Salt Lake:Official development news thread

[DMTower]

Originally Posted by Stenar

The reason I made the sarcastic comment in reply to this post that I did is because this post above is offensive and yet no one here seems to see that.

The implied statement this post makes is that if San Francisco was only full of gay people it would not be a great place.

I'm with you Stenar, whether or not it was meant to be, it was quite offensive. Usually I just sift through all the controversial crap on here and read the development news, but on this one I'll add my two cents.

[Boiseguy]

I don't think that they were intending to be offensive in regards to gays and san francisco...
I think it was an attempt to play the middle man on the issue of liberal/conservative... I think that mr. projects should stick to developement news, and not his personal email stories... Many people have voiced their opinions on utah in the thread in the past.. that has stirred controversy... and yet he still had to ask the question like he had no idea it existed or that he was shocked... I dunno.. I'm not pointing any blame.. I'm just saying.. I follow many different city's threads.. and unfortunately.. discussing local cultures and stereotypes.. and how it effects developement in salt lake.. requires the most walking on eggshells more so than any other city on this forum..

Many people do avoid san francisco because of the perception that it's full of gays (which is not correct) but many people also do avoid salt lake city because of the perception that its full of conservative mormons (which is not correct)....

it is what it is....ignorance, but I don't think the comments made were in that regard.. it was a mere attempt to get things back on track..

[jmonkey]

Daynes Building redevelopment:







Future site of the 'Utah Performance Center on Main':

[jmonkey]

State Street developments:

Here are a few shots of something that has caught my interest on State Street, between 700 and 800 South. It's between Burt's Tiki Lounge and Retrospect. The adjoining storefront is being redeveloped, and a series of ornate, carved, oriental pavillions are being erected in the fenced-in area next to it. I got my answer on what it is today--a bar and grill, but I forgot the name. There are also some shots of the new Mountain America Credit Union.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by Boiseguy

I think that mr. projects should stick to developement news, and not his personal email stories...

It wasn't just me sharing a personal email. I think you miss the whole point of that post. The point was that I didn't really get how people think that Utah is 20 years or so behind the rest. I hear it all the time. Not just for that email. That was just one example I had. It just drives me nuts that people think that for some stupid reason. It was just me ranting at that. It was a slow day, give me a break.

Another example ( If you don't mind me sharing. ) would be that one time I came across a blog that had a drawing of a diagram of a few tall skyscrapers. It showed the tallest buildings in cities like L.A., New York, London ect. It showed tallest to shortest and right at the very end it had a drawing of a PHONE BOOTH as Salt Lake's tallest building. Just stuff like that drives me nuts that Salt Lake seems to have a lack of respect.

By the way thanks jmonkey for those photo updates on state street. That bar and grill place looks cool. I never even notice that there before.

[Boiseguy]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

It wasn't just me sharing a personal email. I think you miss the whole point of that post. The point was that I didn't really get how people think that Utah is 20 years or so behind the rest. I hear it all the time. Not just for that email. That was just one example I had. It just drives me nuts that people think that for some stupid reason. It was just me ranting at that. It was a slow day, give me a break.

Another example ( If you don't mind me sharing. ) would be that one time I came across a blog that had a drawing of a diagram of a few tall skyscrapers. It showed the tallest buildings in cities like L.A., New York, London ect. It showed tallest to shortest and right at the very end it had a drawing of a PHONE BOOTH as Salt Lake's tallest building. Just stuff like that drives me nuts that Salt Lake seems to have a lack of respect.

By the way thanks jmonkey for those photo updates on state street. That bar and grill place looks cool. I never even notice that there before.

just sayin...
believe me.. I totally understand... I didn't think it was that big of a deal either to discuss it.. but we all know where going down that road leads...
I think you should take it up on the sidebar threads.. I bet you could get some answers from many people around not only the country but the world..
That should give you better insight than asking fellow utahns...and you can actually discuss it without anyone's feathers getting ruffled or other's taking it as a chance to throw their biased 2 cents in...

[Zionide]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

I didn't really get how people think that Utah is 20 years or so behind the rest.

Stories like these are a big reason why outsiders think the Beehive State is 20 years behind the rest of the country. And they're correct in this case.

Sure, there are hundreds of completely dry counties in the country, but being more "metropolitan" than a county in rural Kentucky isn't helping our image.

When it comes to liquor laws, Utah IS behind. A vibrant nightlife/bar scene is a defining characteristic of a "big city," and our liquor laws make it especially difficult to foster such a scene.

And for the sake of eggshells: Please note that the opinions I'm expressing here have nothing to do with gay people or Mormon people. Just, possibly, Republican people (given the Trib article).

[Boiseguy]

Originally Posted by Zionide

Stories like these are a big reason why outsiders think the Beehive State is 20 years behind the rest of the country. And they're correct in this case.

