Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[bob rulz]

400S has amazing potential as an urban boulevard. TRAX, a plethora of new high-density residential construction, close proximity to both downtown and the U of U, and a lot of strip mall/fast food redevelopment potential. There's been some missteps (like the Encore Wall of Shame...er I mean apartments) but those missteps did force the SLC Council to institute new requirements for new construction along the corridor.

Regarding reconstruction, I think the same thing could be done for the strip mall across 600E from Smiths that has the Trader Joes, Ace Hardware, Paradise Bakery, etc. I think you could rebuild it at street level without having to close down the other stores, there's an absurd amount of dead space in front of those. And I'm sure they would welcome the change...places like that would benefit from street engagement.

[Comrade]

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

That area just blows my mind. Go look back to 2008 and compare it to last year and it's night and day. There isn't an area downtown that can even compare with that type of urban growth over the last decade.

It's crazy to think that even with all the development we're seeing throughout the downtown area, SLC is still light years behind these other cities.

[Orlando]

You know sometimes we think Salt Lake City is so slow in its urban/downtown growth. It's true when compared to other cities like Seattle, Denver, Portland, San Francisco, etc. but go check out other cities like Houston, Dallas, Saint Louis, Kansas City, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Cincinnatti, Des Moines, etc. etc. They have had very little new highrise development in the last 20 to 30 years. A lot of them had big highrises go up in the 70's and 80's and then nothing and still nothing. Salt Lake City slowly keeps progressing and we still get a few new substantial highrises every decade. Go check out the Diagrams of those cities mentioned.

[twig]

Because we all want to compare ourselves to the most desirable cities in the US (Denver, Seattle, Austin, San Fran)..... nobody wants to be compared to the other cities. I get we have a different culture in Utah, I get we really aren’t that big... but cities like Denver and Austin keep raising the bar for midsize urban centers and us here in Salt Lake are desperately wanting to keep up. It’s exciting what’s going on in those cities, and we just want our city to be a part of it. Plus Salt Lake to Denver is just like how Portland is to Seattle.... same region, similar economy’s, only thing is , both Salt Lake and Portland live in the shadows of their next door neighbor. It’s so exciting when we finally break ground on something substantial, but then we look over at Denver and they already have 4 or 5 of similar scale projects already under construction

But I get it, if looking at the bottom of the barrel cities (urban development wise) is what it takes to get us to feel good about what our city is doing then I’m all for it!

[Meliorem]

Originally Posted by Comrade

That area just blows my mind. Go look back to 2008 and compare it to last year and it's night and day. There isn't an area downtown that can even compare with that type of urban growth over the last decade.

It's crazy to think that even with all the development we're seeing throughout the downtown area, SLC is still light years behind these other cities.

It's very impressive what they've done with the Union Station neighborhood and the station itself. The fact that the entire area has been built up from the ground in such a short span.. crazy indeed. Hopefully one day we'll see something like this in SLC as well.

2008-2010:









2018:








Here's a construction webcam from the area. It's no longer live but it shows the scale:
https://app.oxblue.com/open/saunders/1709

[Utah_Dave]

It’s just a matter of the city and the population to embrace urban living. We will always be handicapped in this regard. An influx of people from other parts of the country will greatly help and in a way, show our residents how it’s done. Just appreciate the steps we have taken so far. We aren’t being bypassed but we aren’t leading the pack by any means either. We need the city to get with the developer that wants to create high density in Herriman and show him the potential in parts of downtown.

[grasscom]

Careful guys, if we aren’t careful we are going to awake Sandeigo-Honolulu

[bob rulz]

Originally Posted by Orlando

You know sometimes we think Salt Lake City is so slow in its urban/downtown growth. It's true when compared to other cities like Seattle, Denver, Portland, San Francisco, etc. but go check out other cities like Houston, Dallas, Saint Louis, Kansas City, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Cincinnatti, Des Moines, etc. etc. They have had very little new highrise development in the last 20 to 30 years. A lot of them had big highrises go up in the 70's and 80's and then nothing and still nothing. Salt Lake City slowly keeps progressing and we still get a few new substantial highrises every decade. Go check out the Diagrams of those cities mentioned.

