Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[delts145]

Going back to post the 21& View Lofts I noticed several important projects that haven't been updated in a long time. The Zephyr and The Asher Adams should be pretty far along by now. The Revival should be nearing completion. If anyone is going to be passing by any of these projects soon don't forget to update us.

If anyone is interested in revisiting a particular project or may have simply missed its completion just make a request. I keep track of the past comp. thread pages and am more than happy to bring it forward. In addition to the current projects under construction, we could probably use a little extra pictorial entertainment. It might be a year or so before any significant high rises above the height of The BRIX begin construction. A lot of us like Paniolo Man and myself love the pics.

Downtown Update - The Zephyr Lofts - Downtown warehouse district continues its transformation

Originally Posted by mstar

December 27th UPDATE - Finally, the Zephyr lot has been cleared and fenced off.

Luke Garrott Reports - Full Article @
https://www.buildingsaltlake.com/downtow...ion-with-zephyr-lofts-mixed-use-project/


The Zephyr Lofts, 360 W. 200 S. in west Downtown, Salt Lake City. Rendering by VCBO Architects, courtesy Clearwater Homes.

Clearwater Homes of Utah and Watt Investment Partners of Santa Monica, CA, will start construction on a 138-unit market-rate apartment project at 360 West 200 South in the heart of Salt Lake City’s warehouse district.

The project aspires to be “iconic, remarkable, and aesthetically enduring” – “a source of pride for the local community” according to the local developer, Clearwater’s Micah Peters.

Peters has developed Paragon Station on the same block, and also is under construction with the Paperbox project with PEG Development just behind the Zephyr Lofts site...

...The name “pays homage to the depot district and the historic Zephyr engine/line that steamed into Salt Lake City on the Union Pacific rails,” Developer Micah Peters told Building Salt Lake.

Infilling surface parking lots between the historic Westgate Lofts on the east and the Dakota Lofts on the West, The Zephyr will rise eight stories to 85 ft. Sitting on D-4 zoning, the developers have entered the design review process in order
to exceed the zone’s nominal 75 ft height maximum.

The Zephyr’s 138 units will be a combination of 70 studio, 55 one-bedroom, and 13 two-bedroom apartments.

It’ll be parked at a 1:1 ratio (140 stalls), with the upper floor of the podium parking incorporating 3 car city parking stackers.

Street frontage will consist of gyms, a leasing office, and a small bar/restaurant space. Clearwater’s Peters says he’s in conversations with a local artisan operator that has several food + beverage businesses in the neighborhood. The retail
space offers 1800 sf and a 20-seat outdoor patio.

It will provide a public walkway from 200 South to the midblock right-of-way that skirts the Paperbox development.

The Zephyr Lofts, 360 W. 200 S. in west Downtown, Salt Lake City. Rendering by VCBO Architects, courtesy Clearwater Homes.


The Zephyr Lofts, 360 W. 200 S. in west Downtown, Salt Lake City. Rendering by VCBO Architects, courtesy Clearwater Homes.



March 21st, 2022


The Zephyr Project's excavation can be seen in the photo below to the right. Salt Lake City and its greater MSA/CSA construction
are firing on all cylinders as its vacancy rate dips to under 2%. This, yet still historic construction levels cannot begin to keep up with ever-increasing demand.



Photos By Luke Garrott of BuildingSaltLake.com

January 16, 2023

Photo By Paniolo Man



February 10, 2023

The Zephr bottom center with crane, The newly completed Paperbox with yellow and red highlights at the center, and across the street and
to the left is the new mixed-use Luxury Hotel, retail and residential units of the West Quarter, which is nearing the completion of Phase I.

Photo By Paniolo Man

Downtown Update - The Revival - By PEG Development

A modern twist on classic Western European design characteristics of the 1920’s, The Revival is unlike any other multifamily community that exists in Salt Lake City. Located in downtown’s Historic Warehouse District, this unique project’s industrial exterior will blend seamlessly with its environment while beautifully transitioning into a more refined palette inside. Tenants will enjoy prominent geometric patterns, intense color schemes, and grandiose finishes throughout the art deco-inspired building interiors. This project stands in one of Salt Lake City’s Qualified Opportunity Zones.