Sure, there are hundreds of completely dry counties in the country, but being more "metropolitan" than a county in rural Kentucky isn't helping our image.

When it comes to liquor laws, Utah IS behind. A vibrant nightlife/bar scene is a defining characteristic of a "big city," and our liquor laws make it especially difficult to foster such a scene.

And for the sake of eggshells: Please note that the opinions I'm expressing here have nothing to do with gay people or Mormon people. Just, possibly, Republican people (given the Trib article).

I would agree, but I don't think it has anything to do with republicans, and more to do with tradition. Idaho and montana are full of republicans too and booze is plentiful..not to mention scratch tickets and lottery drawings...you can buy it pretty much anywhere, and streetside dining is pretty much everywhere downtown along the sidewalks and common place to boot...

There is an aspect of sophistication that salt lake could do better at promoting downtown... to say it all revolves around alcohol is a stretch.. but it certainly is a relevent topic. What is frustrating is that salt lake has all the infrastructure and means to attract the young creative class, but fails to deliver on the aesthetics...If everything downtown revolves around "family outings" you just aren't going to attract the right demographic on a large scale.... I might me going way too far out on a limb here.. but salt lake needs some sleaze appeal... throw a couple of high end strip clubs up, and some crazy night life venues that might attract a few shady characters...while a majority of the creative class would not frequent them, it adds to the excitement of an urban setting, also to the aesthetics in just knowing that those places are around...Everything in downtown salt lake just seems so "presentable" and bland. like "here's the temple, here's the convention center, and over there is our buildings where people work durring the week, and over there is our nordstrom, along with the sports arena and the grand hotel" the real heart and soul of salt lake is in it's neighborhoods.. that culture and vibe needs to be expressed more in the downtown area to connect the dots and provide just that.. a vibe to the city.

[delts145]

Delta, Northwest international cuts bypass Salt Lake City
- Airlines » Economic woes force delays or reductions to China, Europe
Delta Air Lines and its Northwest Airlines subsidiary are delaying or cutting some flying to China and Europe because of poor market conditions, but the reductions haven't touched Salt Lake City so far.

By Paul Beebe
The Salt Lake Tribune

Last month, Northwest told the Department of Transportation that it was seeking to delay proposed daily service between Seattle and Beijing by a year and putting off the March start of Detroit-Shanghai service by more than two months.

Northwest also is temporarily reducing service between Portland, Ore., and Amsterdam by one day a week.

Delta is postponing new service between Raleigh/Durham, N.C., and Paris by a year. Flights were to have started in June.

Northwest also is temporarily reducing service between Portland, Ore., and Amsterdam by one day a week.

Delta is postponing new service between Raleigh/Durham, N.C., and Paris by a year. Flights were to have started in June.


Delta Air Lines, which launched its Salt Lake City to Paris route this summer, will use the same model Boeing 767 to fly to Tokyo. (File / The Salt Lake Tribune)


But in Salt Lake City, where Delta's westernmost airport hub is located, plans to begin five-times-a-week, nonstop flights to Tokyo in June are going forward. And the airline is still flying its highly successful, daily nonstop route to Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris.


"We haven't announced any plans to modify our international flights at this time," Delta spokesman Anthony Black said Wednesday.

Northwest said the global economic slowdown is having a particular impact on demand for U.S.-China air transportation. Bookings declined dramatically after the close of the Summer Olympics and advance bookings for March are off nearly 30 percent, Northwest said in a filing with the Transportation Department.

Northwest will ratchet back its service between Portland and Amsterdam from five flights per week to four, beginning Jan. 11. The airline blamed economic conditions.

On the same day in November that Delta announced it would start nonstop service to Toyko from Salt Lake City, the airline said it also would start nonstop flights to Paris from Raleigh/Durham. A month later, the Atlanta-based airline changed its mind on the new Paris route, citing the economic climate...

Last month, Delta said it will cut an additional 6 to 8 percent of capacity in 2009. Domestic flying will be down 8 to 10 percent and international capacity will fall 3 to 5 percent.

.

[shakman]

...just a side note, Delta will start non-stop service from LAX to Sydney, AU later this year.

It is unfortunate for SLC to be at at higher elevation, thus needing more runway space for takeoff of heavies as compared to LAX.

[MetroFanatic]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

It wasn't just me sharing a personal email. I think you miss the whole point of that post. The point was that I didn't really get how people think that Utah is 20 years or so behind the rest. I hear it all the time. Not just for that email. That was just one example I had. It just drives me nuts that people think that for some stupid reason. It was just me ranting at that. It was a slow day, give me a break.

