Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[Comrade]

There definitely has to be a balance but until that balance is met, and there's plenty of empty lots and delipidated, abandoned businesses/houses, I will absolutely side with the renter in a situation like this - at least until we're fully out of a pandemic.

I won't apologize for that. The city has to do a better job enforcing affordable renting/housing or it won't matter how many units they build, the lack of affordability is going to force a lot of people out into the suburbs where it's only marginally cheaper. I guess the good news about that is we'll have so many new units that are so expensive no one can afford 'em that it'll force prices down in the long run.

[Utah_Dave]

Now more then ever city and state governments will have to get more involved with funding and incentives to make affordable housing happen. It is very important, I don’t want to down play it but costs are really thru the roof for materials, labor and land. OSB sheeting is way up and still up. Same with everyday 2x4’s at Lowe’s and Home Depot (not that builders get there lumber from a box store) but studs seem to have doubled over the last year. Lumber packages for the home builders are way high. You name it and it’s probably more expensive then a year or two ago. We’ve never really seen anything like this that I can remember and I’m very curious what will give. I’m getting that same feeling I had in 2006 and 2007 where I felt like I was doing everything right but I couldn’t keep up with what the market was doing.

[ajiuO]

I don’t think anyone should be surprised at what is currently happening along north temple and the rose park area in general. The area has been prime for gentrification for a long time running. The writing was on the wall for North Temple the minute they announced the North Temple trax line.

If you think about it Rose Park is close to down town, offers houses with yards and lots of mature trees, with great access to freeways, the airport, and public transportation... anyone who thought the area was going to remain under valued forever is an idiot. Besides practically all of North Temple being redeveloped, they are also planning a pretty substantial redevelopment of 600/700N.

5 years ago Rose Park had a reputation of being a not so nice area. 5 years from now it will be extremely desirable.

I know it sucks for some people (mainly renters) and I feel bad for them. But it’s also going to raise the property values for a lot of lower middle class people who will potentially be able to make a lot of money from the sale of their property.... and that’s exactly what’s going to happen.

[SLCLvr]

Originally Posted by ajiuO

I don’t think anyone should be surprised at what is currently happening along north temple and the rose park area in general. The area has been prime for gentrification for a long time running. The writing was on the wall for North Temple the minute they announced the North Temple trax line.
.

Agree. I'm sure this must be on some developer's radar but there are 30 acres on the north side of N Temple between the Fairgrounds and the Power TRAX station that is mostly the KOA campground, all one owner, already zoned TSA. A lot of frontage on the Jordan River which should be a plus. Not sure who the owner is (listed as J-J Bakd LC), but they are sitting on a gold mine, especially when the Power District is developed across the street. Most of it is TSA-MUEC-C and the rest is TSA-SP-C, both of which allow up to 75' plus an extra floor seems pretty easy to get. I'm sure any proposal will invite controversy since I imagine some people live full time at the KOA.

[Blah_Amazing]

The property appears to have been sold to the developer of the 'Twenty Ones' project.

• Video Link

[Makid]

Originally Posted by ajiuO

I don’t think anyone should be surprised at what is currently happening along north temple and the rose park area in general. The area has been prime for gentrification for a long time running. The writing was on the wall for North Temple the minute they announced the North Temple trax line.

If you think about it Rose Park is close to down town, offers houses with yards and lots of mature trees, with great access to freeways, the airport, and public transportation... anyone who thought the area was going to remain under valued forever is an idiot. Besides practically all of North Temple being redeveloped, they are also planning a pretty substantial redevelopment of 600/700N.

5 years ago Rose Park had a reputation of being a not so nice area. 5 years from now it will be extremely desirable.

I know it sucks for some people (mainly renters) and I feel bad for them. But it’s also going to raise the property values for a lot of lower middle class people who will potentially be able to make a lot of money from the sale of their property.... and that’s exactly what’s going to happen.

I live in Rose Park. I moved in roughly 4.5 years ago. My house has roughly doubled in value since I bought it. I think I bought right as the area shifted. Today, if you can manage to buy a house in the area, it is going for well over asking price. This is because many people are buying the houses to rent them out. Rents for the houses have been increasing and are pushing $3,000 a month.

Being so close to Downtown is one of the biggest draws for people moving in. Being under 10 minutes with even moderate traffic is great.

For the area, I am looking forward to the 600/700 North updates and the increased bus service that will come over the next few years. This increase in service will put me roughly within an a 2 block area of 15 minute, all day, bus service on 3 if not 4 sides.