Copy By Luke Garrott @ BuildingSaltLake.com - Market-rate apartment construction in Downtown Salt Lake City will see another start, when PEG Development breaks ground on The Revival, just behind the NE corner of 400 South and 200 West.

Simply Sushi and Ibiza nightclub occupy a one-story retail space on the NE corner of the 400 S. 200 W. intersection. That building will remain. PEG will build to the north on surface parking lots and demolish one building on 200 West, currently occupied by RestoreFX, an auto body shop. In addition, the project will add a one-story retail space of 1700 SF, directly east of Ibiza fronting 400 South. The owners are looking for a fast-casual dining establishment. Three buildings total will be demolished for the new project.

Updated Design - Location: Salt Lake City - Year: 2021 - Size: 144,000 SF - Units: 143





The Revival site, approximate, in red, just west of Fairfield Inn & Suites. Image by Luke Garrott, courtesy Google Earth.


November 18th

Demolition has clearly started on this site. As viewed looking east from 200 West.

Photo By RC14



December 15th


Photo By RC14


May 20th

Photo By Blah_Amazing


November 5, 2021


Photo By RC14



March, 2022

Read And See More @ https://www.buildingsaltlake.com/in-pict...-the-latest-from-the-air-and-the-street/

Note the construction immediately above to the north will be the new Edison House Social Club.



Photos by Luke Garrott @ BuildingSaltLake.com



July 23, 2022


Photos Rockies



February 1, 2023

New Edison Social Club on the left and the Revival Apartments on the right.



Photos By Luke Garrott @ BuildingSaltLake.com - https://buildingsaltlake.com/in-pictures-downtown-construction-update/




Downtown Update, Gateway Center - Historic 1908 Union Pacific Depot to be transformed into a luxury
Marriott Autograph Hotel - 'The Asher Adams'

Originally Posted by Blah_Amazing

January 24, 2022 - The Asher Adams aka Union Pacific Hotel has filed Commercial Building Permits.
https://citizenportal.slcgov.com/Citizen...01&agencyCode=SLCREF&IsToShowInspection=

Originally Posted by Blah_Amazing

https://citizenportal.slcgov.com/Citizen...60&agencyCode=SLCREF&IsToShowInspection=

Address: 18 N Rio Grande

Project Description: Union Station Hotel - New 225 key hotel adjacent to the historic Union Pacific train station building, New Construction Type II-B, mixed occupancy

Aerial of a portion of the northern segment of the Gateway Center. Pictured, the historic Union Pacific Depot, behind which the Marriott Autograph 'Asher Adams' Luxury Hotel will be constructed. Gateway is currently undergoing a major redevelopment costing in the hundreds of millions. This ongoing makeover will advance Gateway in a direction that is much more on trend in serving Downtown Salt Lake City's rapidly expanding core.

https://i2.wp.com/www.buildingsaltlake.c...-of-The-Gateway.png?fit=1534%2C996&ssl=1


Renderings of an eight-story hotel being built in The Gateway Center around the west face of the historic Union Pacific Depot.

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A downtown Salt Lake City shopping center will celebrate 20 years next month. The Gateway was built just before the 2002 Olympics...

In 2016, its new owners, Phoenix-based Vestar, unveiled a $100 million plan to revitalize the mall, ...that plan remains unfinished, including a boutique hotel inside the historic Union Pacific building and an ice rink on the Olympic fountain.

Jacklyn Briggs, The Gateway marketing director, said the investment in the mall has been made, although she acknowledged some aspects of it have not come to fruition yet.

“When you think about it in the terms of, okay, you know, there’s going to be one grand opening date, that’s not the terms we think of,” said Briggs. “This is a building process that we’re doing alongside the community.”

Briggs said the hotel, which will be called Asher Adams, is still on track. Construction is set to begin next spring, she said, likely finishing in 2024.

New renderings released to 2News Friday showed what the inside and outside of the hotel will look like.

The planned outdoor ice rink is also still coming to The Gateway, Briggs said, but not until the hotel is finished.

Other things are also happening, she said, such as new restaurants, art, and other improvements on the site.

