Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[Makid]

Originally Posted by Atlas

My understanding is that the billboards have considerable (unreasonable) protections in place from the state level. The city would have to offer millions of dollars for each one if it wanted to use eminent domain.

It's really one of the most underrated issues in our state and city, partly because anyone trying to change the policies has to fight the fundraising and free advertising of the billboard companies. See: Ralph Becker.

Conspiracy theory: we lost the Utah Theatre (and the 200 S streetcar) because Ralph Becker came out against billboards and Jackie Biskupski was elected in his place. Blame the billboards.

It is really close. To remove a billboard, the City would need to pay for something like 20 years of potential lost revenue. Reagan has some extreme control over the Legislature. Becker's push against billboards is what cost him re-election.

For the conspiracy theories, it may be that Biskupski's election doomed the Utah Theater. She was against theaters and streetcars. The City Council had to override Biskupski in order to get the streetcar lines added back into the Transit Master Plan.

So the streetcars are still in the plan, but the timeline for the 2nd South and Granary lines are set for 2040 or so. With all the development around 2nd South and 4th West, I do think that the timelines can be moved up, the City just needs to find dedicated funding - $300M to $700M depending on phasing and final route selection.

[Reeder113]

Some nice interior pics of 95 State:

https://www.95stateslc.com/gallery.html

[bob rulz]

From what I understand that is what they had to do with the billboards in the Post District for Reagan to agree to the development there. Unfortunately, ridiculously, that billboard is staying until the laws are changed.

Look at the absurdity that Millcreek has had to go through in their city center development. The control that billboard companies have in this state is absolutely ridiculous.

Originally Posted by ucsbgaucho

Been a lifelong Chargers fan, born and raised in San Diego. They'd never be able to leave LA unless the team is sold to a new owner. They pay $1 a year lease for the best stadium in the world, they'll never be more popular than the Raiders in whatever city they move to, and they couldn't fill a soccer stadium for the 3 years they played there. Ironically they were originally the Los Angeles Chargers, but no one outside of San Diego cares much about them. Salt Lake would need a homegrown expansion team for it to have any shot at success. With the PSLs and high price of season tickets these days, Chargers struggled to even sell the minimum season tickets before SoFi opened, and that's drawing from the 2nd largest population in the country. An NFL team would most likely really struggle here, just like Jacksonville.

I don't think Salt Lake is comparable to those situations. Los Angeles struggles with pro sports in general because it's Los Angeles - there's so many things to do there, a pro sports team is not necessarily high on the list of things to experience. The Lakers and Dodgers are exceptions because they've been there for 70 years, and they were the first pro sports teams there. Both also have been very successful franchises throughout their existence.

Nobody in L.A. cares about the Chargers because Los Angeles literally has anything and everything else already, including an NFL team that has a much longer history in the city. I do think if the Chargers can become more successful, then that could change.

The Jaguars are also not really comparable, because that area is saturated with NFL teams - the Buccaneers and Dolphins are both within Florida themselves, while the Falcons and Panthers are not too far away. Most likely, people in Jacksonville were already fans of other teams in Florida before then. Not to mention the Jaguars have not been a successful team, so people who are already fans of other teams have not been drawn to them.

While I don't think Salt Lake City will get an NFL team anytime soon, if ever, I don't think it has to do with the reasons you mentioned. The only other pro sports teams in Utah are the Jazz and RSL (and of course, the NBA is much more popular in general than MLS). Utah is known for being extremely supportive of their home teams, because Utahns have a lot of pride in their state and love to celebrate anything that's from here. While we obviously have a lot of fans of other teams here, I do think there's untapped potential to turn people into NFL fans that weren't already, or to take fans away from other teams, or to just make casual fans care more in general. That's something I don't think the Chargers could do in Los Angeles.

[ajiuO]

So wait? That billboard is staying in front of that apartment building? That is absolutely ridiculous. Doesn’t the owner of the new apartment building own that property? I can’t imagine that someone else would own a 3’ sliver of land right there. I don’t know many people that would want to rent an apartment with a billboard right in front of the windows like that… maybe it will be an ultra low income apartment.


Maybe the city should put up another billboard right in front of it on the other side of the sidewalk. They could paint a picture of the blocked portion of building on it. No one would be able to see the billboard so they would loose advertisers and then the city could offer to buy it for really cheap and rip both of them down.

[Dallas Snob]

There are 2 luxury apartments in uptown Dallas that are EXACTLY the same, each with a large billboard right up against windows like this one in SLC.

[smartdev]

Originally Posted by StevenF

Since we are talking about water I think this is something people need to know about. I still think a lot of people in the state think it's unlawful to collect and store rain but it isn't as long as you follow these guidelines listed in the link.


https://waterrights.utah.gov/forms/rainwater.asp

It's wishful thinking but I would love to see all new commercial or large-scale housing towers in the state have a rain catch system as part of its engineering. The more water we can collect in this state the better.