The change will be some what more on the periphery due to the quasi-historic nature of the houses in the Rose Park area. Most of the changes will be limited to along 600/700 North and along 9th West. I can see many of the apartments being updated to a more urban style, less ground level parking, to take advantage of the increased property values and desire to live in the area.

My biggest hope is that the Smith's at 600N and 1200W can be removed and rebuilt as urban store with it facing the sidewalks and apartments above.

[Blah_Amazing]

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2021/03/13/this-historic-latter-day/

After community outpouring in support of 29th Ward in Fairpark, owner halts his demolition bid — for now — in advance of a potential sale.



By Tony Semerad | March 13, 2021

Full Article:

Wright, proprietor of Wright Mind LLC, bought the building from Salt Lake City last March at a heavy discount just as the coronavirus pandemic was hitting and days before last year’s magnitude 5.7 temblor, which he said damaged it beyond repair.

“I’m serious about demolishing it,” Wright said last week, citing continued financial losses and major structural challenges the church still faces, despite the reprieve. “I mean, at some point I have to tuck tail and run.”

But, with some hopes remaining of creating a viable community hub and resource center at the location, he has proceeded with improvements between now and Aug. 1, Wright said.

“I’m going all-out, all-in, as much as I can on time, labor and money,” he said, “to get it to its best state by July.”

Since halting his request for demolition, Wright has negotiated with city officials and the National Park Service for a series of repairs and renovations, navigating costly and exacting preservation and documentation standards on several exterior and interior features.

City officials recently granted certificates to allow for a series of minor window, door and brick repairs and for landscaping of the corner property’s grounds.

Wright said he was also wrangling for approval on larger interior alterations he has proposed as part of securing federal tax breaks of up to 20% on renovation costs, under the building’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Wright stated late last year in his emergency application that the quake damaged key features of the L-shaped meetinghouse and that the building couldn’t be salvaged for under $1.4 million, compared to Wright’s purchase price of $153,000. But, as a public hearing on his request approached this month, he also drew a wave of community criticism over his plans, including assertions he intended to raze the icon to build high-density housing.

Wright said the surge of public interest, including voluminous comments and suggestions submitted to the Historic Landmark Commission by residents to the Fairpark Community Council, led him to change course, as did guidance from the prospective buyer.

While the chapel isn’t financially viable, repair costs keep mounting and the building can be occupied only under certain conditions, Wright said last week he’d also heeded calls from church neighbors and community leaders urging him to treat the meetinghouse more as a shared asset.

Tom King, chairman of the Fairpark Community Council, said he’d been in touch with Wright. *“*We let him know that part of his obstacles with some donors had been holding it in private ownership,” said King, who added that he welcomed news that Wright’s bid to raze the chapel had been delayed.

Wright said he had created a holding account and is urging those hoping to restore and retain the old church to donate to it as an initial step toward migrating a restored version to public ownership, tentatively under the name Fairpark Meetinghouse.

“I’m kind of asking everyone to just work with me,” Wright said as he directed construction crews pulling old pipes from a portion of the building. “Donors, members of the community, now is kind of the time to pony up.”

First opened in 1905 as a worship space for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the 29th Ward was constructed in a Victorian gothic style, with a sand-color exterior, stepped gables and arched windows. The assembly hall, added to the chapel two decades later, has housed numerous community events and activities for generations.

The two buildings were used in their early years for social gatherings, parties, dances, plays and movie nights. Now surrounded mostly by single-family homes, the meetinghouse also has served as a medical clinic, office space and living quarters, according to city documents and the building’s 2015 listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Despite several remodels and “a fair amount of deterioration,” that federal listing deemed five years ago the building’s essential character remained intact and that it is a historic resource for the city’s northwest neighborhood.

With available land selling at a premium across Utah’s capital, the church and its 0.8-acre lot had been listed for sale before Wright’s emergency demolition request for more than $900,000 — nearly six times his purchase price from the city.

[ajiuO]

Originally Posted by Makid

I live in Rose Park. I moved in roughly 4.5 years ago. My house has roughly doubled in value since I bought it. I think I bought right as the area shifted. Today, if you can manage to buy a house in the area, it is going for well over asking price. This is because many people are buying the houses to rent them out. Rents for the houses have been increasing and are pushing $3,000 a month.