“It’s an ongoing process that we’re doing, and we’re pivoting with the community about what they need and what’s beneficial to them,” said Briggs, “so it’s sort of an ongoing organic process in that way.”...

...It's a growing, beautiful space,” Briggs said.

Groundbreaking, August 11, 2022

Originally Posted by scottharding

Apparently the hotel at the Gateway/Union Pacific Depot has broken ground.

Salt Lake City - https://www.utahbusiness.com/asher-adams-hotel-at-the-gateway-breaks-ground/
Real estate development firms Hatteras Sky and The Athens Group broke ground on Asher Adams, an adaptive re-use of Salt Lake City’s historic Union Pacific Train Depot and new construction of a 225-key Autograph Collection Hotel, Marriott International’s diverse and dynamic portfolio of independent hotels. Asher Adams will feature 13 historic guest suites in the original Train Depot and a new eight-story guestroom structure with an additional 212 modern guest suites. The hotel will also include multiple food and beverage outlets, a 1,500 SF fitness facility, 9,000 square feet of meeting and function space, and approximately 3,200 square feet of open-air gathering spaces. The Depot, an existing 17,000-square-foot live entertainment venue located within the Union Pacific Depot building, will be retained in its current location, and continue operations during construction. Barings is the senior construction lender, and financing is also being provided by the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City with equity from individual investors on CrowdStreet, the online real estate investing marketplace.

Originally constructed in 1909, the historic Union Pacific railroad station is regarded as one of the most outstanding architectural structures in Utah. The iconic station features irreplaceable French Second Empire architecture, original stained-glass windows, and original oil on canvas murals: “Driving the Golden Spike” commemorating the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad at Promontory Summit and “This is the Place” portraying Brigham Young making his famous exclamation upon first seeing the Great Salt Lake Valley.

Located in The Gateway, a one-million-square-foot mixed-use commercial business, retail, residential, dining, and entertainment destination, Asher Adams sits directly across the street from Vivint Smart Home Arena, the TRAX Blue and Green light rail stops and is within walking distance of the Salt Palace Convention Center and the Frontrunner commuter rail line. Hotel guests will have immediate access to all dining, entertainment and business venues located adjacent to the hotel and easy access to all that downtown Salt Lake City has to offer.

“We are honored by the opportunity to both preserve and showcase the historic Union Pacific Depot while at the same time providing Salt Lake City with a state-of-the-art hospitality experience which will serve as an enhanced community gathering space for residents and visitors alike,” says Oz Friedmann, Principal and managing Director of Development for Hatteras Sky.

“After many years of planning, and with our sincere appreciation to Barings, CrowdStreet, and the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City, we are excited to take the next steps toward delivering the best hospitality experience in Salt Lake City,” says Rob McIver, Principal of The Athens Group. “The design and juxtaposition of the historic building with the new guestroom tower has been carefully crafted by our design partners at HKS Architects and JNS Design. With Okland as our general contractor and Pivot as our hotel operator, we look forward to bringing this project to life.”

“We are pleased that construction of the new Asher Adams hotel at The Gateway is now underway,” adds Jenny Cushing, VP of Leasing for Vestar, the development company that owns The Gateway. “This boutique hotel will be as iconic as the historic building it’s housed in and will serve as the crown jewel for the redevelopment of The Gateway. It will be designed to cater to leisure and business travelers seeking a unique and memorable property with fabulous amenities. Asher Adams promises to further transform The Gateway into a vibrant and sought-out destination within Salt Lake City and will drive additional business to our merchants.

ABOUT HATTERAS SKY
Hatteras Sky based in Atlanta is a commercial real estate development company and a commercial real estate firm focused on multifamily and hospitality development in high-growth American markets. In addition to ground-up new construction developments, we renovate, restore, and reactivate our historic buildings. We pride ourselves on our ability to identify unique opportunities that deliver long-term value to our team, our investors, and the communities we serve. While maintaining an entrepreneurial approach, we strive to adhere to the highest standards of integrity, quality, and partnership. We aim to create structures and communities that will be useful, beautiful, and strong for generations. For more information about the firm, its team, and additional projects, please visit the Hatteras Sky website.


