Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[asies1981]

Another great photo update from Mike Fife on 400 South corridor projects.

[millhouse]

Originally Posted by Marvland

The Horsley. Amazing building. Probably the most important historic commercial structure on the west side but a very very tough site. I negotiated it out of bankruptcy and had it under contract in 2015 and walked after digging in. I was going to put in a distillery in the main floor and basement and do a B&B renovation upstairs. I had to walk after 3rd party reports but one good thing came of it: I was able to get full-blown distilleries and breweries allowed in the TSA zones in SLC, so there's that (more on that angle later). A prominent builder, which I am not, chased it after me and couldn't land it. It then sold for too much money and has traded hands three times in the last two years, which is why it has sat as a cold shell with its windows removed (!!ACK!!) last winter. No parking, the lot is basically the building envelope. The previous owner wanted to knock it over and pave it for parking it for Grifolds (Biomat) in 2012 but ran into the Sugarhole ordinance. They lopped off all the land around it, built the new improved Biomat and encumbered it with some weird easements. I wish the new owner all the luck in the world as it really needs to be loved. Maybe he found a parking solution, which is what held everybody else back, along with the need for full seismic, roof, facade, etc. It was always an important part of the Guadalupe neighborhood and I'd love to see that old dame treated right. Here is a great history of the Horsley Building: http://fairparkcommunity.org/?p=60#.WdY1DGi3xPY

On another note, can somebody tell me who the moderators of this page are? They seem to be all over the place with their censorship. I've had a bunch of posts deleted and I need some clarity on the community before I waste any more time here. I am a small-beans developer with some fun stuff in the horn but I can't waste my time posting things that evaporate while the anti-SLC trolls run wild. Thx.

Its ironic that you were going to turn this place into a distillery. I did some work on the parking lot when Biomat was still using the building. The asphalt started to sink. It turns out we exposed some hidden rooms used during the prohibition years. We found news papers from that era and a lot of empty bottles. So in reality you would have legitimized a former speakeasy.

[ThePusherMan]

Originally Posted by bob rulz

All tap beer in Utah is still 4% ABV, unfortunately.

With any luck (and pressure from big breweries like Budweiser) that tap beer limit will be raised to 6% next legislative session!

[ThePusherMan]

Originally Posted by asies1981

Another great photo update from Mike Fife on 400 South corridor projects.

The Liberty BLVD development is HUGE. Every time I drive by it I'm blown away.

[Utah_Dave]

Originally Posted by asies1981

The county unveiled the art installation on the DA Building. On a side note, I talked to Held Properties about 400 S and W Temple. I can't say too much yet (at their request) but what they have planned is better than the Void Center and more appropriate for the area. I'll get renderings etc by the end of next week so I'll have more information soon I promise. They are a California developers and they bought the property outright so financing will be less of an issue for them.

Any word on this Isaac?

[jubguy3]

Is the finishing on the west face by the 400S corner going to be the final appearance? I like when developers make risky architectural decisions, and I love copper, but it looks a little... weird? Its not really elegant like the NHMU for example. I'm wondering if the white around it is going to be covered up but it looks sorta like the white part is made out of that water resistant wall coverings used in restaurant kitchens and walk-in fridges, for example... that being said its nice to see literally anything other than stucco.

[Utah_Dave]

On another note. I heard on the radio this morning that the city has "boards" that are basically empty and delaying small projects by the sound of it. Unfortunately I missed a decent amount of the segment but a person was having difficulty getting approval to demo an abandoned house that has been that way for about 15 years, and redevelope it. I assume it was in a historical district but he couldn't get a decision made because the board that would make the decision doesn't even exist at the moment. The mayors explanation was that she didn't have a diverse enough group of people to fill the board. She doesn't want 5 lawyers or 5 educators on the board. I doubt that's the real problem but it made me think some of you fellas should look into aplying for some of these spots and get your voices and opinions into the process. If anyone could elaborate that would be great.

[Utah_Dave]

On another note. I heard on the radio this morning that the city has "boards" that are basically empty and delaying small projects by the sound of it. Unfortunately I missed a decent amount of the segment but a person was having difficulty getting approval to demo an abandoned house that has sat vacant for about 15 years, and redevelope it. I assume it was in a historical district but he couldn't get a decision made because the board that would make the decision doesn't even exist at the moment. The mayors explanation was that she didn't have a diverse enough group of people to fill the board. She doesn't want 5 lawyers or 5 educators on the board. I doubt that's the real problem but it made me think some of you fellas should look into aplying for some of these spots and get your voices and opinions into the process. If anyone could elaborate that would be great.

[jubguy3]

Originally Posted by Utah_Dave

On another note. I heard on the radio this morning that the city has "boards" that are basically empty and delaying small projects by the sound of it. Unfortunately I missed a decent amount of the segment but a person was having difficulty getting approval to demo an abandoned house that has been that way for about 15 years, and redevelope it. I assume it was in a historical district but he couldn't get a decision made because the board that would make the decision doesn't even exist at the moment. The mayors explanation was that she didn't have a diverse enough group of people to fill the board. She doesn't want 5 lawyers or 5 educators on the board. I doubt that's the real problem but it made me think some of you fellas should look into aplying for some of these spots and get your voices and opinions into the process. If anyone could elaborate that would be great.

god i love bureaucracy

[Always Sunny in SLC]

Originally Posted by asies1981

Another great photo update from Mike Fife on 400 South corridor projects.