Being so close to Downtown is one of the biggest draws for people moving in. Being under 10 minutes with even moderate traffic is great.

For the area, I am looking forward to the 600/700 North updates and the increased bus service that will come over the next few years. This increase in service will put me roughly within an a 2 block area of 15 minute, all day, bus service on 3 if not 4 sides.

The change will be some what more on the periphery due to the quasi-historic nature of the houses in the Rose Park area. Most of the changes will be limited to along 600/700 North and along 9th West. I can see many of the apartments being updated to a more urban style, less ground level parking, to take advantage of the increased property values and desire to live in the area.

My biggest hope is that the Smith's at 600N and 1200W can be removed and rebuilt as urban store with it facing the sidewalks and apartments above.

I lived in the rose park area for 15 years then I moved down town about 10 years ago. My grandma offered to sale me her house in Rose park for a really good price. It’s actually the north west part build in the 90’s so it’s technically Westpointe I think... So I recently moved back to the area. It was an easy decision with all of the redevelopment that is in the future for the area. I will miss a lot of things about living down town, but I’m still way close and have a good sized house with a big yard that I can totally renovate because of the price I got.

I’m all with you on smiths. It’s not a trashy store or anything, but it’s really outdated and probably not big enough to serv the community. When smiths was built there was also a Safeway just over the overpass. I actually mentioned to the Westpointe counsel that the area needs a better grocery store option and some more dining. Probably my biggest complaint about the area. I don’t technically live in Rose park so while I mentioned that Smiths isn’t good enough for the community, I suggested that they talk to Albertsons about redeveloping the plaza where lucky is and putting in a new modern Albertsons brand store instead of lucky (witch they still own). Albertsons has a history in Utah... and I think the return of the brand in a new light would be welcome. They suggested that I shop at Lee’s in North Salt Lake, witch is not the answer that I was looking for. I’ve been shopping at the smiths in woods cross, which is the nicest smiths I’ve seen. I wish smiths would rebuild the rose park location to be a cross between that and the downtown Harmon’s.

I wonder if anyone has talked to Kroger about redeveloping that store? I think they built it around 35 years ago, so it’s probably about time. I mean that store doesn’t even have a proper butcher!

[Old&New]

Originally Posted by bob rulz

Too bad. I was hoping this one was dead.

I’m also not a big fan of this hotel. I also haven’t seen any renderings of what it will look like looking west on South Temple. Does is overshadow the building? What will the window treatments on the ends facing 400 w be? Will there be windows?

[Marvland]

Originally Posted by Old&New

I’m also not a big fan of this hotel. I also haven’t seen any renderings of what it will look like looking west on South Temple. Does is overshadow the building? What will the window treatments on the ends facing 400 w be? Will there be windows?

Meh. The real opportunity was missed when Roger Boyer boycotted having the transit center at the Gateway, which will go as the most obvious urbanism blunder in our era. As of now the Depot is basically invisible from any western viewshed except the very top of the roof and from the Gateway fountain plaza. Ie, it's already been ruined. I'm glad we have the CCH in the works but the lack of high end hotels in SLC is a huge drag on our perception and downtown economy. Our hotel scene is terrible although we have some hope with this and the Regent Hotel (still very shaky I'm told). I'm frankly glad this project isn't completely dead after the recent hospitality apocalypse.

[Marvland]

Originally Posted by Blah_Amazing

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2021/03/13/this-historic-latter-day/

After community outpouring in support of 29th Ward in Fairpark, owner halts his demolition bid — for now — in advance of a potential sale.



By Tony Semerad | March 13, 2021

Full Article:

This is fairly close to my house. Pretty familiar with the situation. Lots of challenges. Structural for sure, as noted in the article. It was zoned back to R1-7000 years ago by the city, which was a huge mistake. A mistake that they made all over the city BTW. So max density would be less than 5 houses on .8 acres. Anything more dense would have to go through PUD or a map or text amendment, which, er, isn't gonna happen. My primary motivation was for it to become a performance venue, as there really aren't any west of the freeway. But couldn't get any interest in the nonprofit community because of lack of funding, so I passed. The Earthquake did untold damage to our grand old buildings. My guess is it will trade for $300-400k and get torn down, which is a shame. Too bad the city let it go. It used to be the Hope Center. Would have been a great arts venue. But the city just lets stuff rot (see: Fisher Mansion, Warm Springs/Childrens Museum et al).

