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Posted Mar 18, 2009, 6:06 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Sandy, UT
Posts: 360
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Originally Posted by Viperlord
A little news update that I was reading the other day in the SLC RDA's minute meetings:
Ninth Street Place is currently on hold due to the economic situation, which is no real surprise. They cited the poor economic conditions as the reason. Financing is drying up. The project had 4 banks excited and eager to lend on the project, now that number has whittled to 1 bank. Banks arent willing to lend on condo projects anymore unless if they are 50% pre-leased. Also, they stated poor sales in the area as another factor for holding the project. The kirtland Condos have only sold "a few" units, leaving the completed condos basically vacant. Angelinas corner has also only sold a smaller than expected share of its condos. So, until demand picks back up dont count on this project going, which is no real surprise. They did say though that there is plenty of demand still for rental housing.
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Ah, that's too bad! Hopefully it will still get built, just later than we would have hoped for 
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Originally Posted by RFPCME
Hearing last week that Sam Weller's was closing on Main Street was almost too much to bear. Yes, they will relocate, hopefully not far away, but losing Weller's, if only for a short time, is still a tremendous blow.
Weller's is not only a SLC institution, but a national one as well. I remember going to a lecture in graduate school by the late Wallace Stegner, the head of the Creative Writing Department at Stanford and a Pulitzer Prize winning novelist. During his lecture, Stegner talked about the literary scene in Salt Lake, surprisingly good, and how Weller's was one of the best bookstores in the country. It's horrific to think that a precious gem like Weller's is finally succumbing to the ghost town that the CBD has become, which begs the question: How do you get people to return to the CBD?
Yes, there are some great projects coming on board, like the CCC, the Broadway theatre, the arts district, a possible film center, more urban housing, and the Trax link to the SLC Intl. and the other mass transit expansions. But all of these still will not bring back the hordes of people who used to walk the sidewalks in years gone by. Even in the 1960's, the sidewalks were full, but have steadily declined since then until there is almost nothing left.
As I have thought and thought about how to put pedestrians back on the sidewalks, I keep coming back to the same answer--vibrant, interesting retail. Shops and eateries so interesting that people are willing to deal with the extra time it takes to get downtown and then spend more time downtown.
Probably this is a dumb solution and if it is, I wish someone would point out the errors in my thinking. But it seems to me rather than pouring millions into a Broadway venue that might attract a few thousand people into the downtown area for a few hours a few days a month, it might make much more sense to take the public money behind the Broadway theatre, or several of the other projected projects, and put that money into subsidizing interesting retail. By interesting, I mean retail that you cannot find anywhere else.
Weller's is a classic example of the kind of retail I'm thinking. So would the shops around 9th and 9th, and many other one-of-a-kind, locally owned and managed retailers. Liberty Heights Fresh is another classic example of what would be a good draw. What if Main Street St. were filled with these kind of retailers whose rent is subsidized. These retailer cannot afford the expensive leases in the Gateway or the CCC. But many of the abandoned shops on in the CBD might be perfect for them if the local government money were used to bring buildings up to code and make it possible to earn a living out of these places.
You wouldn't want national retailers. Old Navy proved that even a lavish building isn't enough to attract and keep people downtown with just merchandise you can find almost anywhere else in the valley. But populate the CBD with retailers you cannot find anywhere else and the picture changes dramatically.
I look forward to your comments.
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I do agree that SLC needs a lot of diverse retail, but I think its closer than you think it is. I mean, even if CCC gets national chains, it's still a unique development and will have a unique feel to it. I'd much rather travel the extra 10 miles to CCC than South Towne Mall even if it had the same stores (hopfully not, I'm just saying that I would make the treck even on worst case senario). I am speaking as a suburban resident here and I know others who would do the same - especially with the ease of hoping on TRAX. It would make a great Saturday hiatus, or even an after-school/work event. Then, while we're on our way to CCC, if there are enticing shops along Main St, we will venture farther south to explore. These stores, however, MUST be unique. I mean, if these shops get filled with stuff we can find in our suburbs (S.F. Pier 39 Pizza comes to mind), we won't be interested. I think CCC can afford to attract the national chains and still hold onto suburban business, but southern Main St certainly can't!
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Originally Posted by delts145
Anyway, the CBD is far from being a ghost town.. The large amount of pedestrian and business traffic has shown a marked increase from the past in my estimation. This increase over the past ten years was very apparent throughout the entire CBD as I visited the other day. Of course, when CCC is completed, that district will be at it's most crowded in it's entire history, and I mean ENTIRE HISTORY. I have made it a point to walk and drive throughout the entire CBD a couple of times in the past month. This was during a weekday. I presume the many people I saw on the sidewalks were valley residents, office employees, students, downtown residents and of course, it was obvious that there were a generous amount of conventioneers/tourists. Of note, is the fact that many downtowns across the country, are pretty when viewed from a distance, but their street presentation is often bland, dirty, and anything but attractive. Not only is Salt Lake's downtown full of many large islands of some of the most visually attractive streetscape in the nation, but those islands are now undergoing an obvious connection between the dots.
From what I personally observed, the addition and continued expansion of TRAX options for downtown cannot be overemphasized. TRAX and the very positive vibe that it created throughout downtown was extremely palpable.
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I agree with your point. Down town does currently have some good urban pockets within it - the problem is connecting these together. I see a lot of potential in State Street. It looks SO bad right now. I tried walking down it the other day around the library and felt like I was either going to get hit by a car or shot. If we expanded the sidewalks along State St, it would make padestrians feel a bit more comfortable. Then, if we brought in curb-side retail, we would feel more enclosed and secure. 3rd West also has some good potential - along with 4th South. Then, as Urbanboy so BRILIANTLY pointed out...
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Originally Posted by urbanboy
What we need is a "kick-ass" Southern anchor and destination for Main Street that acts like a temple square counter-part, and encourages pedestrian traffic up and down Main Street. Salt Lake City has a great opportunity to promote and possibly help create a southern anchor on Earl Holdings parking lot. We just need to start or continue the dialogue. |
A sort of Temple Square counter part down south would be excellent! I am just wondering what and where. Can't be a mall, can't be a theater, can't be any kind of sports venue, can't be a concert hall/venue. Hmmm...Any ideas? On the 'where', I was thinking that HUMUNGO parking lot bound by 4th South, 5th South, Main, and West Temple by the Courthouse TRAX Station would be excellent! Now that I fully read your point, I see that you provided a 'where'. Is that the same parking lot I just mentioned?
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Originally Posted by cololi
We need to provide something that the suburbs can't. I think you can apply to this to any segment of community living, whether it is unique retail, unique restaurants, unique architecture, unique transportation, and probably above all else, unique culture. Suburbs were created on the antithesis of this principle.
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I don't know, Daybreak may be just breaking this antithesis principle. I can't wait to see what kind of shops they bring into the walkable commercial "villeges"! They will be curb-side and are suposed to include bakery, bike shop, etc type stores for local residents to enjoy. Plus the cross-the-street lake recreational area and TRAX Station...It's no SLC, but it's no suburb either 
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Here's to the future of Main St and the entire CBD.
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