Mike's the man! Thanks guys.

[bob rulz]

Originally Posted by ThePusherMan

With any luck (and pressure from big breweries like Budweiser) that tap beer limit will be raised to 6% next legislative session!

I'm not holding my breath.

[ThePusherMan]

Originally Posted by bob rulz

I'm not holding my breath.

I think it is more likely than you think. If the big breweries stop producing 4% beer which is inevitable because of the law changes in Wisconsin, Colorado, and Oklahoma there will be a lot of pressure on Utah to follow suit. Think of it this way, the legislators don't care about the citizen beer drinker or even the small business owners who would be adversely effected by no longer being able to carry standards like bud light on tap BUT they are going to have to care when big grocers like Smiths and Walmart come knocking on the door because they can no longer sell cheap beer in their stores.

[Comrade]

It'll be a minute, either way, as a bulk of those changes don't happen until 2018 and 2019.

Still, the legislature will have to adapt or beer prices will go up even more locally and the void will have to be filled by local breweries, which will continue to limit options. I wouldn't be surprised if Budweiser brewed the 3.2 for Bud and Bud Light. But the other beers, the beers like Shock Top, probably won't. So, we may live in a state where the only beer sold is Anheuser-Busch brands (Bud, Busch), MillerCoors brands (Coors, Miller, Keystone) and maaaybe Heineken.

Plus the local brews.

Oh boy.

[bob rulz]

I certainly wouldn't be too upset about that.

Though obviously I think raising the alcohol limit is the only sensible solution and what should be done.

[ajiuO]

Originally Posted by airhero

I went to the Jazz game last night, mostly to see the newly remodeled arena. I expected it to feel more different. Still is a lot nicer. I like how the new seats aren't over-padded. I'm disappointed the bathrooms weren't remodeled. I really hope they do that in the near future.

I passed through the Gateway and snapped a pic of the new screen on the clock tower:



Way better than a useless, ugly clock, but still a little awkward, especially in a place that is deader than ever. I really hope Vestar can have success with the Gateway.

Also the Olive Garden building is undergoing a makeover:



It lights up now! (cue Shilo Inn nostalgia) You can't tell in this pic but they've also covered the brick in some sections with some blackish material. It looks weird.

Yeah... that intersection seems to be the place where ugly building become even uglier. The black stucco crap they put over parts of the brick is weird and doesn’t look good at all. I was walking by there the other day thinking WTF. That intersection is a disaster... between that building, the monstrosity on the NE corner, and the shilo Inn tower-O-Stucco... ehh.

[Liberty Wellsian]

Originally Posted by ThePusherMan

I think it is more likely than you think. If the big breweries stop producing 4% beer which is inevitable because of the law changes in Wisconsin, Colorado, and Oklahoma there will be a lot of pressure on Utah to follow suit. Think of it this way, the legislators don't care about the citizen beer drinker or even the small business owners who would be adversely effected by no longer being able to carry standards like bud light on tap BUT they are going to have to care when big grocers like Smiths and Walmart come knocking on the door because they can no longer sell cheap beer in their stores.

They won't stop producing light beers. There is demand for them even in states that don't have such tight restrictions on alcohol content. To make "national" Bud light legal to seel in a Utah Grocery store the limit would only have to be raised to 3.4 abw from 3.2. (3.4 abw = 4.2 abv).

It isn't what I hope would happen but it's what I expect. An insignificant increase in alcohol content that isn't sold in a state store. You will still be able to buy light beer aNY where but that's it. If they raise the limit I would put the over under at 3.45 and I would be quite surprised to see it raised past 3.6.

[EPdesign]

Just got back from Orlando. I have to say....I've missed and love this city. We really do live in a beautiful place. I never really cared for the mountains but I sure did miss them on this trip. Even the crisp air. this forum came to mind as our plane was landing. Spral in Utah is nothing like it is out in the south. The mountains and valleys really keep it from getting out of control. South Jordan and West Jordan aren't even that far and are really pretty continuous. Everything is really condensed in the valleys including what we consider suburbs. In Florida there are suburban communities that pop up fair distances from each other. Pocketing the landscape. our city with the restricted horizontal growth is really going to develop so different from others. That is all.

[TheWire]

Sounds like Vasilios Priskos passed away.

https://www.facebook.com/MayorBenMcA...27020517411020

[ajiuO]

Originally Posted by TheWire

Sounds like Vasilios Priskos passed away.

https://www.facebook.com/MayorBenMcA...27020517411020

I wonder if he has been sick and that’s why nothing ever transpired with the APS property. I wonder what will happen with that now... I know he had a partner on a lot of that proper.

[TheWire]

Looks like he had been battling cancer for quite some time.

http://www.sltrib.com/news/business/...is-dies-at-53/