Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[taboubak]

Originally Posted by Ironweed

Doesn't appear that the link works. Just tried.

Sorry attaching things is tricky if you Google Western States Water Replenishment Program it pops up first

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by Makid

After reading the article, I do think that they were meaning office demand regarding Tech. While there has been some demand for Tech office space downtown, it is still minor compared to the demand around the Point of the Mountain.
...

Are you sure? It's been a few years since the Silicon Slopes website had a map, but when they did, the map showed every tech company and how many employees they had. SLC at the time had more tech employees than the Lehi area.

[Makid]

Originally Posted by Stenar

Are you sure? It's been a few years since the Silicon Slopes website had a map, but when they did, the map showed every tech company and how many employees they had. SLC at the time had more tech employees than the Lehi area.

Even today, SLC has more tech workers than Lehi. The issue though is in growth currently. Many Tech companies have wanted to expand in SLC but were unable to, either due to limitations from the current zoning, or a lack of space.

The zoning issue is being tackled by the city and will hopefully be in place by the end of the year. The increased heights will allow more established companies the ability to build taller, to their needed space, plus room to expand.

The lack of space issue has plagued SLC off and on for a while. A new, but growing tech company, doesn't generally have the capital to finance a new building. The occupancy rate for downtown SLC over the last decade has been pushing 90%. This is good and can show the need for more space but for the growing tech company, this is also a negative in that they generally need the space quickly, so they can't wait for the new building. It also is complicated due to the open space being across multiple buildings. This would lead to multiple lease agreements as well as being an issue for the infrastructure of the company. It is also an issue for company wide, in person, meetings as the company could be spread across multiple buildings, many blocks apart.

Now, with the recent commercial space that has been built in downtown, this can help some tech companies to move and expand in the new space. This will allow others to expand into the now vacant space.

I will correct my previous statement regarding demand for tech space downtown. It however is overshadowed by the induced demand of the Point of the Mountain area. In the same way that additional roadway capacity increases traffic, the large amount of vacant office space between Sandy and American Fork pulls the growing tech companies in. This growth, feeds itself via induced demand. It is still cheaper to build 5 and 6 story offices at the PoM area than a similar sized building in downtown.

This is changing and will continue to change. With rising interest rates, it will be harder for developers to build spec projects, especially in areas that have limited transit options. Gas prices increasing, and the very possibility of free transit will push more and more office growth downtown.

I do think that we will see more established tech companies move their offices towards transit rich areas. Even if they semi-recently moved to the Sandy-American Fork area. This process will be slow at first but this move will open up space in the currently occupied buildings. The PoM area may end up being an incubator of sorts for some younger tech companies while they wait for possible more space to grow in the transit rich areas.

I do think that once the new tech home/office lifestyle is finalized over the next 2 or 4 years, we will see more commercial buildings proposed for downtown again. There are a few projects that are being worked on that will help to accelerate future growth downtown, be it Tech, Finance, or Bio-Tech. One of the bigger ones will be the Innovation Zone from the U.

This all together is a long winded way to say that downtown SLC is at a cross roads and is soon to reap the benefits from the planning and infrastructure that it has been building over the last 30 years.

[zurich]

Originally Posted by taboubak

Sorry attaching things is tricky if you Google Western States Water Replenishment Program it pops up first

Thank you for providing... this site is full of great information. The website is wswrp.com. Regarding the Salt Lake, it mentioned the pipeline from the Pacific could be completed in as little as 9-months, using 75 contractors each responsible for a 10 mile section. We used to be a country with big dreams and I hope we can make this happen ASAP.

[taboubak]

Originally Posted by zurich

Thank you for providing... this site is full of great information. The website is wswrp.com. Regarding the Salt Lake, it mentioned the pipeline from the Pacific could be completed in as little as 9-months, using 75 contractors each responsible for a 10 mile section. We used to be a country with big dreams and I hope we can make this happen ASAP.

It truly is an amazing plan that may be quickly becoming essential. They also state that if filling the lake proves to be successful, they would create a second lake just as big as the Great Salt Lake South of 1-80 near Wendover. Imagine all of the lake effect moisture these lakes could provide to our snowpack and reservoirs in the Watach and Uinta Basin. Not to mention the recreational and economic opportunities that may come with beautiful desert beaches.

