Salt Lake:Official development news thread

[SLC Projects]

Best, worst SLC buildings

Bob Bliss' top five and bottom five Salt Lake City buildings (in no particular order):
Top five
* New Main Library
* LDS Tabernacle
* Abravanel Hall
* University of Utah Student Services Building
* HK Building
Bottom five
* The Gateway
* Grand America Hotel
* Matheson Courthouse
* Homewood Suites Hotel
* Brigham Street Apartments


I have to disagree with the Grand America Hotel as being one of the worst. I like the Stone design of that hotel.

[delts145]

I agree with you SLC regarding the stone on the Grand America,( real and lavishly expensive by the way) I also like the balconies. My only preference would be to give the Grand America a different roof line, "a little more of a chateauesque/french feel." Perhaps a chateauesque roof would be difficult to balance, because of the existing square window design, instead of a more vertically elongated designed window for the rooms.


Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Plaza is an example of this style of roof.

[Sight-Seer]

I think Bob Bliss just dislikes new buildings that try to look old. He certainly dislikes using modern materials to reproduce an old style. I myself prefer an old style to most modern styles. I also disagree with the Grand America. It's a great building that might be a little out of place. I like Gateway; except the pastel colors aren't quite right. I don't like the hotel across from Pioneer Park, althought I like some of the rock. I don't see how he could find fault with the Brigham Apartments. In fact, it could be his whole survey is just plain bogus.

[DevdogAZ]

Any list of the top buildings in SLC needs to start with the City/County building. That is one of the best-looking buildings in all the world.

[delts145]

Sight-Seer, I've noticed the same thing with the pastel colors on the Gateway. For the most part I am a big fan of the Gateway and The Boyer Company for having built it. I would have to say my only preference would be to re-do some of the pastel where it is too prevalent. Pastel is fine as a minor component, in order to offset the look of stone or brick. But, when pastel stucco is used as the main palate, it becomes somewhat cheap and unfinished looking. There are definately certain walls that need to reduce the use of the pastel stucco, and add more brick or stone dimension. A good example would be the west facing wall of the Miller theatre complex. I do think the dimensions and building shapes at Gateway are excellent.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by DevdogAZ

Any list of the top buildings in SLC needs to start with the City/County building. That is one of the best-looking buildings in all the world.

I agree 200% with that opinion, yet this Bob Bliss seems to think its just a big pile. One has to ask how objective this Bliss gentlemen really is???? The City/County building is one of the most beautiful Richardsonian's in the world. Even if one doesn't appreciate Richardsonian Romanesque, you have to give it some major historical credit.

[delts145]

Rental market is tight in Salt Lake area

http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,695198376,00.html

.... "When you compare that amount of new supply, it really doesn't match with the demand we're seeing," he said. "This is a problem that is going to continue to persist if we don't get more developments under way for multi-family and attached housing."





Apartment vacancy rates in Salt Lake County

• Overall: 1.66 percent
• Northwest (includes west side of Salt Lake City, Magna): 2.01 percent

• Northeast (includes the Avenues, Sugar House): 0.39 percent

• Central west (includes West Valley City): 1.13 percent

• Central east (includes South Salt Lake and Murray): 1.81 percent

• Southwest (includes West and South Jordan, Herriman and Riverton): 2.93 percent

• Southeast (includes Midvale, Sandy and Draper): 1.82 percent

Source: CB Richard Ellis

[PhxSprawler]

Originally Posted by delts145

Rental market is tight in Salt Lake area

http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,695198376,00.html

.... "When you compare that amount of new supply, it really doesn't match with the demand we're seeing," he said. "This is a problem that is going to continue to persist if we don't get more developments under way for multi-family and attached housing."

Apartment vacancy rates in Salt Lake County

• Overall: 1.66 percent
• Northwest (includes west side of Salt Lake City, Magna): 2.01 percent

• Northeast (includes the Avenues, Sugar House): 0.39 percent

• Central west (includes West Valley City): 1.13 percent

• Central east (includes South Salt Lake and Murray): 1.81 percent

• Southwest (includes West and South Jordan, Herriman and Riverton): 2.93 percent

• Southeast (includes Midvale, Sandy and Draper): 1.82 percent

Source: CB Richard Ellis

The low .39% in the Avenues and Sugar House sounds like a fantastic business case to add condos and housing downtown or just east of downtown.... If I only had access to enough capital...

[SLCforme]

dito

Liberty midtown is about to open which will probably fill very quickly. Other than that it will be a while before many new units come online, in slc anyway. I'm not sure about the county as a whole.

[Viperlord]

Viper took a drive around Downtown tonight, saw some interesting things. and other downtown news....

1. The building site of the Amsource development shops at 400 south and 200 west has been totally demolished. I guess they will start from scratch on this project.

2. The "diner" on 200 south between the Walker center and the Carls Jr. has been fenced off. There is also a sign up front listing it for sale or lease by realty pro I beleive. Anyone want to confirm this, and get back to me. Also take some pics. I know that the land behind the diner and between the parking garage is owned by the Salt Lake Tribune. But I know that the Tribune has been in the news a lot lately, and may sell their building on main street, and property as well. So, out of speculation..... If someone wanted to buy the diner parcel of land, plus the parcels that the Tribune owns that would be enough land to build a tower with a floorplate roughly the size of the One Utah Center. Also, could this be an important peice to the WTC proposal? Like I say anyone want to verify my findings, and add their two cents.

