Salt Lake:Official development news thread

[urbane]

Originally Posted by wrendog

Walkable? What if people don't give a rip if it's walkable? Some people like to drive. I understand the need to have walkable areas, as that is what some people like, but everywhere? Why should the government force that? That makes no sense. And I am even a proponant of walkable neighborhoods, but that doesn't mean that drivable suburbia is wrong.

Building walkable suburban neighborhoods does not force any one to walk, it does not mandate that people not use their cars. it instead provides more than one choice. Did you see "L.A. Story" with Steve Martin? in one scene he gets in his car and drives to his next door neighbor's house. Though this is ridiculous it will never become illegal.
Only the most dense urban areas are even slightly difficult to drive in. Walkable suburbia does not mean undrivable. I don't think building or even mandating walkable neighborhoods would ever impose on anyone's lifestyle or right to drive everywhere.

[urbane]

Originally Posted by Comrade Reynolds

Hm, did you not read anything I said? Please tell me where I said you couldn't live in the suburbs? I never said that, so quit putting words in my mouth. I only said I believe the government should better regulate suburban growth. That does not mean we ban people from the suburbs, rather dictate growth policy. It isn't like what I'm proposing is a radical idea, either, because every city in America has policies which dictate where someone can and cannot build and what their houses must look like. I can't just decide to go build a home in a lot designated as industrial or commercial. All I said was that I think the government should force developers into building walkable neighborhoods. That means no more subdivisions that take up land and offer no viable option outside of the sole reason to pollute.

So before you go off on an unwarranted rant, re-read the post and realize I never said we should dictate where people live. Rather dictate future development in our suburban communities. It's the only way we're going to save this damn earth, because at this rate we'll have zero land for development in 50 years and air about as brown as the water in Mexico. And we're not talking global warming, we're talking air pollution, there is a difference. Pollution in Salt Lake is some of the worst in the nation and if we continue to feed the monster, we'll be fucked within decades.

Very well put Comrade I completely agree.

Also the environmental problems with suburbia go well beyond the automobile.

[urbane]

Originally Posted by wrendog

I really hope that with these new UTA bus routes and times that I will be able to take TRAX (and future commuter rail.. yeehaw!) to work with a quick bus transfer. As it is right now, there is no good bus connection from 2100 s station to SSL city hall where I work. It would take well over an hour to make it work. Come on UTA! Hook me up!

Density=Ridership=Additional Routes+Higher Frequency

[delts145]

Fashion Place to get all dolled up
Makeover to help mall keep dominance in retail market

By Cathy McKitrick
The Salt Lake Tribune


MURRAY - Fashion Place Mall, one of the state's busiest shopping destinations, is on the fast track for a major makeover.
Dave Cuthill, spokesman for General Growth Properties, Inc., the real estate investment company that owns the bustling retail center at 6191 S. State St., presented preliminary expansion and renovations plans to Murray's Planning Commission on Thursday evening.
"Fashion Place currently occupies a very strong position within the competitive retail market in the area. Our desire is to maintain this market strength and dominance," Cuthill said. "Enhancing what's there will allow us to do that."
Several changes and additions are planned, Cuthill said, adding 240,000 square feet of rentable space to the mall's current 876,000 square feet.
Nordstrom and Dillard's, two of the mall's premiere anchors, will move to new locations in the expanded mall footprint.
An outdoor component will be added, along with pedestrian friendly streetscape and storefronts facing the parking area rather than the mall interior.
After the new Nordstrom and Dillard's open in 2009, their old stores will be razed and reconstructed, to be occupied by new retail options.
A new, one-level parking deck will connect to the new Dillard's via a pedestrian bridge, increasing the mall's parking capacity to 5,192 stalls.
Macy's will remain in its current configuration, Cuthill said.
"We're on an accelerated time frame," Cuthill said. General Growth's plan moves the opening of Murray's new Nordstrom well ahead of the Nordstrom slated to settle into Salt Lake City's City Creek in 2011.
Fashion Place Mall, bounded by 6100 South, Fashion Boulevard (280 East), Winchester and State streets, first sprouted in 1972. According to General Growth's Web site, previous upgrades occurred in 1984, 1986 and 1987.
The mall's central Salt Lake Valley location, along with its easy access from Interstates 15 and 215, has helped fuel its continued popularity. Fashion Place is currently 98 percent leased out.
General Growth acquired Fashion Place Mall about two years ago. The Chicago, Ill.-based company also owns Holladay's Cottonwood Mall, where close to 40 percent of the storefronts now sit empty.
When asked about the company's vision for Cottonwood Mall, Cuthill said General Growth is looking at opportunities and will be forthcoming with its plans.
"It's an important asset to us and we anticipate making it a better one," he said.
[email protected]
Fashion Place Mall planned expansion

* Preliminary utility work and pad preparation for new Nordstrom, 2007
* New restaurant opens December 2007
* Mall renovation begins in 2008
* New Nordstrom to open spring 2009
* Dillard's also to move to new mall location in 2009
* Demolition of current Dillard's and Nordstrom locations after new stores open, old locations to be reconstructed and open with new retail by 2010

[SLCforme]

I may be wrong but the way I understood the front runner article, it means that it will be $3.00 for a commuter rail pass when it opens, no matter how far you travel on it. The fares will raise 50 cents for each new additional stop they construct on the line. They are only constructing 7 or 8 stops now, but eventually there will be 11 or so. I could be wrong but that's how I understood it.