[bob rulz]

Originally Posted by zurich

Not sure what that has to do with this "skyscraper forum," and Salt Lake Development, but whatever.

mattreedah is the one who brought up how he thinks his generation (same as mine) isn't optimistic enough. I know he mentioned housing prices specifically, but all of these things contribute to the general despair and pessimism that this generation is experiencing. We are experiencing a concerted and intentional effort to roll back the fundamental rights that we have spent decades fighting for, while simultaneously being unable to afford healthcare, education, or housing. We are being strangled and choked off from the top and things are not improving.

So my point in my response was that we haven't been given a whole lot to be optimistic for.

You're right, it doesn't have anything to do with Salt Lake development, but if this country keeps going in the direction it's going, skyscrapers and development just won't seem that important anymore.

Originally Posted by allh

https://www.buildingsaltlake.com/june-ro...ark-office-conversion-downtown-and-more/

Glad the Avenues NIMBYs lost, even if ultimately it is just more (ugly) single-family homes.

I'm excited to see what Kensington has planned for the Burt Brothers site. Towers across 300 South from each other would be awesome to see.

Some good infill happening in the Ballpark neighborhood too, keep that up!

[TheGeographer]

Originally Posted by zurich

Thank you for providing... this site is full of great information. The website is wswrp.com. Regarding the Salt Lake, it mentioned the pipeline from the Pacific could be completed in as little as 9-months, using 75 contractors each responsible for a 10 mile section. We used to be a country with big dreams and I hope we can make this happen ASAP.

9 months to build a pipeline sounds like a “pipe” dream. Would love for it to happen but there’s a lot of property owners between the GSL and the Pacific Ocean that would need to sign off on this. Seems like a logistical and litigation nightmare. In my opinion our best bet is to work towards internal solutions that are in our control. We should start by not farming water wasting alfalfa and subsidize our farmers to grow more water efficient crops so they don’t go under financially.

[taboubak]

Originally Posted by TheGeographer

9 months to build a pipeline sounds like a “pipe” dream. Would love for it to happen but there’s a lot of property owners between the GSL and the Pacific Ocean that would need to sign off on this. Seems like a logistical and litigation nightmare. In my opinion our best bet is to work towards internal solutions that are in our control. We should start by not farming water wasting alfalfa and subsidize our farmers to grow more water efficient crops so they don’t go under financially.

The time frame is optimistic for sure given the logistical hurdles of the plan, but I am just not sure having farmers grow more water efficient crops is going to help us at this point. The lake may too far gone for water conservation alone, the precipitation just isn't falling anymore.

[SaltCityScrapers]

Is Domain (4th South West Temple) tower still a "go"?
I drove by last night and all the equipment was gone. No activity at all.

[TheGeographer]

Originally Posted by taboubak

The time frame is optimistic for sure given the logistical hurdles of the plan, but I am just not sure having farmers grow more water efficient crops is going to help us at this point. The lake may too far gone for water conservation alone, the precipitation just isn't falling anymore.

You are right, with rising temps, higher evaporation rates and less precipitation the GSL has suffered and continues to. Just thinking of alternative solutions if the pipeline doesn’t pan out. This all may seem off topic to some and it probably is, but the GSL does play a big role in SLC continuing to be a place people want to live with directly impacts development

[Marvland]

Sorry to burst any bubbles but the pipeline is not going to happen. Ever. Period. Frankly it would be its own style of ecological disaster. Ever heard of invasive species? Or the destruction of existing species? It's got to be the stupidest idea I've ever heard. The solution is water conservation. The legislatures move last year to add secondary water metering and create a fungible water market for preservation of water was a massive step that nobody's talking about. And also it is not nearly enough. I'm all for finding solutions but a great first step would be to make the Great Salt Lake a national park so it's actually required to keep water in it. Haven't heard that proposed by anybody really.

[TheGeographer]

Originally Posted by Marvland

Sorry to burst any bubbles but the pipeline is not going to happen. Ever. Period. Frankly it would be its own style of ecological disaster. Ever heard of invasive species? Or the destruction of existing species? It's got to be the stupidest idea I've ever heard. The solution is water conservation. The legislatures move last year to add secondary water metering and create a fungible water market for preservation of water was a massive step that nobody's talking about. And also it is not nearly enough. I'm all for finding solutions but a great first step would be to make the Great Salt Lake a national park so it's actually required to keep water in it. Haven't heard that proposed by anybody really.

I can’t speak for others but personally I know a lot about environmental issues and could chat for hours about them. The last time I talked about environmental issues and the impacts of those on this forum I had my posts deleted so I won’t indulge any more. I will say the future of the GLS is critical to SLC. Maybe we should have a separate thread like the theatre thread to discuss more since this main thread is focused on development projects.

