Salt Lake MSA Development Thread

[Makid]

Overall, I don't think that people are against tall buildings outside of downtown SLC.

For instance, everyone loved the idea of the Market Station development in South Salt Lake. This is because of the planning in the area. There are multiple options for people in the area, transit and roads.

What I think is causing more of the issue is the idea of growth without planning.

I personally feel that West Valley City has a better chance to pull off multiple 20+ story buildings in the area between the bound between the E-Center to the north east and the WVC intermodal hub to the south west then Sandy does in the Prom. area. The area in WVC is going to be better for large scale developments due to the the access for BRT, LRT and freeway access.

[WeST]

Originally Posted by esirhgih

This discussion really seems to underscore the ideological divide between those on this forum who simply like tall buildings, and those that actually know things about urban planning and development.

This is typical of those who have expertise in a certain field or subject. It is to believe they have all the answers because they went to school and those who differ must just be uneducated knuckleheads. Some of the best ideas come from those who aren't "educated" in what establishments say should be.

[TonyAnderson]

What I am for, in the most general idea, is smart growth. Many suburbs were created strictly based on residential and lack adequate infrastructure and core for being a business and employment center. The spread and sprawl of tech parks, etc. throughout the area creates a lot of problems I think. Cities are pretty much corporations, and therefore work like one with the idea of getting more tax money from sales, property, etc. If anything, it would be nice if cities understood better their role in the overall community / area.

With that said, I'm not panicking over what's going on, but I would like to advocate smart growth and planning, including doing what logically is feasible and has a positive long-term goal.

[marcusb]

This is an interesting conversation going on. I would think that multiple dense population centers in an area is ideal. I am not familiar enough with Sandy to speak authoritavely about its infastrucutres capability to support a 20 story tower, or if they could sufficiently upgrade it with this development. I hope they can get there plans up to par with expectations, so that they can have a livable\walkable community with some density.

I also agree with what West said about those who aren't "educated". Superior ideas seem to come from when there are individuals with depth of understanding working with those that have a breadth of understanding.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by Orlando

As usual, it is Delts and Projects who don't understand this problem. This is suburban sprawl. Have you seen the huge office parks in the Jordan River bottom?

Yes I've seen the office park at the Jordan River since my wife works there. For those that don't know it's a business park that has a group of 3-6 story buildings. I was never a fan of that development.
Ok so you don't want a business park since it's suburban sprawl. That I agree with. But yet you don't want anything taller then five stories outside of downtown. so what is it then? So let me see if I got this right. No suburban sprawl? AND No suburban highrises. yea that doesn't make much sense. You can't have it both ways. It's one or the other.
Isn't building 20-story buildings less of a suburban sprawl then a business park? Infact I won't even call this suburban sprawl since it's all going to get develop on 5 acres of land. ( If that )
Again I would take the 20-story building vs another business park.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by esirhgih

This discussion really seems to underscore the ideological divide between those on this forum who simply like tall buildings, and those that actually know things about urban planning and development.

Somehow I feel like that comment was towards me. So just because there's some of us on here that are not going into "urban planning and development" that now makes us what?...stupid? And that we don't know what we are talking about? Give me a break. Everyone on this forum should be welcome regardless if they are urban planners or just like tall buildings. I myself do like tall buildings. That's how it all started with me. But since then I have also learned alot about urdan development. And sure I'm not going into urban planning and development I had learn alot of this forum along about the do's and don'ts of development.
People are going to look at issues in different ways. Just because they didn't go to school doesn't always mean they are wrong or looked down as being stupid.

[jedikermit]

I've loved this discussion & debate. It's made me think about why I do come around here, and where I stand on certain issues. I guess I'm probably one of the ones who came because of the tall buildings, but I'm becoming more educated about what smart urban planning is, and what might be bad for individual cities or regions.

