Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[Ironweed]

Originally Posted by Makid

While it would be interesting, the Amazon HQ2 would take up more space than what is depicted.

It wouldn't work for Amazon anyway as there isn't any mass transit visible. I also don't think a southern expansion of Trax will go through the location for at least 20 years unless the State builds it sooner.

Maybe the State will want to build a Trax Tech expansion. Blue line to Lehi/Orem and Red line through the Old Prison site to create a large loop. Costs would be between $900 Million and $1.5 Billion depending on how far the Blue line is extended as well as the Red line extensions final alignment.

The state wants a downtown in Draper. This rendering creates a downtown larger than SLC. Embarrassing, but it may happen with or without the Amazon project. The state and SLC are at complete odds with each-other. Hence the drive for a new city center. Sad...

[Old&New]

Originally Posted by airhero

Haha those were the days. Back when City Creek was proposed and the Frank Gehry project was in the news. But looking back at the Gehry project, I'm glad it died lol.

Perhaps we will get this ambitious vision Draper put forth a few years ago after all:


Deseret News

But I doubt it!

This area has the best views of Kennecott and the sand quarry at the point of the mountain! Although it's somewhat visible in the rendering, I wish they would have emphasized that more. Who wouldn't want to see our gashed-up mountains as evidence of industry right out their corner office window.

[airhero]

^^^Some of the reasons why I've never liked Draper, plus you get the views of the south faces of the mountains, which are typically dry and brown compared to the greener north faces.

Originally Posted by Ironweed

The state wants a downtown in Draper. This rendering creates a downtown larger than SLC. Embarrassing, but it may happen with or without the Amazon project. The state and SLC are at complete odds with each-other. Hence the drive for a new city center. Sad...

I wouldn't worry about another downtown. To clarify, it was Draper city that came forth with that rendering, not the state. If Utah gets Amazon's HQ2 (which it won't) it's possible something more dense (but still mostly suburban in nature) could be built on the prison site. Otherwise, it's going to be more of the same point of the mountain style buildings. You can't just plop a downtown in the middle of a sprawling suburb.

[StevenF]

Originally Posted by airhero

I wouldn't worry about another downtown. To clarify, it was Draper city that came forth with that rendering, not the state. If Utah gets Amazon's HQ2 (which it won't) it's possible something more dense (but still mostly suburban in nature) could be built on the prison site. Otherwise, it's going to be more of the same point of the mountain style buildings. You can't just plop a downtown in the middle of a sprawling suburb.

Cities and developers get impatient and we will never see anything like that built in Draper. Just reference Sandy City and you will see how this happens. Cities like Draper and Sandy show off these grand ideas, or a developer comes in with a grand idea for those cities and then nothing ever happens. Then the city looks bad gets an actually good development and gets pressure from the developer to change or go against ordinances because the city wants the "revenue" from the development.

[Utah_Dave]

Originally Posted by asies1981

Renderings of the Pickle Building proposal. If you guys are interested voting runs until October 31.

That looks like a great little project. Too bad it can't be closer to downtown but that area should grow up around it eventually. It will be the details that could make this unique. I like the rail car and the tracks being left where they are. It has a nice feel.

[Orlando]

Originally Posted by StevenF

Cities and developers get impatient and we will never see anything like that built in Draper. Just reference Sandy City and you will see how this happens. Cities like Draper and Sandy show off these grand ideas, or a developer comes in with a grand idea for those cities and then nothing ever happens. Then the city looks bad gets an actually good development and gets pressure from the developer to change or go against ordinances because the city wants the "revenue" from the development.

Btw, I just saw an ad in Urban Land magazine for The Cairns in Sandy. They touted a lot of urbanistic street life, the new theater, office, and residential.

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by StevenF

Cities and developers get impatient and we will never see anything like that built in Draper. Just reference Sandy City and you will see how this happens. Cities like Draper and Sandy show off these grand ideas, or a developer comes in with a grand idea for those cities and then nothing ever happens. Then the city looks bad gets an actually good development and gets pressure from the developer to change or go against ordinances because the city wants the "revenue" from the development.

Just look at Holladay and the downtown center they were going to develop on the old Cottonwood Mall site.

The initial development plan from ten years ago:



The lot today is vacant after the demolition of the mall.

There have been plenty of false starts on the project. In 2014, the development was altered into this:





And the plan went dormant again. But earlier this year, Ivory Development showed interest in buying the land. There was buzz back in May, with the mayor even suggesting plans could be submitted to the city by that next week. Surprise, it's now October 19th, five months later, and there was no follow up on the process - definitely no new plans released about the site.

