Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[scottharding]

Originally Posted by Marvland

Now this is what I call a full-blown neighborhood tragedy. That they would ever consider knocking down one of the last remaining ice facilities standing in the western United States is just sad. It's the Erkelens and Olsen Auction house. It was Germany Haus in the Olympics. It is sturdy and still has economic life left in it. Would have been an amazing food court or brewery. You could still get the unit count by going to ten stories to the west of the existing building. Rents justify concrete. We need to hold our current crop of developers accountable. This is a bad one.

Agreed. I lived over there until about two months ago, and I love that building. I'm in Pittsburgh right now and suffering from severe jealousy. One of the things that makes this city so great is its abundance of historic buildings, and the way the decades of different architecture and city trends are on display on every corner. It is a city of character.
SLC is going to lose another gem for a boring, paint-by-numbers apartment building.

[Orlando]

I'm not sure which structure you guys are talking about. All I see is a little 1-story white industrial building that is mostly hidden from the street.

[EPdesign]

Originally Posted by Orlando

I'm not sure which structure you guys are talking about. All I see is a little 1-story white industrial building that is mostly hidden from the street.

It’s not that great Orlando. I use to walk past it when I’d walk to school at West. Panthers!!! Lol. It’s interesting at first glance then that’s about it. I’m sure some rich history can be found somewhere but it’s going to meet the same fate as another property in that same area will in a few years.

[Liberty Wellsian]

The city should add a "No Demo" clause to the TOD ordinance. Developers should be given a good number of
Points for building without unbuilding.

[Marvland]

Originally Posted by EPdesign

It’s not that great Orlando. I use to walk past it when I’d walk to school at West. Panthers!!! Lol. It’s interesting at first glance then that’s about it. I’m sure some rich history can be found somewhere but it’s going to meet the same fate as another property in that same area will in a few years.

You really should have walked into it. It is a great space. Floors are crazy strong to hold up to 10,000 lb hunks of ice. Full seismic in the 90's. Tried to land my distillery there a few years back but couldn't get them to bite at a reasonable price. We softly underwrote it to have a boutique hotel on the excess land so we could pencil it. Couldn't get it done for a few reasons.

BTW the church owns all surrounding property north and east so that won't change hands any time soon.

[wasatch07]

Does anyone know what is being built at 1950 w. North twmple ( by motel 6)? The area is fenced off and there is digging onsite.

[airhero]

Originally Posted by wasatch07

Does anyone know what is being built at 1950 w. North twmple ( by motel 6)? The area is fenced off and there is digging onsite.

Looks like the project is called Lotus North Temple. 3 story townhomes. 28 units.

[asies1981]

Originally Posted by wasatch07

Does anyone know what is being built at 1950 w. North twmple ( by motel 6)? The area is fenced off and there is digging onsite.

I'll have an update soon on that project.

[asies1981]

Another great photo update of Sugar House's projects by Mike Fife.

[EPdesign]

Originally Posted by Marvland

BTW the church owns all surrounding property north and east so that won't change hands any time soon.

There are properties and facilities near by that aren’t owned by the church that are being considered for development.

[Makid]

Originally Posted by EPdesign

There are properties and facilities near by that aren’t owned by the church that are being considered for development.

Agreed, 4th West and even 5th West is growing up. It would probably grow faster if the South Davis transit line was constructed since 4th West is the dedicated transit corridor.

There isn't enough transit on the street yet to push for reduced parking but hopefully that can be pushed soon.

I look at the SW corner of 6th North and 4th West as a perfect location for a TOD close to the scale of Hardware Village. With the SLC Transit Master Plan, 6th North, 4th West, and 3rd West will have 15 minute or better bus service. That corner should have a bus passing at a minimum every 7 minutes.

[brankrom]

I noticed the parking structure at Smith's midtown is being demoed. Whats going to happen there? Most of the block is already underutilized, some residential there and on the SE corner of the block would be great IMO.

[ctobsl]

Originally Posted by brankrom

I noticed the parking structure at Smith's midtown is being demoed. Whats going to happen there? Most of the block is already underutilized, some residential there and on the SE corner of the block would be great IMO.

Their parking structure was unsafe and is going to be replaced with a new one.

[arkhitektor]

Originally Posted by ctobsl

Their parking structure was unsafe and is going to be replaced by a new one.

Maybe they'll install a new escalator while they're at it:

https://www.ksl.com/article/46365735/family-sues-smiths-saying-girl-lost-2-fingers-on-escalator

I stopped in that Smith's a few months ago to pick up a few things at lunch and the place has really gone downhill recently.

[airhero]

Originally Posted by arkhitektor

Maybe they'll install a new escalator while they're at it:

https://www.ksl.com/article/46365735/family-sues-smiths-saying-girl-lost-2-fingers-on-escalator

I stopped in that Smith's a few months ago to pick up a few things at lunch and the place has really gone downhill recently.

They've installed new escalators since that incident. They were horrible before.

I wish the entire block would be redeveloped with a nice, new, more urban Smith's. Central City could and should be so much better. The two block stretch of 400 S from 500 to 700 East is terrible. Great for cars though.

[bob rulz]

Every Smiths in Salt Lake (except maybe the one in the Avenues) should be rebuilt to be more urban. All of them are very suburban. Harmons has blown them away in the urban grocery store category. They should start with the marketplace on 400S, then the one in Sugarhouse, then the one on 800S. I wonder if Salt Lake City could institute any ordinances or incentives that would encourage them to rebuild? Obviously they couldn't legally FORCE them to, but something to make it worthwhile for them, or any other business that would want to do something like that? I don't know what could make that possible.