Another example ( If you don't mind me sharing. ) would be that one time I came across a blog that had a drawing of a diagram of a few tall skyscrapers. It showed the tallest buildings in cities like L.A., New York, London ect. It showed tallest to shortest and right at the very end it had a drawing of a PHONE BOOTH as Salt Lake's tallest building. Just stuff like that drives me nuts that Salt Lake seems to have a lack of respect.

By the way thanks jmonkey for those photo updates on state street. That bar and grill place looks cool. I never even notice that there before.

Zionide beat me to the punch on the Tribune article. I don't even drink and I was way excited to hear that the liquor laws were going to be changed, but now the GOP representatives have taken my hopes and dreams into an alley and beaten them to a bloody pulp! Then they bound, gagged, and blindfolded them just before putting them in the trunk of a car that drove for what seemed like miles upon miles, even though it was just 5 minutes to the Jordan River where they threw them in to swim with the (mutant) fishes.

Also, Projects, the man comparing the tallest skyscraper in Utah to a phone-booth was Maddox, who is a satirist who lives in Salt Lake City. The whole article was him making fun of Idaho actually. Check it: http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=idaho_blows

[DMTower]

Originally Posted by Boiseguy

I would agree, but I don't think it has anything to do with republicans, and more to do with tradition. Idaho and montana are full of republicans too and booze is plentiful..not to mention scratch tickets and lottery drawings...you can buy it pretty much anywhere, and streetside dining is pretty much everywhere downtown along the sidewalks and common place to boot...

There is an aspect of sophistication that salt lake could do better at promoting downtown... to say it all revolves around alcohol is a stretch.. but it certainly is a relevent topic. What is frustrating is that salt lake has all the infrastructure and means to attract the young creative class, but fails to deliver on the aesthetics...If everything downtown revolves around "family outings" you just aren't going to attract the right demographic on a large scale.... I might me going way too far out on a limb here.. but salt lake needs some sleaze appeal... throw a couple of high end strip clubs up, and some crazy night life venues that might attract a few shady characters...while a majority of the creative class would not frequent them, it adds to the excitement of an urban setting, also to the aesthetics in just knowing that those places are around...Everything in downtown salt lake just seems so "presentable" and bland. like "here's the temple, here's the convention center, and over there is our buildings where people work durring the week, and over there is our nordstrom, along with the sports arena and the grand hotel" the real heart and soul of salt lake is in it's neighborhoods.. that culture and vibe needs to be expressed more in the downtown area to connect the dots and provide just that.. a vibe to the city.

I think all of that will come naturally when Salt Lake has a larger downtown residential population. The government certainly isn't going to promote "sleaze appeal" downtown, but the people living in neighborhoods are the ones who develop the vibe of a community. Part of the reason Salt Lake is so sterile is that it becomes a ghost town certain hours of the day. I think in 3-5 years we will start to see a whole new vibe downtown as the residential population in the central business district doubles with all of the projects already underway.

[DMTower]

Originally Posted by MetroFanatic

Zionide beat me to the punch on the Tribune article. I don't even drink and I was way excited to hear that the liquor laws were going to be changed, but now the GOP representatives have taken my hopes and dreams into an alley and beaten them to a bloody pulp! Then they bound, gagged, and blindfolded them just before putting them in the trunk of a car that drove for what seemed like miles upon miles, even though it was just 5 minutes to the Jordan River where they threw them in to swim with the (mutant) fishes.

Also, Projects, the man comparing the tallest skyscraper in Utah to a phone-booth was Maddox, who is a satirist who lives in Salt Lake City. The whole article was him making fun of Idaho actually. Check it: http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=idaho_blows

Was this Tribune article posted somewhere? I can't seem to find it

[shakman]

My concern with all this is I would like the area to retain and strengthen its family friendly environment. We need to teach our future, not expose our future to anything that distracts from positive family cores and values.

Yes a concern from someone who has never been to SLC.

[arkhitektor]

In case to missed this last week:

Veteran KTVX anchors cut from station

If anyone still needed a reason not to watch the news on Channel 4, they've fired more of their anchors.

Couple this with last month's news that ABC4 is second to last in the late-local news rating and things look especially bad there. The only newscast that they managed to beat was KJZZ's 2News @ 9PM.

[wrendog]

I'm curious, Shakman, if you have never been to SLC, what is your draw to our fair city?

[shakman]

Originally Posted by wrendog

I'm curious, Shakman, if you have never been to SLC, what is your draw to our fair city?

I was waiting for someone to ask...

For a number of years, I have had an interest with SLC. My interest actually started when the Bulls and Jazz played in the NBA Finals. I was pulling for the Jazz since I was tired of the Bulls winning the title back in the years. (I guess I can thank John Stockton and the "Mailman" for my interest to continue).

I am a City Planning major with a background in Construction Management. I like to read about how various city's across the US are structured and operate as well what is being developed where. I started to look into the area's character and was really impressed with its charm and family friendly environment. I have always thought of SLC as that "hidden jem" of the US.