Several people have said this already, but Sandy's infrastructure is already horrible. Driving on 90th or 106th South is a snarl, and State Street in that area is pretty bad too. Before 20 story buildings are built there, I'd hope that some of those issues would be addressed. What I don't like about what Sandy has already done between I-15 and State and 90th and 106th is that they've just plunked a lot of buildings down in seas of parking lots, with no connections, no "street level presence" that you were talking so much about, Delts. The City Hall, Rio Tinto Stadium (which I've been to, and begrudgingly liked, but is in a ridiculous location within Sandy), the various newer office towers...what they've already done seems random and without planning at all--why should we think that a shiny new 20 story building would be any different?

[UTPlanner]

I hope that I know a thing or two about urban planning, and I do live downtown and enjoy it and certainly want to see the city continue to grow and thrive. Now that being said, I do not believe that an office complex in South Jordan or "downtown Sandy" has a serious effect on downtown SLC.

I mentioned this a few weeks ago but a lot of companies do not want to be located in a downtown scenario. Why do you think areas like the Research Park or the Denver Tech Center in Denver do so well? There are many private companies that want to be out in the suburbs.

I have worked for several private firms in different cities across the country. The managers of the company wanted to be in the suburbs. I have actually never worked in a major CBD as an urban planner.

Look at White Plains, NY or Tysons Corner, VA they were built as alternatives to their much larger neighbors. I'm not arguing that most of them have huge urban design flaws but the idea that anything that occurs outside of the CBD is bad is a complete fallacy. Tysons Corner right now is learning from the mistakes of their past and are working to create a CBD for themselves that is positioned along a METRO line extension.

How can cities like Sandy improve their urban fabric without further future development? The city is far from a lost cause, I like to think it's a work in progress. Perhaps I'm too much of an optimist. I don't live in the suburbs, and I don't want to live in the suburbs but their leaders are and should be in control of the destiny of their communities. Rather than continually discounting everything that occurs in the suburbs as something that, "should have been downtown," I think we should discuss the assets SLC has and how they can be best promoted.

If SLC wants to become more dense and a greater city then it needs to work to attract the private industry dollars in conjunction with public investment that will to bring their ideas into fruition.

Now that is the longest post I've written in a long time. I probably should get back to work.

[ski_steve]

wrong thread

[delts145]

St. Regis Opens ~Another Five-Star Hotel in the mix for Metro Salt Lake City

Tony hostelry at Deer Valley opens with a touch of refinement

Hospitality » White-gloved butlers and sliced champagne bottles were present for opening of $320M St. Regis hotel.

By Mike Gorrell
The Salt Lake Tribune


A two-tiered swimming pool, with urns serving as waterfalls between the two levels, is one of the outdoor amenities offered at the St. Regis Deer Crest hotel in Deer Valley. Its grand opening ceremony was held Friday. (Rick Egan / The Salt Lake Tribune)

Park City » Befitting the luxury evident around every corner of the St. Regis Deer Crest Resort hotel, even the ribbon-cutting ceremony culminating Friday's grand opening had an upper-crust flair to it.
Two white-gloved butlers politely took their place in front of a dozen scissors-wielding dignitaries. Walking backward in opposite directions, they unrolled the ribbon from a scroll, revealing the hotel's coat-of-arms insignia imprinted on the material. Then, with a dozen quick snips almost drowned out in the applause of 150 invited guests, the $320 million hotel officially opened on the eve of Deer Valley's 2009-10 ski season opener.


The outdoor patio at the St. Regis Deer Crest hotel adjacent to Deer Valley features a fire garden that, each night, will burn brightly with the lights of Park City in the background. (Rick Egan / The Salt Lake Tribune)


Like all grand hotels, the St. Regis Deer Crest has an atmosphere-controlled wine vault in which connoisseurs may find something suitable to fit their tastes. (Rick Egan / The Salt Lake Tribune)


The exercise room at the St. Regis Deer Crest hotel looks out onto a ski slope at Deer Valley. Perched on a hill above Deer Valley's Snow Park Lodge, the St. Regis is reached by a funicular railway from the ski resort's parking lot. (Rick Egan / The Salt Lake Tribune)

Just for good measure, hotel General Manager Michael Hatzfeld capped the ceremony by stepping out onto a slope-side balcony and lopping the top off a champagne bottle with a dagger. He then began filling glasses for bubbly toasts to the second top-echelon, brand-name hotel to open in the Park City area this year. The Dakota Mountain Lodge, a Waldorf Astoria hotel in the Hilton chain, entered the market in July.