ABOUT THE ATHENS GROUP
The Athens Group is a full-service real estate development company specializing in the development of environmentally conscious upscale resort communities, luxury resort and urban hotels, golf courses and related residential and recreational properties. The firm was founded in 1988 by Kim Richards. For more information about the firm and its team, please visit The Athens Group website.

February 10, 2023






Photos By Paniolo Man

.

[Sight-Seer]

I thought I would gird my loins (as in get up the nerve) to comment on the forum. I have followed the forum religiously for years, maybe even decades. I know that if something happens, I'll find out about it there, so I keep up. I appreciate that. I skip the fanboy sports stuff. But it seems like unless you're a development insider you are pretty much ignored or even ridiculed. The forum is dominated by certain personalities who seem to want to keep the forum exclusive. If you are a fellow development insider, you are profusely welcomed. But if you are a casual commenter, it isn't a welcoming place at all.

That said, I thought it was interesting that three out of five of the life science centers are in Canada. Canadian healthcare is roundly criticized by the Right as being socialism and something we don't want here in the US. But maybe government support of healthcare is what has made Canada a productive place for healthcare research. Just something that no one else has pointed out, so I thought I would do it. Maybe it's too political.

[taboubak]

Originally Posted by slckid

Lol, just found out about this forum! Surprised to find myself mentioned so often haha. I'm not against development at all. I'm a business owner and licensed real estate agent. Have been involved in real estate for nearly 20 years. I'm just against corruption and developers stealing public property. I'm also passionate about historic buildings, the arts, and culture as it brings value to our community and city. I support the Rio Grande Plan and expanding public transit. Besides the Pantages, we're currently working with architects to rebuild the original and historic Great Saltair. I'm very excited about building a better Salt Lake City

Hines' 150 S. Main Apartments will never be built. The entire deal was illegal and they only rushed to destroy the theater as we had three lawsuits against them and the city, one was about to go before the Utah State Supreme Court

-Michael Valentine

Sadly you may be right. I think we all love towers alot here so we get excited when nice ones are proposed but I don't think anyone on the forum supports Hines ripping down that theatre and leaving an empty lot and not starting construction, it's pretty shameful.

[meman]

I totally disagree that the Hines 150 S main Tower will never be built.
The reason it was delayed was because their investment partner pulled out and they will need to find another partner. I think the tower will probably start construction in 2024 especially if interest rates come down in 2024.

[RC14]

Asher Adams is now starting to rise above the surrounding structures (Astra in top right):

[slckid]

Originally Posted by taboubak

Sadly you may be right. I think we all love towers alot here so we get excited when nice ones are proposed but I don't think anyone on the forum supports Hines ripping down that theatre and leaving an empty lot and not starting construction, it's pretty shameful.

Yeah, this entire story is sad for Salt Lake City. Hines has been lying and colluding with the city since 2016 over this theater because the land is so valuable. They lied about every single aspect of this deal to the public and the press has never covered all the facts.

I actually met one on one with the main guy Dusty Harris of Hines in March of 2021 trying to work with them to move their tower to a different part of the block and work with us to restore the theater. They refused and denied the theater was historic when it always has been. Dusty then fabricated a stalking injunction against me, making up evidence in court. It was revealed in the hearing that he has a 15% stake or $30,000,000 interest in the tower haha. They filed the stalking injunction in a sad attempt to shut me up.

Our plans weren't just to save the theater, we were trying to buy it. I made an offer for $2 million. I was working with investors and also talking to the Eccles. We were going to build multiple floors above and looking to include a mix of housing/condos/hotel. Building above historic theaters is very common and we were working with national restoration groups. Restoring the theater for a historic theater district would bring more to downtown Salt Lake than an apartment tower ever could



FROM THE WINGS: A COUNTERPLAN TO RESTORE THE UTAH PANTAGES THEATER ENTERS LEFT
CHRISTIE PORTER - APRIL 16, 2021 - Salt Lake Magazine
https://www.saltlakemagazine.com/plan-to-restore-the-utah-pantages-theater/

This story is far from over and I'll continue fighting to make this all right for the community whether I win the election for Mayor or not.