[taboubak]

Originally Posted by Marvland

Sorry to burst any bubbles but the pipeline is not going to happen. Ever. Period. Frankly it would be its own style of ecological disaster. Ever heard of invasive species? Or the destruction of existing species? It's got to be the stupidest idea I've ever heard. The solution is water conservation. The legislatures move last year to add secondary water metering and create a fungible water market for preservation of water was a massive step that nobody's talking about. And also it is not nearly enough. I'm all for finding solutions but a great first step would be to make the Great Salt Lake a national park so it's actually required to keep water in it. Haven't heard that proposed by anybody really.

What existing species brine shrimp? The plan attached addressed that pretty well and the lake isnt exactly teeming with life. Plus the birds aren't going to stop at giant dust bowl. Whether it's in the GSL or anywhere else creating desert lakes to introduce water to athe cycle is a a simple yet effective solution. We are more than capable accomplishing the feat its just a matter of support at this point. I just here so many people calling it a stupid idea and I honestly just do not understand why. The alternative to not doing enough is very very bad.

[Boz]

Originally Posted by bob rulz

blah blah blah...

So my point in my response was that we haven't been given a whole lot to be optimistic for.

Speak for yourself.

Go cry about that somewhere else.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by TheGeographer

I can’t speak for others but personally, I know a lot about environmental issues and could chat for hours about them. The last time I talked about environmental issues and the impacts of those on this forum I had my posts deleted so I won’t indulge anymore. I will say the future of the GLS is critical to SLC. Maybe we should have a separate thread like the theatre thread to discuss more since this main thread is focused on development projects.

I think that most of us would agree with you Geographer about creating a thread to discuss this issue, including the Colorado and Idaho forums. This is a development challenge of an incredibly critical nature and it affects the entire West. Not only are we dealing with the Great Salt Lake but the Colorado River is in a dire situation, which is going to have a disastrous effect on the entire Southwest if the drought cycles continue. Whether it's California, Nevada, Arizona, etc. are all facing a catastrophe if the Colorado River is not augmented through various means that we should be discussing on this forum.

Mother Earth's climate has changed often throughout history, and it would appear that she is changing again. We need to be prepared for that change.

Whoever creates the thread this is a forum-wide issue, not just Utah and the title should reflect that. Something like: Water Development Issues Of The Mountain West

.

[bob rulz]

Originally Posted by Boz

Speak for yourself.

Go cry about that somewhere else.

I'm sorry that you care more about the rights of a clump of cells than you do about actual living, breathing humans. I hope you realize that women are going to die. So I'm staying right here thank you, and I'm not going to shut up about it. Maybe it's you that should go somewhere else if your feelings are getting hurt.

Originally Posted by Reeder113

We built a pipeline that transfers oil from Texas to the East Coast, so I'm sure we can pipe in water......both fresh water AND sea water, if needed.

Oil makes money, water doesn't, so I don't think it's going to happen.

[Boz]

Originally Posted by bob rulz

I'm sorry that you care more about the rights of a clump of cells than you do about actual living, breathing humans. I hope you realize that women are going to die. So I'm staying right here thank you, and I'm not going to shut up about it. Maybe it's you that should go somewhere else if your feelings are getting hurt.

You're the one with your feelings hurt. Nobody comes here to read the crap you're posting about. Go somewhere else with your garbage. You are deranged to actually think you know what I believe. That's why you need to stop vomiting your own beliefs on this platform. Like I said, go somewhere else if you want to read about politics of that nature.

[bob rulz]

Originally Posted by Boz

You're the one with your feelings hurt. Nobody comes here to read the crap you're posting about. Go somewhere else with your garbage. You are deranged to actually think you know what I believe. That's why you need to stop vomiting your own beliefs on this platform. Like I said, go somewhere else if you want to read about politics of that nature.

Your location literally says "pro life" lol. But you're right, I'll shut up about it here. Not worth my energy arguing with conservatives anyway.

[Boz]

Originally Posted by bob rulz

Your location literally says "pro life" lol. But you're right, I'll shut up about it here. Not worth my energy arguing with conservatives anyway.

Deal with my location, and yeah, stop arguing with people about your personal beliefs that have absolutely nothing to do with the topics on our forum.

I didn't want to derail the thread, but you already had. Now please stop.

[bob rulz]

I can deal with your location. I just hope you can deal with the thousands of women that will die because of this decision, and the many more thousands of unwanted children that will be born into abusive households.

Your insistence on telling me to stop makes me want to keep it up, but easier to just put you on ignore, so I'm just going to do that now. I'm sure you'll be just as relieved as I will be.