3. The Broadway tower apartments (96 units) located at 230 east and 300 south. The owner is requesting a condo conversion on all 96 units.

4. Allen Millo is requesting a height exception for the metro park west lofts by the big d construction building. He is proposing 9 floors being 90 ft total. This is higher than the building was previously proposed. It will include one floor of retail, 3 floors of office space and residential on the 5-9 floors. So, he added one more floor to the proposal.

5. The land located on the corner of 600 south and 300 west will become a shopping plaza. Nothing too fancy. Just some small retail shops in a two lot minor subdivision.

[Viperlord]

btw, whats the progress on the liberty gateway apartments, and the providence place apartments?

[delts145]

Some interesting info Viper, I would like very much to see another floor on the Metro West. That would be an excellent location for some more retail, and would really keep that neighborhood going in the right direction


Metro West/Allen Millo
..

[Future Mayor]

It will be nice to have that building up in downtown and especially in that neighborhood. I am glad that he is requesting and additional floor, I absolutely love the design and would love to see it top out at at least 12 floors. I think 12-15 floors in that part of town with such a great design would really add some class to the overall skyline.

[T-Mac]

I was speaking with a friend who drives downtown a lot from up here in Davis County. He drives down Beck street which becomes 300 West. He said that they are starting construction on the Marmalade project now. I think that he mentioned Okland had some equipment on site. I am going to drive around town this weekend and take some photos and try to post them. This will be a new experience for me in trying to post photos.

[SLCforme]

Providence place has been awarded affordable housing subsidies and is clear to go from what I've been able to find online from city documents. But Wasatch hasn't updated their website in almost a year so I don't know when it will break ground. There is nothing onsite yet, at least as of 1 week ago. The Liberty gateway site was a large hole, probably 10 ft deep as of 1 week ago and there was lots of activity on the site, but I haven't been back since.

I also very much like metro park west and wish they would add even more floors, up to the 125 ft limit in that zoning area which would be 12 floors, but 9 is pretty good.

I also noticed the fenced off "diner" on 200 S. but I think it has been that way for a while. hopefully it is a sign of progress on WTC.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by T-Mac

I was speaking with a friend who drives downtown a lot from up here in Davis County. He drives down Beck street which becomes 300 West. He said that they are starting construction on the Marmalade project now. I think that he mentioned Okland had some equipment on site. I am going to drive around town this weekend and take some photos and try to post them. This will be a new experience for me in trying to post photos.

Excellant news on Marmalade T-Mac. That is one classy project, which will really get the ball rolling in the Northwest quadrant of downtown. I've been waiting patiently for that project for a year now, and am pretty excited about it. It's such a great historical area of beautiful restored homes etc. I really want to see that section along 300 West develop some classy mixed use. I hope you will be able to get us some pics!!

[SLC Tortfeasor]

Originally Posted by delts145

Excellant news on Marmalade T-Mac. That is one classy project, which will really get the ball rolling in the Northwest quadrant of downtown. I've been waiting patiently for that project for a year now, and am pretty excited about it. It's such a great historical area of beautiful restored homes etc. I really want to see that section along 300 West develop some classy mixed use. I hope you will be able to get us some pics!!

I know what you mean about eagerly awaiting the new Marmalade development. I've lived in the Marmalade neighborhood since 2002 and there have been numerous setbacks on the project.

I guess for a long time it was a really, really bad neighborhood. People have told me that back in the 80's it was rife with drugs, prostitution, and abandoned houses. Hard to believe it now when you drive through those funky streets and look at all the quaint restored houses. There are still a few too many low-rent apartments and ugly buildings, and I think that has helped keep houses there a little more affordable than they are in the Aves. It also has meant there's more upside potential to investments in the area. There's still room for more gentrification there. I really don't think it has come close to topping out. I expect to see a small spike in property values in the area as the Marmalade project gets completed.

[Future Mayor]

Originally Posted by SLC Tortfeasor

There's still room for more gentrification there. I really don't think it has come close to topping out. I expect to see a small spike in property values in the area as the Marmalade project gets completed.

While I agree that it is nice that there are still some properties that are still at an affordable rate. I disagree with the hope for gentrification. The problem with gentrificatioin is that it changes the feel of the area, when the area has been completley upgraded and a completley new demographic has moved into the area. Sugarhouse is an example of that, I am a big fan of sugarhouse but as it has gentrified over the past 15 years certain properties that made it what it was are no longer going to be there.

I think a mix of higher end and low end housing really makes a city or a neighborhood a more diverse enjoyable place to live. Yes gentrification often times lowers crime rates because the poor can no longer live in that area, however they are then forced to move to another neighborhood that has not gentrified yet, but may be safe. This move once again creates a poor high crime area of the city.

I think I rambled a little but I think I made my point. Just my two cents.

[Viperlord]

Plans for Airport TRAX Lines Unveiled

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=1609212

[StevenF]

8 years is still a long time to wait for this line to be built. With the almost 1 billion dollar bond that was done last year I thought this line would get done sooner than that.