[joscar]

Some major changes were announced this past week regarding the Salt Lake Temple project. They seem to have moved away from doing a restoration of the building's interior and will be gutting several historic rooms on a couple floors and replacing them in the "cookie cutter temple style." A big deal has been made about the murals being removed, but it appears significant portions of the building's layout is changing and much of the original woodwork and such is being destroyed too. Not an interior the general public was able to enjoy, but a blow to this city's architectural history nonetheless.

https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2021/03/12/lds-church-removes/

[Old&New]

Originally Posted by joscar

Some major changes were announced this past week regarding the Salt Lake Temple project. They seem to have moved away from doing a restoration of the building's interior and will be gutting several historic rooms on a couple floors and replacing them in the "cookie cutter temple style." A big deal has been made about the murals being removed, but it appears significant portions of the building's layout is changing and much of the original woodwork and such is being destroyed too. Not an interior the general public was able to enjoy, but a blow to this city's architectural history nonetheless.

https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2021/03/12/lds-church-removes/

DONT DO IT! Just decommission these two temples and open them up to the public as museums! That would really help both Salt Lake City and Manti tourism industry and economy, especially Manti. Build new adjacent temples, like Hinkley did for the tabernacle in building the adjacent Conference Center. They could even build a new temple on their 400 south Main Street parking lot.. That could be an interesting southern anchor for Main Street... a temple square II of sorts. Or they could build a new temple on either of the two blocks west of temple square. Or the north west corner of north temple and south temple.

[Blah_Amazing]

Fox 13: Utah religious leaders ask governments to buy underused hotels for homeless

• Video Link

[stayinginformed]

Originally Posted by SLCLvr

Agree. I'm sure this must be on some developer's radar but there are 30 acres on the north side of N Temple between the Fairgrounds and the Power TRAX station that is mostly the KOA campground, all one owner, already zoned TSA. A lot of frontage on the Jordan River which should be a plus. Not sure who the owner is (listed as J-J Bakd LC), but they are sitting on a gold mine, especially when the Power District is developed across the street. Most of it is TSA-MUEC-C and the rest is TSA-SP-C, both of which allow up to 75' plus an extra floor seems pretty easy to get. I'm sure any proposal will invite controversy since I imagine some people live full time at the KOA.

Longtime owners of the KOA are the Menlove family. I am not sure at what point they will want to redevelop. I think eventually it will become too lucrative not to redevelop the site.

[Old&New]

Originally Posted by Blah_Amazing

Fox 13: Utah religious leaders ask governments to buy underused hotels for homeless

• Video Link

I think this is a great idea, as long as they only buy hotels/motels the community would be fine losing should they get trashed.

[Marvland]

Originally Posted by Blah_Amazing

Fox 13: Utah religious leaders ask governments to buy underused hotels for homeless

• Video Link

We just built three unused hotels for the homeless.

[i-215]

American Zoning Rules:

Hosting well-off vacationers in residential homes,
and impoverished residents in commercial motels —


(Am I the only one here who says, "Eff it. Abolish ALL density/zoning restrictions"?)

[Blah_Amazing]

https://kutv.com/sports/college/photos-a...-like-172-days-before-2021-season-begins

KUTV posted a large photo update of progress on Rice-Eccles Stadium

[Marvland]

Originally Posted by i-215

American Zoning Rules:

Hosting well-off vacationers in residential homes,
and impoverished residents in commercial motels —


(Am I the only one here who says, "Eff it. Abolish ALL density/zoning restrictions"?)

I think the form-based codes we are seeing have produced the best results in our city and give lots of freedom from a use perspective (though not enough). The main issue is using a land-use table in a form based code in the first place. The former TSA zoning used to be interesting in that it restricted certain uses and every use not listed as restricted was expressly permitted as-of-right. The city went away from that unfortunately as it was way too fun. I think we are going to see Form Based code in more and more areas.

So I'm seeing some real contradictions from Urban land use advocates. They constantly rail against single family houses, then when somebody creates an assemblage to destroy four or five great old houses, they scream about gentrification and displacement. Also, our push for density shaped around current IBC and IFC codes has created a glut of the EXACT SAME BUILDING all over America, many of which are really really ugly and detrimental to urban street engagement. So I'm all about playing with From-Based code ideas, peppered with horizontal mixed use (non-stacked) outside of CBD. If you want to build residential on top of commercial, fine, but requiring it has produced really bad results outside of CBD. The residential uses on our main street block faces are a real shame.