More recently, my interest has grown exponentially for three main reasons:

1. I recently have had a lot of exposure to Mormons in the DC and Richmond areas. They are by far the most kind and sincere people I have met - this is coming from a Muslim (me). The way Mormons's moral conduct is the way Muslims should act as well. The family structure is identical. It all starts with the family. The Quran teaches us Muslims this same concept, including the respect towards a husband's wife which is to treat with utmost respect. The garbage you hear on the media is due to ancient cultures mixing with what Islam teaches about women being equal to men. During these interesting times, without Mormons, kindness may very well be at loss - I thank the Mormons for striving to keep it alive.

2. I love stats. Recently I have been seeing and hearing SLC rank nationally in various positive catagories. Though still I am scratching my head on its crime rate rankings (69), I think SLC should overcome this and improve since its economy is still quite healthy relative to the rest of the US.

3. City Creek Center... What an amazing project!!! It is currently my most favorite project under construction. I wish Richmond, VA would have something similar in its Downtown, rather than in the suburbs. However there is a massive proposal in an area called Shockoe Bottom which across I-95 from Downtown, but I find CCC more interesting.

I can think of many more reasons, but overall SLC ranks as a favorite.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by DMTower

I think all of that will come naturally when Salt Lake has a larger downtown residential population. The government certainly isn't going to promote "sleaze appeal" downtown, but the people living in neighborhoods are the ones who develop the vibe of a community. Part of the reason Salt Lake is so sterile is that it becomes a ghost town certain hours of the day. I think in 3-5 years we will start to see a whole new vibe downtown as the residential population in the central business district doubles with all of the projects already underway.

I was pretty much about to say the same thing, after I read that particular post. Much of what needs to be done is already under the process of being built and planned.

Over the past ten years, the downtown has made tremendous progress on every front. Over the next five years, a great deal more will be accomplished. Salt Lake City's downtown will become more than just a great place from 8 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The dots have and are already being connected at a very quick pace. Many multiple billions of dollars in infrastructure investment on every front is more than enough proof of that.

Sleaze does not equate with the kind of elegant and sophisticated cache that Salt Lake City is aiming for. Salt Lake City is a downtown of middle to high end travelers. People who appreciate a top tier symphony and regional opera, a top tier ballet and dance community, A vibrant theatrical community and renowned choir and various choral groups. We already have one of largest and most highly rated convention centers in the nation. Salt Lake is the most connected city in the nation to it's major ski resorts and outdoor activity in general. Our resorts even now are brimming with construction of many of the world's most prestigious hotel names, nightlife, restaurants, and overall quality of experience.

Yes, we do need more fun clubs in downtown central and more residential options, and that is happening. Also, we certainly do need to streamline the liquor laws, most of which currently do nothing to discourage over-drinking, but only add to visitor confusion. Hopefully, the Gov. will get at least some of his goals accomplished on this front.

Other than another Major sports franchise, and a Neimans and Saks, I really don't think anyone has suggested anything that isn't already in the works. But then, even an NFL team and a Neimans shouldn't be too far off, as quickly as Salt Lake is adding to its downtown buildup and its metro population.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by MetroFanatic

Also, Projects, the man comparing the tallest skyscraper in Utah to a phone-booth was Maddox, who is a satirist who lives in Salt Lake City. The whole article was him making fun of Idaho actually. Check it: http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=idaho_blows

Yea that was the blog I was talking about. But it was a long time ago that I was on there and I didn't even remember what the whole blog was about other then it look like they were making fun of salt lake's tallest.
Even if they were making fun of Idaho that drawing of SLC's tallest is still way off. It looks like a 2-story building and then a phone booth.
But thanks for finding that link.

[scottharding]

Shakman's latest post is a good example of how there are two sides to every coin. Yeah, a lot of people think of Salt Lake as being a 20 years behind, a place of inbreds, whatever. But then there are those who, like Shakman, think just the opposite. And based on Shakman's post, and the email sent from whomever that started this whole topic, it seems those who take the negative view are morons, and those who are educated, intelligent, informed, and open-minded see Salt Lake as the great place that it is.
Yeah, I know I'm generalizing by called those people morons, but I'm sticking with it.
We've hosted the Olympics, and at the time, were the largest city to host the winter games. We claim one of the three largest and most popular film festivals in the world. We are the home of America's largest home-grown religion, which also happens to be one of the world's greatest contributors to relief aid. We are the capitol city of what is now the fastest growing state in the country. We have one of the better public transit systems in the country, a fairly stable and healthy economy in this time of economic disaster, and as far as access to outdoor recreation, few places in the world can compare to what Salt Lake City offers. The list could go on. Salt Lake kicks ass. Maybe our greatest asset is that morons tend to keep away from it.