Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[Highrise_Mike]

Wow, I never actually heard of this mall proposal out by the airport. Good on Rocky to fight it! It is the ultimate decentralizing, auto-oriented type of project that is the epitome of suburban sprawl. Of course the developer wanted the State to pay for roads too, what a terrible investment in public infrastructure that would have been.

Though on the other hand, poor investments are continually made on sprawl including highways out to places like Eagle Mountain. The State should understand the full picture of its investments and discourage sprawling development patterns. So many other problems could be addressed with it too such as air quality, drying Great Salt Lake, traffic congestion, etc.

Originally Posted by i-215

Holy crap, I'd forgotten about that. The "Magna Times" article I looked up says it would have been at 5600 West and I-80 (roughly where Stadler Rail is now) and been 1.4 MILLION square feet (2x Provo Towne Centre)!

The sort of project I'm sure I would have advocated and defended had I been on this message board in 2000. And, in retrospect, am eternally grateful to those who fought the project and saved downtown. Valley Fair struggles. Imagine what would have happened to it if this had been built!

• The mall actually broke ground on September 11, 1998.
• It was to have 12-18 anchor stores.
• And 200-225 smaller stores.
• All spread across 500 acres, in a classic suburban design.
• Mayor Corradini supported it, believing 40%+ of revenue would come from "tourists"

This would have been a retail nuclear bomb. In opposition to Mayor Anderson, here's this gem from *Tribune*, 24 Sep 2001, p.9:



If you ever wonder if SLC has made any social progress, check out that last paragraph.

[i-215]

As somebody who has been perennially priced out of the housing market—

I am sympathetic to residential sprawl and the transportation infrastructure that goes into place to support it. Outside of Salt Lake City, cities are not nearly aggressive enough to allow wise use of the existing ground to increase the supply.

This hits me personally:

My dad owns an acre behind his house in Magna. And I went around and around with the county trying to get "beach houses" approved. Single-family that are skinny and tall, 3 bed, 2 bath with carports. Formica countertops. Cheap carpet. Fiberglass tubs. Simple rectangle shapes. Anything to get the price sub-$300k so family members (and others) could afford to buy a house. Hoped to get 8-10 units on the lot. By the time I got done with the county, they said I could do JUST 2-3 houses on a traditional cul-de-sac. Half the project was paved. It's utter BS. And so, no houses got built. (Evidentially, only LARGE projects with 3+ acres qualify for PUD status).

So, where do those 8-10 families move? Eagle Mountain. If the state won't force cities to allow in-fill, then 'eff 'em. Build a billion-dollar Hwy 73 freeway for all I care. People need a place to live.

[Always Sunny in SLC]

Deleted.

[delts145]

Utah experiences largest population spike in 16 years. Here's where people are moving

By Carter Williams, KSL.com | Updated - Dec. 1, 2022 at 3:28 p.m. | Posted - Dec. 1, 2022 at 9:30 a.m. - https://www.ksl.com/article/50529646/uta...-16-years-heres-where-people-are-moving-

Apartments and townhouses on Traverse Mountain Boulevard in Lehi are pictured on Aug. 11, 2021. Jeffrey D. Allred Deseret News

[TMoneySLC]

Originally Posted by Makid

The early 2000's were a challenge to SLC and downtown. On top of the Grand Mall there was also thoughts and a push to move Hogal Zoo to the west side

I still think the zoo would be better off in another location with more space for the animals and visitors alike. Unfortunately the only places in the valley you are going to find that kind of space are on the west side.
I applaud the efforts they have made to create more natural habitats for the animals, but unfortunately many of the enclosures are still woefully inadequate.

[Atlas]

Signs of life at the Soren (370 S West Temple) site today:


Source

[delts145]

^^^
Well, if like the Astra and Worthington sites are any indication, that photo is a sign of pending construction. Hopefully, just around the corner.

[TheGeographer]

Originally Posted by TMoneySLC

I still think the zoo would be better off in another location with more space for the animals and visitors alike. Unfortunately the only places in the valley you are going to find that kind of space are on the west side.
I applaud the efforts they have made to create more natural habitats for the animals, but unfortunately many of the enclosures are still woefully inadequate.

I agree, the zoo at its current location does not have the space they need for adequate enclosures/expansion. I wouldn’t have minded the zoo somewhere else either.

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by TMoneySLC

I still think the zoo would be better off in another location with more space for the animals and visitors alike. Unfortunately the only places in the valley you are going to find that kind of space are on the west side.
I applaud the efforts they have made to create more natural habitats for the animals, but unfortunately many of the enclosures are still woefully inadequate.

The zoo ought to be allowed to merge with and expand across the street at This is the Place park. The zoo is cramped on a tiny lot and the heritage park has a massive amount of land they're not even using. It's absurd.

[TheGeographer]

Originally Posted by Stenar

The zoo ought to be allowed to merge with and expand across the street at This is the Place park. The zoo is cramped on a tiny lot and the heritage park has a massive amount of land they're not even using. It's absurd.

That’s a great idea. I’ve had similar thoughts

[TMoneySLC]

Originally Posted by Stenar

The zoo ought to be allowed to merge with and expand across the street at This is the Place park. The zoo is cramped on a tiny lot and the heritage park has a massive amount of land they're not even using. It's absurd.

I certainly think that could be a workable solution, but at some level I almost feel it would be beneficial for them to relocate to an easier to access location as well.