Really cool to find this forum! You all seem very passionate about Salt Lake which is something I share. I've enjoyed going back and reading through the pages, haven't yet gotten through all 800 though haha

-Michael Valentine

[slckid]

Originally Posted by meman

I totally disagree that the Hines 150 S main Tower will never be built.
The reason it was delayed was because their investment partner pulled out and they will need to find another partner. I think the tower will probably start construction in 2024 especially if interest rates come down in 2024.

It won't be. There is ongoing litigation over this as the entire deal was illegal violating both city and state historic laws. There was also rampant collusion in the city under Erin Mendenhall and the RDA Director Danny Walz. They've known the theater was historic since 2018 and never told the public or City Council. If they did, the Pantages would have been placed on the National Historic Registry and made a Salt Lake City Landmark protecting it from demolition.

There is sadly a lot I can't mention publicly until this all resolves, but more lawsuits will be filed well before 2024 and I could block anything right now.

I did an interview with Utah Stories earlier this week talking more about the entire deal with the theater

"Why Was The Historic Utah Pantages Theater Demolished Before The Developer Had Financing?"
Utah Stories - July 13th, 2023 - Richard Markosian
https://www.youtube.com/live/Lx_UMb8e-9Q?feature=share

-Michael Valentine

[Orlando]

Originally Posted by meman

I totally disagree that the Hines 150 S main Tower will never be built.
The reason it was delayed was because their investment partner pulled out and they will need to find another partner. I think the tower will probably start construction in 2024 especially if interest rates come down in 2024.

Did Hines pull out of the deal?

[Orlando]

Originally Posted by slckid

"Why Was The Historic Utah Pantages Theater Demolished Before The Developer Had Financing?"
Utah Stories - July 13th, 2023 - Richard Markosian
https://www.youtube.com/live/Lx_UMb8e-9Q?feature=share

-Michael Valentine

The City should never allow for a demolition permit for a project like that without the financing in place. I thought they learned their lesson with SugarHole.

[Tippy]

Originally Posted by Orlando

The City should never allow for a demolition permit for a project like that without the financing in place. I thought they learned their lesson with SugarHole.

How can Hines not figure out financing on this this tower, didn’t the city essentially give them the land for free? I’m super frustrated every time I pass that site.

What was sugar hole?


Also, the Moda Luxe site has turned into a big ugly eyesore in a prime downtown area.

[slckid]

Originally Posted by Tippy

How can Hines not figure out financing on this this tower, didn’t the city essentially give them the land for free? I’m super frustrated every time I pass that site.

What was sugar hole?


Also, the Moda Luxe site has turned into a big ugly eyesore in a prime downtown area.

Yeah, the whole thing was rushed. They colluded in November 2021 to hurry and give the property to Hines to block our application to put the theater on the National Registry, thus making it a Salt Lake City Landmark and protecting it from demolition. It was a $0 deal, the Pantages was worth close to $20 million. It was nearly an acre of property in downtown SLC, some of the most valuable land in Utah. We estimated the Tiffany skylight alone was $50,000- $1m. Most of the theater had century-old marble floors. Everything in there was priceless and valuable.

They kicked all the stores out in January because we were about to buy Ary's Barbershop. Then the demolition was rushed in April to block our three lawsuits against them. In court, Dusty Harris of Hines committed perjury by saying they were losing $100k/day by not building, then immediately asked the Planning Commission for a year extension in May once the theater was down.

Hines, Mendenhall, and the city are in a lot of trouble over this. Their tower of lies, fraud, and corruption will never be built.

[rockies]

Originally Posted by RC14

Asher Adams is now starting to rise above the surrounding structures (Astra in top right):

Thank you for this perspective. Not necessarily a fan of the design, but I hope that a large new building will help change the really poorly aged, fake-euro architecture and vibe. It is really a great mall that doesn't match its own aesthetic. The convention center hotel has been awesome for pedestrian activity and made walking around the area a lot more pleasant. It contributed far more to that corner than I imagined it would. CCH is like 3x larger than Asher Adams will be but I am sooo excited to see activity in and out of the old station. The interior looks awesome

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by meman

I totally disagree that the Hines 150 S main Tower will never be built.
The reason it was delayed was because their investment partner pulled out and they will need to find another partner. I think the tower will probably start construction in 2024 especially if interest rates come down in 2024.

