both I-15 and I-80
Close to major arterial roads to provide optimal access This location is about as arterial as you can get, without having to be right next to the freeway. The infrastructure at this location is already in place and perfectly suited for growth.
Access to mass transit-at site There is a TRAX station literally at the site, with all three TRAX lines running through it
Direct access to rail, train, subway/metro, bus routes As direct as you can get

Core requirements for building:
Initial Square Foot Requirement 500,000+ Sq. Ft. Phase I (2019)
Total Square Foot Requirement Up to 8,000,000 Sq. Ft. Beyond 2027
There is definitely room for all that space.

You can speculate about anything else Amazon might want that isn't in the RFP, but as far as what is in the RFP, no location in the US could possibly fit this as perfectly and be as ready to proceed with development.

Link to RFP:
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/Anything/test/images/usa/RFP_3._V516043504_.pdf

[Liberty Wellsian]

Originally Posted by airhero

Looking at all the requirements or preferences with regard to a location, the 400 S Main site fits every single one so perfectly I'm thinking SLC could really sell it.



You can speculate about anything else Amazon might want that isn't in the RFP, but as far as what is in the RFP, no location in the US could possibly fit this as perfectly and be as ready to proceed with development.

Link to RFP:
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/G/01/Anything/test/images/usa/RFP_3._V516043504_.pdf

I imagine being in close proximity to one of their fulfillment centers would be a plus. (They're building one here)

[RC14]

I am really excited about the potential for the 400 South site but right now it is just our dream.
How can we get the attention of those who can make this happen? (City Hall, Amazon, State and county leaders.)

[Liberty Wellsian]

Originally Posted by RC14

I am really excited about the potential for the 400 South site but right now it is just our dream.
How can we get the attention of those who can make this happen? (City Hall, Amazon, State and county leaders.)

Make 4 signs(one for each corner)

Amazon
HQ2?

[Liberty Wellsian]

current enrollment(incomplete)
UofU-32,000+ SLC
SLCC-33,000+ SLC
UVU-33,000+ Orem
BYU-33,000+ Provo
WeberSt-24,000+ Ogden
UtSt-28,000+ Logan