I believe the Cottonwood Mall site will be developed one day. But the vision presented back in 2008 is not going to happen.

As for the prison site getting the bid for Amazon - this is why Salt Lake doesn't deserve it. Well I shouldn't say Salt Lake. Utah. Our leaders locally are so visionless when it comes to these mega-developments that they handicap the state right from the get go. Why the hell would Amazon want to build an urban center in the heart of the suburban Wasatch Front? Same bullshit with the RSL stadium, which sits at an underdeveloped, unconnected area of State.

Oh well.

[slcguy]

Hey does anyone know the status of the Emabssy suites that’s supposed to be built Downtown? It’s been awhile I’ve heard anything.

[Old&New]

Originally Posted by Comrade

As for the prison site getting the bid for Amazon - this is why Salt Lake doesn't deserve it. Well I shouldn't say Salt Lake. Utah. Our leaders locally are so visionless when it comes to these mega-developments that they handicap the state right from the get go. Why the hell would Amazon want to build an urban center in the heart of the suburban Wasatch Front? Same bullshit with the RSL stadium, which sits at an underdeveloped, unconnected area of State.

Oh well.

Ok, so I just got a tidbit of info from a friend: Last time they saw the utah amazon hq2 proposal draft, there were around 30 proposed sites, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there is a downtown SLC option in the final.

[delts145]

deleted: duplicate post

[asies1981]

Here are the five (really four because we already knew about one) sites the city proposes to develop affordable housing projects.

[ajiuO]

Originally Posted by asies1981

Here are the five (really four because we already knew about one) sites the city proposes to develop affordable housing projects.

I’m all about tearing down sleazy motels on state an N. Temple. :-)

[ajiuO]

Originally Posted by Comrade

Just look at Holladay and the downtown center they were going to develop on the old Cottonwood Mall site.

The initial development plan from ten years ago:



The lot today is vacant after the demolition of the mall.

There have been plenty of false starts on the project. In 2014, the development was altered into this:





And the plan went dormant again. But earlier this year, Ivory Development showed interest in buying the land. There was buzz back in May, with the mayor even suggesting plans could be submitted to the city by that next week. Surprise, it's now October 19th, five months later, and there was no follow up on the process - definitely no new plans released about the site.

I believe the Cottonwood Mall site will be developed one day. But the vision presented back in 2008 is not going to happen.

As for the prison site getting the bid for Amazon - this is why Salt Lake doesn't deserve it. Well I shouldn't say Salt Lake. Utah. Our leaders locally are so visionless when it comes to these mega-developments that they handicap the state right from the get go. Why the hell would Amazon want to build an urban center in the heart of the suburban Wasatch Front? Same bullshit with the RSL stadium, which sits at an underdeveloped, unconnected area of State.

Oh well.

I think they should just leave the Cottonwood Mall site how it is right now, I like driving around there at night, it’s kind of creepy.

[Pencil]

Anything new?

[Utah_Dave]

Does anyone have info about the percentage of units sold at 99 West and General vacancy rates for apartments downtown?

[RC14]

Originally Posted by delts145

So, if they choose the prison site do you think Frank Gehry will design the skyline? J/K...For those of you who are familiar with a few years back on this forum, you will know what I'm referring to. Ha, it's a long shot, but maybe we'd get the Gehry style skyline after all. While we would all like to see it Downtown, the prison site does seem inevitable, if the Wasatch were to actually get the nod. I do think that Atlanta is probably the safer bet.

It would have been interesting to see what Frank Gehry came up with for that site.

[i-215]

Are you guys referencing that nut who claimed he was going to have Frank Gehry design "Utah's tallest building" on the site where the auto wrecking yard is by Adobe?

And that "construction is to start immediately."

...oh, and it was not only going to be Utah's tallest building, but a 5-star hotel.

[Utah_Dave]

Originally Posted by i-215

Are you guys referencing that nut who claimed he was going to have Frank Gehry design "Utah's tallest building" on the site where the auto wrecking yard is by Adobe?

And that "construction is to start immediately."

...oh, and it was not only going to be Utah's tallest building, but a 5-star hotel.

I'll say I'm not a fan of most of Gerhys work, however I can't say I'm familiar with all his projects. They probably fit better as a contrast to a large city but I definitely wouldn't want to see a vast area with his designs. Looking at a few of his projects got me to thinking that perhaps the COB could have an addition or make over of the base level to play off the tower portion of the building in terms of design. That could be a game changer for that rather bland building. i do like his designs when incorporated on a more modest scale.

Anyway

[Pencil]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[bob rulz]

I would love to see something like 8 Spruce Street in Salt Lake (on a smaller scale of course).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/8_Spruce_Street