That's what I always try to say lol. I get that it's natural to be envious of your livelier, more exciting neighbors, but you can't let that get in the way of enjoying what you do have.

[SLCLvr]

Originally Posted by bob rulz

Every Smiths in Salt Lake (except maybe the one in the Avenues) should be rebuilt to be more urban.

Some may not know that there is a Smith's on 800 South and 900 WEST. While it probably doesn't have enough room to be a rebuild while operating, I think it would also be a good candidate for a rebuild (and expansion!) with housing above with the rezoning that recently took place along 900 West. No doubt they've tried to buy the hispanic convenience store on the corner and maybe they could offer enough to get a sale if they tied it into this type of project. The Sunday Anderson senior center on the east side of 900 West would also be a good candidate for a similar project, building a new senior center with senior housing above.

[Liberty Wellsian]

Originally Posted by SLCLvr

Some may not know that there is a Smith's on 800 South and 900 WEST. While it probably doesn't have enough room to be a rebuild while operating, I think it would also be a good candidate for a rebuild (and expansion!) with housing above with the rezoning that recently took place along 900 West. No doubt they've tried to buy the hispanic convenience store on the corner and maybe they could offer enough to get a sale if they tied it into this type of project. The Sunday Anderson senior center on the east side of 900 West would also be a good candidate for a similar project, building a new senior center with senior housing above.

My dream for that area is an Amsterdam inspired street along the Jordan river. Who wouldn't want a row home/apartment there?

[SLCLvr]

I'm very interested to see what the plans may be for the old Mark Steel plant at 200 South and the Jordan River, west of the river from the Fisher Mansion. They could certainly add an element of riverside living to that project. http://www.slcdocs.com/Planning/Planning%20Commission/2018/00163.pdf. Planning Commission sent a favorable recommendation to the City Council on the rezone.

[Comrade]

It's not just the high-rises. It's the mid-rises and the blocks of urban development. We're not anywhere near that level and with SLC, and the state as a whole, having a far stronger economy than a great deal of our neighbors, yeah, to be honest, I kind of expect us to out-perform places like Des Moines...

[Ironweed]

Originally Posted by Orlando

You know sometimes we think Salt Lake City is so slow in its urban/downtown growth. It's true when compared to other cities like Seattle, Denver, Portland, San Francisco, etc. but go check out other cities like Houston, Dallas, Saint Louis, Kansas City, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Cincinnatti, Des Moines, etc. etc. They have had very little new highrise development in the last 20 to 30 years. A lot of them had big highrises go up in the 70's and 80's and then nothing and still nothing. Salt Lake City slowly keeps progressing and we still get a few new substantial highrises every decade. Go check out the Diagrams of those cities mentioned.

You have a point Orlando. I think there is a big difference however. With the exception of Dallas and Houston, many of the other cities you had mentioned are in areas with stagnant or declining populations. Whereas in the west, populations are exploding. Utah has the 23'rd largest CSA, and will likely break into the top twenty to fifteen eventually. (This is pure conjecture of course.) SLC is doing a mediocre and underwhelming job in urbanizing itself. For an infinite amount of nonsensical reasons.

[Marvland]

Originally Posted by SLCLvr

I'm very interested to see what the plans may be for the old Mark Steel plant at 200 South and the Jordan River, west of the river from the Fisher Mansion. They could certainly add an element of riverside living to that project. http://www.slcdocs.com/Planning/Planning%20Commission/2018/00163.pdf. Planning Commission sent a favorable recommendation to the City Council on the rezone.

Good get! Love to see this happen. It will probably take a few years because of environmental impacts but I'd love to see much of that area converted to TSA.