[bob rulz]

Originally Posted by ajiuO

So wait? That billboard is staying in front of that apartment building? That is absolutely ridiculous. Doesn’t the owner of the new apartment building own that property? I can’t imagine that someone else would own a 3’ sliver of land right there. I don’t know many people that would want to rent an apartment with a billboard right in front of the windows like that… maybe it will be an ultra low income apartment.


Maybe the city should put up another billboard right in front of it on the other side of the sidewalk. They could paint a picture of the blocked portion of building on it. No one would be able to see the billboard so they would loose advertisers and then the city could offer to buy it for really cheap and rip both of them down.

Welcome to Utah.

I'm sure if that billboard was coming down they would've torn it down before they built up next to it.

[TheGeographer]

Heads up, I guess you can’t talk about how the environment, water and climate change may impact future development in SLC. The moderator will take the post down

[SL,UT]

I am just astounded by the level of gentrification and development going on in central ninth district. My parter and I lived in a tiny townhome on Washington street a few years ago and have since moved to the burbs for more space, but I was just in the area a few days ago and I didn't recognize any of it!

It's fantastic that they finally razed the old dry cleaners off of 900 s and and 200 w. That corner was such an eyesore for the longest time. And that god-awful abandoned CNG station right off the freeway exit is gone too! Glad to see that area geting revitalized. It was pretty seedy only a few years ago.

Really worried about Try-Angles though. I hope they don't suffer the same fate as Bricks.

I know there were major issues with homelessness and drug dealer who prayed on them while I lived in the area. Has that changed at all? I feel like the clowns in the city council and the mayor especially just rely on failed band-aid approaches to the problem.

Just heard that The Gateway Inn off of North Temple is up for sale. Really hoping they put some affordable housing there that actually looks attractive and not some hideous Cowboy Partners design.

[smartdev]

Originally Posted by TheGeographer

Heads up, I guess you can’t talk about how the environment, water and climate change may impact future development in SLC. The moderator will take the post down

I noticed that. It's apparently off-topic and/or unimportant information? Land and water are two clear subjects greatly impacting housing and development in this state and others, but we can only discuss how astra tower et al are coming along I suppose

[nushiof]

Originally Posted by smartdev

I noticed that. It's apparently off-topic and/or unimportant information? Land and water are two clear subjects greatly impacting housing and development in this state and others, but we can only discuss how astra tower et al are coming along I suppose

Along those lines, they are doing some excavating around the pilons at the Astra site.

[nushiof]

Originally Posted by nushiof

Along those lines, they are doing some excavating around the pilons at the Astra site.

The Hyatt Regency sign has been hung on the CCH too. Looks pretty cool.

[mattreedah]

Originally Posted by smartdev

I noticed that. It's apparently off-topic and/or unimportant information? Land and water are two clear subjects greatly impacting housing and development in this state and others, but we can only discuss how astra tower et al are coming along I suppose

Macro-level water and climate change articles should be left off this forum IMO.

[TheGeographer]

Originally Posted by mattreedah

Macro-level water and climate change articles should be left off this forum IMO.

I didn’t post any articles. I was responding to migration from California to Utah. But fair enough, I’d like to focus on the building development as well.

[TheGeographer]

Originally Posted by smartdev

I noticed that. It's apparently off-topic and/or unimportant information? Land and water are two clear subjects greatly impacting housing and development in this state and others, but we can only discuss how astra tower et al are coming along I suppose

I agree both are important to future development, but I get it people want to focus on cool building development, which makes sense given the forums focus. Noted on my part. Hopefully the moderator will hold others to the same standards and moderate others so we stay focused on development that is happening or in the pipeline.

[Atlas]

The big coring drill fell over at the Astra site tonight. Not sure how much that will set back construction.

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by Atlas

The big coring drill fell over at the Astra site tonight. Not sure how much that will set back construction.

[Schmoe]

This setback could be months. Rigs like this are not just sitting available. This is big.

Glad the operator will be ok.

[UtahBison]

Here's a shot from the Tower Cameras. Looks like it may have just missed the building next door.

https://imgur.com/gallery/I6CMogv

[Potgut]

About a month ago someone posted on reddit a timelapse of the core drilling rig in the Astra site (Source), if you look closely, it doesn't have it's stabilizers set on to the ground (the side things that prevent it from tipping over) while it's being used. I'm not sure if it's always required to have these stabilizers down while being used as I don't know the procedure or protocol of these things, but literally every photo I see of these being used on the internet if you google them they have the stabilizers down when used, even the small rigs.

So maybe if the stabilizers were suppose to be down as safety procedure but weren't using them about a month ago when that video was taken, then who's to say that maybe they weren't being careful last night too and could be a reason that led it to tipping over.