Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by ucsbgaucho

Since I'm fairly new to Utah, and the post above reminded me, I'm curious how the Grand America and Little America hotels came out so different in appearance. I know the GA was built for the Olympics, I can't find when LA was built, but how did two hotels related to each other within the same chain get built with such disparate finishes? The LA is such an eyesore to me.

The Little America was built in 1980 and its style fits that decade - definitely nothing to write home about.

Earl Holding, the once-owner of the hotels, as well as Sinclair Oil (now deceased), likely commissioned the hotel to fit its name: 'Grand'. It was envisioned to be the grandest hotel in Salt Lake City in preparation for the Olympics and why it looks like something plucked out of Las Vegas and plopped right in the heart of Salt Lake City.

[ucsbgaucho]

Originally Posted by Comrade

The Little America was built in 1980 and its style fits that decade - definitely nothing to write home about.

Earl Holding, the once-owner of the hotels, as well as Sinclair Oil (now deceased), likely commissioned the hotel to fit its name: 'Grand'. It was envisioned to be the grandest hotel in Salt Lake City in preparation for the Olympics and why it looks like something plucked out of Las Vegas and plopped right in the heart of Salt Lake City.

Thanks for the backstory, makes more sense that the Little America was built first when there was no thought yet of the Grand America. I'm surprised since 2002 they haven't embarked on a makeover of Little America to bring it into the 21st century.

[delts145]

They did do quite a bit of remodeling at the ground level over on the Main street side a few years ago. I agree with you, the tower could definitely use an update. At least they used a generous amount of quality brick vs. stucco, which was pretty common during that era. I would like to see them redevelop the perimeters of the property, especially over on the northwest corner of Main and 6th and that whole stretch along 6th So.

[Atlas]

Little America sucks because it was built to be a direct competitor to the Hotel Newhouse, so when Earl Holding aquired the Newhouse he demolished it instead of renovating it. Now we have a giant parking lot to show for it. That's how the old legend goes, anyway.

Once upon a time, the Newhouse was the "gentile" hotel opposite downtown from the Hotel Utah. Sometimes I wonder if that reputation played a role in its demise.

EDIT: I came across this recent aerial of downtown:


https://www.kuer.org/news-briefs/2022-03...ued-over-redistricting-romney-resolution

[taboubak]

Speaking of the Little America. Does anyone have any idea if there is any preliminary plans to eventually demolish the two story buildings around the main hotel tower for future development? Those are such a waste of space.

[Paniolo Man]

Originally Posted by taboubak

Speaking of the Little America. Does anyone have any idea if there is any preliminary plans to eventually demolish the two story buildings around the main hotel tower for future development? Those are such a waste of space.

Controversial take:
Little America looks fine. It has a very late 1900s style and high quality construction that will one day be considered historically significant. I prefer 80s brick to featureless glass monoliths.

[Makid]

Breaking News....

Outdoor Retailer is coming back to Utah
https://www.ksl.com/article/50373674/outdoor-retailer-is-coming-back-to-utah-

SALT LAKE CITY — Outdoor Retailer is coming back to Utah, after all.

Visit Salt Lake, Salt Lake County's tourism wing, announced Wednesday that the outdoor industry trade show is returning to downtown Salt Lake City. More details are expected to be released during a press briefing scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Outdoor Retailer announced it was leaving Salt Lake City for Denver in 2017, citing philosophical differences with state policymakers regarding the use of public lands, especially through the state's opposition to the designation of Bears Ears National Monument and support to shrink the size of it.

It has remained in Denver since, but there were rumbling that Outdoor Retailer would return starting last year. Companies like Patagonia, REI, North Face and others, pledged in February to boycott Outdoor Retailer shows if they moved back to Utah over these ongoing issues. It's unclear if that will still be the case when the show returns to Salt Lake City.

[Hatman]

Originally Posted by tygr

Hatman,

It's unfortunate that they didn't mention the Rio Grande Plan. It's an extremely well-thought-out use for the depot and area. And, it would be an absolutely amazing feather in the cap of our capital city and state in general. I love how it would revitalize and consolidate the railyards into more useable public space. Your vision and renderings are inspiring for what this state and city needs.

As I was watching the Fox13 video and they were mentioning the summer and winter markets, I was thinking that the 1/2 block between the depot and Pioneer Park would be an amazing place for that, especially if they brought TRAX straight down 400 West and it was something people walked past between TRAX, FrontRunner, and other services.

I know that's different from what your proposal is, but it would be awesome to have TRAX stop right in across from the park and have the depot a half-block away with a hive of outdoor market activity in-between—that section of 300 South should be restricted to pedestrians only. Plus, it would mean less zig-zagging for TRAX in general.

If they did that, then Rio Grande Street could become a restricted road between 200 and 400 South for deliveries and dropoffs only—with no ability to cross 300 South—possibly becoming overflow areas for the outdoor market.

I've had some discussions with city leaders/planners about how to better connect the Rio Grande to Pioneer Park, and the idea of converting 300 South between Rio Grande Street and 400 West into a pedestrian plaza seems like the best solution. If the full space were to be converted, it would provide just less than 1 acre for vendors, greenspace, water features, or whatever else doesn't make the cut in the next round of Pioneer Park redesigns. It could be really cool.

As for TRAX on 4th West, you make fair points. However I think the extension of TRAX on 4th South already puts transit close enough to the park. The purpose of going all the way to Rio Grande Street is to make transfers between CRT and LRT as painless as possible. I am aware that the distance between LRT and CRT at Denver's Union Station is about the same distance as 500 West to 400 West (750 feet), but we want to be better than Denver's project and really make Salt Lake's transit hub world class.
But ultimately it will be decided by people who get paid more than us as to where everything goes.