[Orlando]

Originally Posted by Comrade

It's not just the high-rises. It's the mid-rises and the blocks of urban development. We're not anywhere near that level and with SLC, and the state as a whole, having a far stronger economy than a great deal of our neighbors, yeah, to be honest, I kind of expect us to out-perform places like Des Moines...

Anybody care to email all the ceo's of major tech companies located or relocating to Lehi/Draper area that they need to gain a better sense of pride for our metro region by building a more dynamic downtown that we can be proud of??!! Someone needs to inspire them! Seriously. Who's going to be the prophet of Tech urbanization in Salt Lake City?

[Mountain man]

I think it’s more to it than what meets the eye. These tech companies can move downtown but don’t. Why? Is it just culture? Cheaper land?

I think it’s a little bit of everything.

I think the tech companies are just doing what they are familiar with because no one has given them a reason to change. Honestly it feels like the leaders of Salt Lake don’t care too one way or another if the downtown area is the premier business center in the metro. It doesn’t seem like they care too much one way or another if Salt Lake is the centeral part of the metro.

What’s the difference between Denver and Salt Lake? How often does the city of salt lake actually invest in their downtown? What has Salt Lake done to make downtown more exciting than the suburbs? Because most of the attractions in the metro are in the suburbs. Does the city even really put up a fight when trying to attract big companies? Because Denver has a lot of tech companies moving to their downtown. So what is the disconnect? It can’t all just be culture, a lot of these tech companies moving there are from the liberal capital, California.

If the leaders of Salt Lake really wanted to be the premier urban center for Utah then don’t you think we would see their efforts? Even when they aren’t successful?

[grasscom]

Who’s building more urban infill, Salt Lake or Boise? Because I have a hard time believing one is far and above the other in urban development

[Orlando]

Originally Posted by Mountain man

I think it’s more to it than what meets the eye. These tech companies can move downtown but don’t. Why? Is it just culture? Cheaper land?

I think it’s a little bit of everything.

I think the tech companies are just doing what they are familiar with because no one has given them a reason to change. Honestly it feels like the leaders of Salt Lake don’t care too one way or another if the downtown area is the premier business center in the metro. It doesn’t seem like they care too much one way or another if Salt Lake is the centeral part of the metro.

What’s the difference between Denver and Salt Lake? How often does the city of salt lake actually invest in their downtown? What has Salt Lake done to make downtown more exciting than the suburbs? Because most of the attractions in the metro are in the suburbs. Does the city even really put up a fight when trying to attract big companies? Because Denver has a lot of tech companies moving to their downtown. So what is the disconnect? It can’t all just be culture, a lot of these tech companies moving there are from the liberal capital, California.

If the leaders of Salt Lake really wanted to be the premier urban center for Utah then don’t you think we would see their efforts? Even when they aren’t successful?

I don't think it's necessarily the leaders of SLC as much as it is the culture of sprawl happy northern Utah.

[Utah_Dave]

Post the emails to the tech CEOs if you find them. It would be great to ENCOURAGE them to move downtown and also encourage them to engage the city and GOED about how they can assist

[Marvland]

Originally Posted by Mountain man

I think it’s more to it than what meets the eye. These tech companies can move downtown but don’t. Why? Is it just culture? Cheaper land?

***

Because most of the attractions in the metro are in the suburbs.

****

Because Denver has a lot of tech companies moving to their downtown.

*****

1) Land banking on a large scale by one family is a major problem, a lack of deal doing at the city, general dysfunction (see; inland port)

2) You have obviously never been to Salt Lake City, Utah.

3) Denver's tech scene, even the "downtown one" cannot be compared to SLC and its metro. This year will see possibly five $1 billion IPOs in SL metro.

Here is a reminder: Lehi is 15 minutes from downtown. It is for all intents and purposes a real SL suburb. You guys need to calm down and go get a drink. There are seventeen bars in ONE BLOCK in downtown SLC. The sheer density of bars especially quality bars is nationally notable and very very rare. Go drop a few bucks and whet your whistle. You need it.