EDIT: I took a quick look at Denver to see if they have any good examples, and I found this beautifully-located grocery store with apartments on top that was built in 2015. And King Soopers is a Kroger brand, so that shows Kroger can do something like this. Of course, this was also brand new construction and not replacing a grocery store that was there before. Still, I look at this and it makes me envious, and almost wishing that Harmons had been built with residential above it.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7576063,...6N-Q2FwjnYQWkhQcr-ycA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Makid]

Originally Posted by bob rulz

Every Smiths in Salt Lake (except maybe the one in the Avenues) should be rebuilt to be more urban. All of them are very suburban. Harmons has blown them away in the urban grocery store category. They should start with the marketplace on 400S, then the one in Sugarhouse, then the one on 800S. I wonder if Salt Lake City could institute any ordinances or incentives that would encourage them to rebuild? Obviously they couldn't legally FORCE them to, but something to make it worthwhile for them, or any other business that would want to do something like that? I don't know what could make that possible.

EDIT: I took a quick look at Denver to see if they have any good examples, and I found this beautifully-located grocery store with apartments on top that was built in 2015. And King Soopers is a Kroger brand, so that shows Kroger can do something like this. Of course, this was also brand new construction and not replacing a grocery store that was there before. Still, I look at this and it makes me envious, and almost wishing that Harmons had been built with residential above it.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7576063,...6N-Q2FwjnYQWkhQcr-ycA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I do like this thought. The Smiths on 600N just did a mild remodel inside, not much but something. It is one of the test stores for the scan and bag as well so you can scan, bag and basically get it all ready to go so you can just do a final scan at the end, pay and leave.

Image from Google with update from me.

With the transit master plan, there will be 15 minute bus service along 600N, I would love for SLC and Smiths/Kroger to work together to redevelop the entire property there. They could build store facing 600N with an Entrance on 600N and one on the Fuel side. The Domino's and the Check'N Go in the strip mall could move to 1200W. 3 or 4, maybe even 5 levels of residential could be built above the store. Deliveries could still take place on the north side.

Done this way, they could even leave the gas station where it is. They could even possibly leave the existing store in operation while they build the new store. They could work with the Church across the street for extra parking and construction staging.

Once the new store is open, the existing store could be taken down and sold for housing on top of ground floor commercial. Maybe work with Anya's Market directly to the north to help address the parking issues (no one likes parking in back).

It doesn't hurt that it is the main Smith's I shop at either. I live just north from it and walk there for shopping when I am able.

The area is changing and that corner could be prime for redevelopment without the neighborhood losing its character.

[DCRes]

Originally Posted by bob rulz

Every Smiths in Salt Lake (except maybe the one in the Avenues) should be rebuilt to be more urban. All of them are very suburban. Harmons has blown them away in the urban grocery store category. They should start with the marketplace on 400S, then the one in Sugarhouse, then the one on 800S. I wonder if Salt Lake City could institute any ordinances or incentives that would encourage them to rebuild? Obviously they couldn't legally FORCE them to, but something to make it worthwhile for them, or any other business that would want to do something like that? I don't know what could make that possible.

EDIT: I took a quick look at Denver to see if they have any good examples, and I found this beautifully-located grocery store with apartments on top that was built in 2015. And King Soopers is a Kroger brand, so that shows Kroger can do something like this. Of course, this was also brand new construction and not replacing a grocery store that was there before. Still, I look at this and it makes me envious, and almost wishing that Harmons had been built with residential above it.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7576063,...6N-Q2FwjnYQWkhQcr-ycA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I'm working on a project in Boulder that would do this exact thing, demo an existing grocery store and rebuild the store as ground level retail and apartments above. It's very difficult for the store and the landlord to handle the downtime in cash flow so the upside really has to be there on the backend. But I could see the locations you mentioned on 400 S and 800 S being good candidates to do just that.

[airhero]

Originally Posted by DCRes

I'm working on a project in Boulder that would do this exact thing, demo an existing grocery store and rebuild the store as ground level retail and apartments above. It's very difficult for the store and the landlord to handle the downtime in cash flow so the upside really has to be there on the backend. But I could see the locations you mentioned on 400 S and 800 S being good candidates to do just that.

I already mentioned this a while ago, but the Smith's on 400 S may not have to close down while the new one is under construction. The entire block is owned by the same company, except for the Wendy's property. The building with the Cafe Rio and Great Clips would need to be torn down. Also the Wendy's (if the property can be acquired) and Baskin-Robbins, if new building is on the northeast corner, or the Mattress Firm, if on the northwest corner, would be torn down as well. Construction would probably be easier on the northeast corner. The Smith's Garden Center would have to move or close down to make room for the new building. Other than that the Smith's could operate as normal throughout construction, then be torn down. When all that is done, you're left with a new urban Smith's topped with apartments and a lot of remaining developable land.

This is where I envision it could go:

[Makid]

Originally Posted by airhero

I already mentioned this a while ago, but the Smith's on 400 S may not have to close down while the new one is under construction. The entire block is owned by the same company, except for the Wendy's property. The building with the Cafe Rio and Great Clips would need to be torn down. Also the Wendy's (if the property can be acquired) and Baskin-Robbins, if new building is on the northeast corner, or the Mattress Firm, if on the northwest corner, would be torn down as well. Construction would probably be easier on the northeast corner. The Smith's Garden Center would have to move or close down to make room for the new building. Other than that the Smith's could operate as normal throughout construction, then be torn down. When all that is done, you're left with a new urban Smith's topped with apartments and a lot of remaining developable land.

This is where I envision it could go:

I like this. I think that with the right incentives they might see the potential. We just need a developer to get a plan together and pitch them the idea unless Kroger wants to get into the apartment building business. It could open another revenue source for them.