[Utahn]

In a previous job I worked closely and regularly with folks at Little America. In a conversation in 2019, I asked about Little America's plans for the future (conversation was framed around the arrival of the convention center hotel).

Anyways, I was told that Little America did have plans for a second hotel tomorrow on the block (I no longer remember where this was located), but that plans were aimed for several years after the opening of the convention center hotel.

With hospitality taking a hit who knows what the timeline is now, but that's just to say that there are plans out there.

Originally Posted by delts145

They did do quite a bit of remodeling at the ground level over on the Main street side a few years ago. I agree with you, the tower could definitely use an update. At least they used a generous amount of quality brick vs. stucco, which was pretty common during that era. I would like to see them redevelop the perimeters of the property, especially over on the northwest corner of Main and 6th and that whole stretch along 6th So.

[nushiof]

A new drilling rig is being staged at Astra today on 200. S.

[wrendog]

Originally Posted by Atlas

Little America sucks because it was built to be a direct competitor to the Hotel Newhouse, so when Earl Holding aquired the Newhouse he demolished it instead of renovating it. Now we have a giant parking lot to show for it. That's how the old legend goes, anyway.

Once upon a time, the Newhouse


https://www.kuer.org/news-briefs/2022-03...ued-over-redistricting-romney-resolution

Astra gonna look great from that angle

[i2theSKY]

Originally Posted by Makid

Breaking News....

Outdoor Retailer is coming back to Utah
https://www.ksl.com/article/50373674/outdoor-retailer-is-coming-back-to-utah-

Sounds like some of the major companies threatening a boycott didn't attend the Denver show last year either. I think there's a big enough outdoor industry that they honestly won't be missed that much. One thing is for sure, it will be good for the new CC hotel and the prospects of getting another in the near vicinity!

[taboubak]

Originally Posted by Paniolo Man

Controversial take:
Little America looks fine. It has a very late 1900s style and high quality construction that will one day be considered historically significant. I prefer 80s brick to featureless glass monoliths.

I wasn't talking about the tower, the tower is fine. I'm talking about the multiple two story hotel buildings surrounding the main tower with zero street engagement. It is cool to hear that they did have plans to develop the rest of the block with a sexond hotel eventually though.

[Makid]

Originally Posted by i2theSKY

Sounds like some of the major companies threatening a boycott didn't attend the Denver show last year either. I think there's a big enough outdoor industry that they honestly won't be missed that much. One thing is for sure, it will be good for the new CC hotel and the prospects of getting another in the near vicinity!

I have heard that the APS development, hotel and possibly apartments has been waiting to see how the hotel occupancy goes once the CCH is opened. The news of OR returning following updates that phase 2 of the West Quarter won't include a hotel component could help to encourage the Priskos family to move quicker.

I did have a good feeling that OR would return once the CCH was ready and it does seem that my feeling was correct. Hopefully we will find out soon how many shows will be hosted annually. They originally had 2 shows (Winter/Summer) but were working on bringing in another slew of shows (5 or more) prior to the Bears Ears issue and OR leaving for Denver. If they come back and go forward with the previously planned extra shows, this could greatly increase hotel occupancy year round and could lead to more hotel projects in the City, if not just a much bigger APS project.

Also, regarding the CCH, the crane has been lowered and will probably be gone in the next day or so.

[Atlas]

Originally Posted by Makid

I have heard that the APS development, hotel and possibly apartments has been waiting to see how the hotel occupancy goes once the CCH is opened. The news of OR returning following updates that phase 2 of the West Quarter won't include a hotel component could help to encourage the Priskos family to move quicker.

Has this been confirmed publicly? I was under the impression that, apart from an altered Block C, the last version of Phase II we saw still had a hotel tower.

Good news on the expo though. Maybe SLC will get a nice JW Marriott out of the Priskos tower, or a nice replacement for the Downtown Marriott fitting for JW's hometown. Hopefully we see updates on the South West Temple and Regent Street towers soon, both of which have/had hotel components.

[Utah_Dave]

^^^^

Glad to see both sides could reconcile their political differences and bring the OR trade show back to SLC. Curious if our bid to bring them back was balanced but glad to have them back. A 450’-500’ tower sitting front and center in our skyline sure would look good on the APS site. Fingers crossed they have the motivation and ability to get that done.

[mstar]

This may be a silly question, but what is the APS development?

[SaltCityScrapers]

Originally Posted by mstar

This may be a silly question, but what is the APS development?

Arrow Press Square.
The 100 South block of West Temple, directly across the street from the Salt Palace Convention Center.

[Makid]

Originally Posted by Atlas

Has this been confirmed publicly? I was under the impression that, apart from an altered Block C, the last version of Phase II we saw still had a hotel tower.

The last I heard was that it was going to have 2 residential towers and a commercial tower. It is possible that with OR returning plans may change again. We should know in the next few months as I would expect them to submit plans for block C soon as Block D could start demo work in the next 4 to 6 weeks if I heard correctly.

[Atlas]

Originally Posted by Makid

The last I heard was that it was going to have 2 residential towers and a commercial tower. It is possible that with OR returning plans may change again. We should know in the next few months as I would expect them to submit plans for block C soon as Block D could start demo work in the next 4 to 6 weeks if I heard correctly.

Not to be nitpicky but I think you may have the names backwards. They've already submitted plans and permit applications for Block C. If you mean that they'll be submitting plans for Block D in the next few weeks, then count me as stoked!

This was the last version of Block D that we've seen (via a leak) which also shows an older version of Block C:


where all of the Block D towers are on top of a 7-story parking podium.

That 28-story residential tower (on top of 7-stories of parking) has the potential to be a 400+ footer, which is exciting.