Never is a long time. But I would be surprised if a tower rose there in the next ten years. I have a feelin this is going to play out very similarly to how The Aster played out (that whole site to be clear - dating back to the very first proposal). I am still bitter we didn't get a renovated/rebuilt REX out of all that.

I do wish there was more height in a lot of these developments west of West Temple. I'm not asking for 400 footers but a few 250-300 footers would look really nice there and expand the skyline significantly.

[bob rulz]

I was always kind of hoping the Asher Adams hotel wouldn't happen, or at least be redesigned before construction, but it should bring more life to the area at least. I still believe that Gateway has a lot of potential to be a thriving mixed-use entertainment/nightlife hub.

Originally Posted by Blah_Amazing

Can someone provide an update or photos of the 'Twenty Ones' project at 2100 E and 2100 S?

https://www.apartments.com/twentyones-salt-lake-city-ut/m65vqmj/

I haven't heard or seen an update in ages.

I live very close to here, I can probably get you an update on this this week if I remember. I can say that it is well under construction.

[delts145]

I'm glad you caught that Blah. Hopefully, Bob Rulz will be able to get some pics of the project you're talking about.

[Blah_Amazing]

Originally Posted by delts145

^^^
Look back several posts or close to the top of the page where I already posted about it. That development has been finished for some time now. I posted about it back in January, on the Comp. Thread, and it was then a completed project.

Thanks RC14 for posting that pic of Asher Adams. I knew it must have progressed quite a bit by now and that pic shows it.

delts, I think your a little confused. The project your mentioning is at 2100 S and 1350 East, while the Twenty One's is located at 2100 S and 2100 E - about a mile east of there.

Here is the description on the developer's website: "Twenty Ones is in the Salt Lake Country Club Neighborhood comprising of two high-end mixed used buildings. On the north of the site will be the apartment building and on the south along 2100 South with be the retail building with residential above. This project will have 22,000 SF of retail that will host the best of local shops, restaurants and services, as well as 109 units with amazing amenities. The project intends to create a sorely needed community gathering area attracting nearby residents, quality businesses and destination seekers together in a safe, beautiful, architecturally inviting atmosphere for decades."

[airhero]

Never mind

[Blah_Amazing]

Originally Posted by slckid

It won't be. There is ongoing litigation over this as the entire deal was illegal violating both city and state historic laws. There was also rampant collusion in the city under Erin Mendenhall and the RDA Director Danny Walz. They've known the theater was historic since 2018 and never told the public or City Council. If they did, the Pantages would have been placed on the National Historic Registry and made a Salt Lake City Landmark protecting it from demolition.

There is sadly a lot I can't mention publicly until this all resolves, but more lawsuits will be filed well before 2024 and I could block anything right now.

I did an interview with Utah Stories earlier this week talking more about the entire deal with the theater

"Why Was The Historic Utah Pantages Theater Demolished Before The Developer Had Financing?"
Utah Stories - July 13th, 2023 - Richard Markosian
https://www.youtube.com/live/Lx_UMb8e-9Q?feature=share

-Michael Valentine

I'm not a developer, so I don't know all the ins and outs of financing, but I think it was probably was very difficult for Hines to secure financing with pending lawsuits surrounding the project.

It makes me wonder that if it wasn't for the Save the Pantages lawsuits causing that crucial year+ long delay, would Hines have been able to secure financing at a low interest rate and started construction by now?

I think if that smoke shop next to Astra had delayed that project by just 6 more months that project likely never would have broken ground at the higher interest rates. I wonder if the same thing is true for Hines.

Personally, I jumped back and forth on support, since I really wanted a restored theater AND a nice new tower.

But at the end of the day, even with all the lawsuits the result was the same: a demolished theater.

If Hines is dropped, I am hoping that maybe the delay to construction, even if its another couple years, may result in a better product than what Hines was proposing. I had several issues with that project - the exposed parking garage in back and the lack of pedestrian connectivity from the park to West Temple to name a few. I did 'like' it overall, but those issues were glaring and I think could and should have been worked out.

