Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[Orlando]

Okay. Thanks for the info. This could be for preliminary pricing, but not for final construction documents. At least, from the info we've heard, this might not be the final design.

[Utah_Dave]

Excellent work H4vok. Keep the info coming. What other contractors would get bid requests?

[Orlando]

Originally Posted by Always Sunny in SLC

http://https://www.sltrib.com/news/2018/08/06/youll-never-have-it-again/

I am happy to hear that Richie Group is open to compromise regarding Japantown. I also think it is a little silly to call it Japantown when it consists of two religious edifices. While I hate that thy are trying to stop the development, I would love to see some incorporation of Japanese-Utah history and maybe find a way to add some Japanese architectural elements as homage. Lastly, it makes my eyes bleed to read we are going to subsidize a parking garage. If we are going to subsidize anything it should be ground floor retail or nicer finishes. Sheesh.

I don't get it. Was Ritchie Group proposing to tear down the church? It's on the half block to the north of their first phase stuff on the vacant parking lot on the block south of the church.

[Utah_Dave]

So visually this will be about the same height as the Key bank tower nearby. Although tower 8 is a taller building the top of the buildings will end up at about the same height. I do hope I’m wrong on this however. It will be good to have a tower going again

[Evo5Boise]

Originally Posted by SLCLvr

The larger cities have their own police forces. Unified contracts with several of the newer/smaller cities and the townships to provide police services.

Thanks for informing.

[Makid]

Originally Posted by Orlando

I don't get it. Was Ritchie Group proposing to tear down the church? It's on the half block to the north of their first phase stuff on the vacant parking lot on the block south of the church.

They aren't planning to tear down the church nor the temple. My understanding is the only building that would be torn down is the RWP complex in the SE corner of the block during Phase 2. Phase 1 is already approved and will start construction once the height approval for Phase 2 is approved.

They are waiting on the approval because it is a master planned project and the whole project financially only works with the height allowance in Phase 2 because of the residential tower which is slated to be the first tower. The 3 towers in Phase 2 will be built on top of the parking garage. The garage will have 2 levels of below grade parking, a main level with grocery and shops plus the main entrance for the office, hotel and residential, and then 3 levels of parking above. The towers will then be built on top of the parking. Residential is first. Hotel is second and Commercial is third but could be moved up depending on market demand.

Ideally, they would like a D1 zone so that if demand is higher for Residential, Hotel or Commercial during Phase 2, they could possibly build taller than 375' but the D4 overlay is capped at 375' currently and that is all that is needed to make the project financially successful.

All current plans for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 are to have the entrances to the parking garages (Phase 1 will be entirely below grade) from within the project. The only concession that the developer had to do was the Loading dock entrance for Phase 1 is facing 1st South. They are spending extra money to install a quick open/close rolling door to limit exposure to the street and the church (across the street) to the loading/garbage area. They are trying to limit the overall impact to the street.

They have also talked with the Church and Temple leaders about incorporating the Festival into the project to give more space for various activities. As well as possibly additional festivities during the year. They are trying to help the community.

[bob rulz]

Originally Posted by Orlando

375' is disappointing. But, I'll take it over nothing at all.

375 ft. is great as far as I'm concerned. If we continue to get a slow infusion of 300+ ft. towers, a new tallest will come eventually, and our skyline will be all the better for it.

[i-215]

Originally Posted by Stenar

WVC/Magna has always had more Democrats than Republicans.

Can confirm. Grew up as a minority Republican in Magna. Moved and lived as a minority Democrat in Provo.

[Comrade]

I'm more disappointed that the tower is another box than just 375 feet. The height is fine. The design could be a bit more bold.

[StevenF]

Originally Posted by Comrade

I'm more disappointed that the tower is another box than just 375 feet. The height is fine. The design could be a bit more bold.

Remember what could have been on that corner?

[arkhitektor]

Originally Posted by StevenF

Remember what could have been on that corner?

[asies1981]

Photo update by Mike Fife of several downtown projects.

[San Diego-Honolulu]

Originally Posted by arkhitektor

Maybe it’s a good thing that never got built. It looks like it’s straight from Disneyland’s Tomorrowland.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by Comrade

I'm more disappointed that the tower is another box than just 375 feet. The height is fine. The design could be a bit more bold.

Very much agree, most particularly with the top. I like the curvature on the corner, but that curtain pattern needs some work. Hopefully as Orlando suggested it's just a preliminary workup.

If the LDS Church can give Philadelphia an exceptional tower, certainly they can do something striking for their home base. It wouldn't hurt for a few of us to drive that point home to Property Reserve. It doesn't have to look like something over the top, but there are plenty of stunning examples out there being created, that are both conservatively elegant and stunning at the same time. This design borders on being no more than just another utilitarian box. At the very least give the hvac top a sweeping angle. That along with the corner curvature would at least make a statement somewhere outside the box of snoresville.

Hey, while the former bank plans for that corner might have looked a little like a Jetsons storyboard, it would have been a lot more exciting to have it around today than what this will be as currently presented.

IMO, the former 151 design makes a more attractive office tower statement than this. Borrow that from Boyer, I'm sure they won't mind!

[DCRes]

Originally Posted by asies1981

Photo update by Mike Fife of several downtown projects.

Great update, thank you Mike!

[Makid]

We don't yet know the overall design of the top of the tower, we only know what the base looks like and the rough composite design for the frame. We do know that it will be potentially rounded on the State Street corner and that it most likely extends all the way to the top.

When looking at the recent buildings from PRI/CCR, can we really be disappointed? 99W, The Regent, 111, Deseret News building, the design for the Cascade (255'), and the original 415' tower design for the Cascade.

As for the Philadelphia building (the Alexander/1706 Vine) it is a variation of 99W here in Salt Lake and is part of an overall larger complex.

So, while the tower itself will have a flat top, the overall design does separate itself already from the other buildings and hopefully when the entire building design is released, there are other design features built into the facade.

[ctobsl]

The curvature of the tower seems to be on 3 corners of the building from what you can see in the photo, so I would assume that the back side that you can not see is curved as well.

[Makid]

I also hope there is an open area higher up similar to the one on the 3rd level along State Street. Something like that would be great around the 20th floor along 1st south.

[Orlando]

Originally Posted by Makid

We don't yet know the overall design of the top of the tower, we only know what the base looks like and the rough composite design for the frame. We do know that it will be potentially rounded on the State Street corner and that it most likely extends all the way to the top.

When looking at the recent buildings from PRI/CCR, can we really be disappointed? 99W, The Regent, 111, Deseret News building, the design for the Cascade (255'), and the original 415' tower design for the Cascade.

As for the Philadelphia building (the Alexander/1706 Vine) it is a variation of 99W here in Salt Lake and is part of an overall larger complex.

So, while the tower itself will have a flat top, the overall design does separate itself already from the other buildings and hopefully when the entire building design is released, there are other design features built into the facade.

I certainly hope that the skin is much better than 111 Main. That thing got stripped down and was a let down. The base is amazing! But, I assume that the massive structural cantilever over the theater was so costly that they had to value engineer the curtain wall façade of the tower. The original faceted design was cool.

[Orlando]

Posting this on here from the transit thread. This is the bus maintenance building between I-15 and the train tracks. Looks cool!