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by Stenar

It was TRAX (Corradini) and the redevelopment of the malls & 111 Main (LDS Church) and the Eccles Theatre (Becker) which revived Main Street, not anything Rocky did.

The mega-mall would've been at 5600 W. The only people shopping there would've been WVC and Magna residents who aren't regularly shopping on Main St. It would've had very little impact on downtown SLC.

The 400 S rezone was done by Ralph Becker. (http://www.slcdocs.com/council/agendas/2012Agendas/Aug14/081412A3H4.pdf)

You're such a revisionist lmao

And you're wrong. Flat wrong, in fact, about 400 South.

From 2005:

https://www.deseret.com/2005/12/7/19926595/taller-buildings-ok-on-400-south

Property owners along the city's burgeoning 400 South corridor, which is home to a large section of the University of Utah light rail line, are now free to build residential units much higher along the corridor.

Buildings that include residential components can be built up to 75 feet high and may potentially go up to 125 feet high through a conditional use process.

The new zone passed Tuesday after years of wending its way through the city bureaucracy. Mayor Rocky Anderson has been pushing the ordinance and has often criticized the council for holding it up.

Rocky got the ball rolling in 2005 - a month before his final year in office. Becker came in and promptly ignored the area for pretty much the entirety of his first term. It wasn't until 2012, really almost the end of if, that he finally attempted to do something - a year into his second term.

Your Rocky hate is so irrational that you just make things up. Don't like the guy? Fine. But at least be honest.

I also have to laugh at your handwaving away a mega-mall that would have created devastating sprawl on the westside of the city and absolutely would have impacted retail development downtown.

But you do you.

[SaltCityScrapers]

Originally Posted by delts145

^^^
Well, if like the Astra and Worthington sites are any indication, that photo is a sign of pending construction. Hopefully, just around the corner.

The Salt Lake City Citizen Access Portal indicates "Domain West Temple Mylar" filed a Utilities Development permit on November 21 for 370 S West Temple.
The decision was due on December 2, but they are always slow to update the website.
Point being, the project is definitely still moving forward.

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by Comrade

I also have to laugh at your handwaving away a mega-mall that would have created devastating sprawl on the westside of the city and absolutely would have impacted retail development downtown.

But you do you.

Mountain View Village in Riverton is a 1,000,000 sf shopping center, which is 9.3 miles away from Southtowne Mall and has had zero impact on that mall. The Grand Salt Lake Mall would’ve been 9.1 miles west of Gateway Mall. And would’ve consisted mainly of outlet stores, so instead of that, SLC residents have to drive all the way to Park City or Lehi for outlet shopping.
Your handwringing over the GSL mall is irrational.

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by Comrade

You're such a revisionist lmao

And you're wrong. Flat wrong, in fact, about 400 South.

From 2005:

https://www.deseret.com/2005/12/7/19926595/taller-buildings-ok-on-400-south



Rocky got the ball rolling in 2005 - a month before his final year in office. Becker came in and promptly ignored the area for pretty much the entirety of his first term. It wasn't until 2012, really almost the end of if, that he finally attempted to do something - a year into his second term.

Your Rocky hate is so irrational that you just make things up. Don't like the guy? Fine. But at least be honest.

I also have to laugh at your handwaving away a mega-mall that would have created devastating sprawl on the westside of the city and absolutely would have impacted retail development downtown.

But you do you.

Before the change in 2012, 400 South had 4 different zones applied along it, not all of which allowed housing. The change allowed housing to be built along all of 400 S from 200 E to 1000 E.

[ucsbgaucho]

Originally Posted by Atlas

Signs of life at the Soren (370 S West Temple) site today:


Source

What a lovely sea of beige in those buildings

[rockies]

BSL: Fresh Market on 1700 South is set to get a major overhaul

A grocery store isn't a bad thing but this every time I have been here I wished I went to Smith's, Maceys, or emigration instead. Such a good spot for something mixed-use with housing. I've never seen the parking lot more than 1/3 full

[Rileybo]

Originally Posted by ucsbgaucho

What a lovely sea of beige in those buildings

“Ooo it’s in my favorite flavor, plain!”

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by Stenar

Before the change in 2012, 400 South had 4 different zones applied along it, not all of which allowed housing. The change allowed housing to be built along all of 400 S from 200 E to 1000 E.

And I just linked you to the 2005 proposal that laid the foundation for Becker's plan. In fact, in your own link, it references the 2005 proposal lmao

The big difference is that Anderson finally was able to get the changes at the end of his second term (the final month prior to entering his final year in office). Becker didn't do squat to move forward with 400 South until the middle-end of the first year ... of his SECOND TERM.

So, yes, I will credit Rocky for advocating and pushing for the redevelopment of 400 South.

And yes, you can't convince me that monster mall would have been a net-positive for the city as a whole. Just admit it: your hate toward Rocky is irrational. Now I hope he wins just to see you whine.

[ajiuO]

Hallelujah. I was just driving down North Temple and saw that they are finally ripping down the Gateway Inn. That place has been a central location for drugs, prostitution and violent crime for years. It is a very significant step for the west side to see this place being demolished.

I assume that because they are tearing it down that the new owner of the property has submitted some sort of plan for redevelopment as per the city policy. Does anyone have any clue what is going to go here? I know that it was sold but haven’t heard anything about plans.

Even a six story stucco apartment building would be an improvement… definitely curious for what is planned though.