If we are set to see a long delay like Comrade thinks, its possible we can get something better than what Hines proposed that fixes some of these issues that makes the loss of Pantages somewhat worth it. If we do get the project Hines proposed, I do hope along the line they at least cover up the exposed garage (which would be very visible from West Temple) and figure out a staircase descending from the park westwards that connects with West Temple. That would make it a true midblock walkway and would prevent Pantages Park from being essentially a dead-end (I know there were possible plans to have an elevator, but I don't think that's a real solution).

[RC14]

If the lawsuits prevented or are preventing a tower from being built, that makes me angry. The deal with the city was shady but the theater is gone now and the best outcome, at this point, is for a tower to be built on that site and built soon.

[slckid]

Originally Posted by Blah_Amazing

I'm not a developer, so I don't know all the ins and outs of financing, but I think it was probably was very difficult for Hines to secure financing with pending lawsuits surrounding the project.

It makes me wonder that if it wasn't for the Save the Pantages lawsuits causing that crucial year+ long delay, would Hines have been able to secure financing at a low interest rate and started construction by now?

I think if that smoke shop next to Astra had delayed that project by just 6 more months that project likely never would have broken ground at the higher interest rates. I wonder if the same thing is true for Hines.

Personally, I jumped back and forth on support, since I really wanted a restored theater AND a nice new tower.

But at the end of the day, even with all the lawsuits the result was the same: a demolished theater.

If Hines is dropped, I am hoping that maybe the delay to construction, even if its another couple years, may result in a better product than what Hines was proposing. I had several issues with that project - the exposed parking garage in back and the lack of pedestrian connectivity from the park to West Temple to name a few. I did 'like' it overall, but those issues were glaring and I think could and should have been worked out.

If we are set to see a long delay like Comrade thinks, its possible we can get something better than what Hines proposed that fixes some of these issues that makes the loss of Pantages somewhat worth it. If we do get the project Hines proposed, I do hope along the line they at least cover up the exposed garage (which would be very visible from West Temple) and figure out a staircase descending from the park westwards that connects with West Temple. That would make it a true midblock walkway and would prevent Pantages Park from being essentially a dead-end (I know there were possible plans to have an elevator, but I don't think that's a real solution).

Thanks for the comments. It probably was difficult for Hines to get financing when engaging in fraudulent and corrupt business practices. Our lawsuits didn't delay the project, Hines never had finished plans. The year-long delay they asked for wasn't because of us, they just blamed us. If you read back, I mention they rushed to destroy the theater in a pathetic attempt to block our lawsuits. Hines and the city are corrupt. This entire deal was illegal, they filed fake stalking injunctions against me, they have tried everything they can to not be held accountable and brought to justice now that their actions have been brought to light.

The difference between this deal and the Astra, was this is is public property. The city bought the theater to restore it. It's in the Downtown Master Plan. The RDA has to listen to the public and follow historic laws. This is a public deal not a private one. If this was a private deal, I would have just gone to the owners and I would have just bought the property. It would have been easier as I had investors who would have paid $10m-$20m for the Pantages. The city is just in bed with Hines.

The story does have a happy ending though. We are working with architects already and have blueprints to rebuild the theater. When this deal is finally dead and the land is returned to the city, our non-profit "Friends of the Pantages" will make an offer to buy the land and all the historic artifacts Hines' stole. We'll rebuild the theater brick for brick, but build above it, including housing and be able to build quite high. This was never a good spot to put a giant residential tower. You don't build apartments in the middle of an entertainment district on Main Street when there are two other theaters next door and across the street. Rebuilding the theater will bring justice to public corruption, set precedent for historic preservation, and build an international historic theater district that will be insane for tourism and entertainment in a massive way. I'm meeting with the nice gents next week to support their Rio Grande Plan. All these can compound to build us fantastic things for Utah.

I met with Hines in 2021 btw, tried to get them to build their tower on the other side of the block so we could be partners and do both. They can still build their tower somewhere else. I'm not anti-tower, just pro-theater and pro-democracy. haha