[delts145]

Now that sounds alot better, I hope you're right. One of us should call UTA and find out for sure.

[SmilingBob]

Originally Posted by i-215

ARE YOU SERIOUS? $120/mo!

I think my total car expenses wre like $180/mo with insurance and gas back when I was doing a lot of commuting. Of course, I didn't have a car payment, buy that seems a bit steep for a monthly pass.

Not to mention all the taxes we pay for the system to be built.

[gbb]

Originally Posted by SLCforme

I may be wrong but the way I understood the front runner article, it means that it will be $3.00 for a commuter rail pass when it opens, no matter how far you travel on it. The fares will raise 50 cents for each new additional stop they construct on the line. They are only constructing 7 or 8 stops now, but eventually there will be 11 or so. I could be wrong but that's how I understood it.

That is the way I understood it. Otherwise you would definitely not be saving any money by using it. But the benefit of sitting back and not wasting time away in a traffic jam is a very large perk.

[SLC Projects]

Have you guys notice that Gas prices are going back up. $2.17 is about the lowest I can find now. I bet it will go back up to $3 per gallon by this summer, So no matter if we ride Trax or drive we are all fucked.

[jedikermit]

When I worked downtown, my company had a deal with UTA so a light rail pass was $25 per month--it's probably gone up since then, but still--I'd imagine larger downtown businesses have similar arrangements. And if you're a University of Utah student, riding TRAX is free--and that's one of the largest traffic generators in the area.

[i-215]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

Have you guys notice that Gas prices are going back up. $2.17 is about the lowest I can find now. I bet it will go back up to $3 per gallon by this summer, So no matter if we ride Trax or drive we are all **toast**.

Here here! At least with my car I can choose between a Corolla or a Hummer to cut the costs. It sounds like Tri-Met all over again, except with UTA. Portland got the road system to stop growing, then socked it to all the riders with their $90 monthly passes.

Sounds like ours are worse! At least we haven't stopped building new roads though.

Time to buy a horse, anyone?

[Urbano]

And if you're a University of Utah student, riding TRAX is free--and that's one of the largest traffic generators in the area.

No its not, students pay for the service through their student fees each semester. Most students don't know that. Many opponents of trax use this as an argument that it isn't as sucssesful as people think because most ride for free, but that isn't the case

[I-15]

Fashion Place Mall planned expansion

* New restaurant opens December 2007

I've heard from those involved that this is where Utah's first Cheesecake Factory will be going in.

[i-215]

Seems like ean appropriate place for it to go in. Trendy area.

[wrendog]

I heard the same thing I-15..

[strippadam]

Originally Posted by i-215

ARE YOU SERIOUS? $120/mo!

I think my total car expenses wre like $180/mo with insurance and gas back when I was doing a lot of commuting. Of course, I didn't have a car payment, buy that seems a bit steep for a monthly pass.

Lets look at this a different way.

The distance between Ogden and Salt Lake City is 38 miles according to Google Maps. Now i am not going to factor in distance like living on the east bench. Or the factor that many people are not all the way in Ogden but in the middle area like Centerville, Layton, Kaysville.

Now lets go off the average miles per gallon on all cars/trucks/suvs is 18 mpg. Again i know this is being super general.

RUN WITH IT.

Okay so then lets average out gas prices to $250(run with it)

So that means that on an average business week 5 days.

You have a total commute of 76 miles a day / 18 mpg = 4.222 galons of gasoline used a day.

4.222 gog X 5 (business days) X 50 weeks (remember two weeks of vacation and holidays hence down from 52 weeks) / 12 months a year = 87.96 gallons of as a month.

87.96 gallons x 2.50 = $219.90

Then take into account car maintenance and so forth.

So in other words 120 for helping lessen pollution, creating an urban feel, and saving money. And once again i am using Front Runner!

[pdxman]

How does the UTA pass system work? Do they have zones? Since UTA covers 3+ counties how do they figure what to charge for a pass?

[wrendog]

120 bucks is too much to make it worth it..

I get 35 MPG anyway..

[urbane]

Originally Posted by wrendog

120 bucks is too much to make it worth it..

I get 35 MPH anyway..

Sounds slow.

[i-215]

lol.

In my case, I drove only 20 miles or so total, so it wasn't worth it either. My new car gets 25 MPG, I'm glad it gets more than 35 MPH. lol!