"Park City deserves something like this," said Kirsten Whetstone, a senior planner for the city who has monitored the project since its inception. "It's just beautiful."

Walk into the lobby and a large, square piece of glass art work magnifies and distorts the flames burning in a fireplace behind it. Head into the main ballroom and the eye turns quickly to elaborate chandeliers dangling from the high ceiling. Original artwork of all styles and persuasions adorns the walls.

The art alone "cost a small fortune," said Michael Zaccaro, of Falcon Investors LLC, the ownership group's representative overseeing the hotel built by Okland Construction and operated by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide.

Zaccaro was chosen for that role for one good reason -- he doesn't ski. That means he won't be distracted by a bluebird day to skip out on work for a few runs. The reward for that kind of nose-to-the-grindstone type of dedication, he said, is that the people who signed up to own the hotel's 27 private residences and 64 hotel-condominium suites "are pleased with how the hotel came out. We over-delivered on our promise."

As a result, "we will have a much larger percentage of our buyers closing on units over the next 45 days than projects of a similar nature," Zaccaro added. "That's quite reassuring, their level of confidence in this project."

Heaven knows, he acknowledged, the financial difficulties of the past couple of years provided ample reason for prospective buyers to reconsider. But supported by bankers who have been "better than great and honored all of their commitments in a very difficult time," Zaccaro added, the ownership group "has a strong financial base that will allow this hotel to weather the storm and to be successful long-term."

Those lucrative possibilities appealed to Utah government officials at the ceremony.

Lt. Gov. Greg Bell said he felt a sense of "awe and respect [in this] flawless, iconic mountain resort."

And Sen. John Valentine, R-Orem, said the hotel is as fine as he has seen in extensive travels in Europe and Asia.

"Deer Valley already has a reputation of excellence," he said. "What St. Regis does is raises that level of excellence."

To Valentine, the opening of this world-class hotel brand also reinforces the state's message that "Utah is an island of economic activity that is still growing. This facility just adds to that reputation and brings money into the state."

Renowned French chef hits Deer Valley


Dining » J&G Grill in St. Regis promises fresh, local ingredients.

By Kathy Stephenson
The Salt Lake Tribune


French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten in the kitchen of the St. Regis Hotel in Deer Valley. (Rick Egan / The Salt Lake Tribune)

Park City » Jean-Georges Vongerichten is one of the world's most respected and accomplished chefs, with dozens of award-winning restaurants from New York to Hawaii and Paris to Shanghai on his résumé.

But this formidable restaurateur says his "most spectacular" kitchen is the one inside the J&G Grill, his new eatery in Park City.

In New York and other metropolitan cities, "it costs so much for property that restaurants have to have little kitchens," the French-born chef said Friday. "This is probably the biggest kitchen I've worked in. It's unprecedented."

J&G Grill, located inside the new St. Regis Deer Crest Resort, actually has three cooking areas: an open exhibition kitchen that guests can see from the dining room, plus a behind-the-scenes kitchen that has several preparation areas and five different walk-in refrigerators. One level below, there is a small kitchen with a walk-up window where skiers can grab a quick lunch.

It also has a wine vault that can hold 4,600 bottles and will offer more than 900 different wine labels.

Another feature, exclusive to Vongerichten's Utah restaurant, is the massive communal dining table that seats 22 people. In all, the main dining room can seat more than 100 patrons.

Vongerichten's restaurant brings a new level of sophistication to Utah's dining scene. It will serve grilled meats, fish and even pizzas using fresh, local
ingredients and bold condiments with ingredients such as chiles and lemon grass -- ingredients for which Vongerichten is known.

Through his 25-plus years in the business, his restaurants have earned an unprecedented 20 stars from The New York Times , six Michelin stars and three awards from the prestigious James Beard Foundation.

Vongerichten said the Utah restaurant combines two of his passions: food and skiing. He first put on a pair of skis when he was 4; it has remained a lifelong hobby. However, he has been so busy with the new restaurant he has yet to ski the Deer Valley slopes. He plans to do that soon.

Utah diners can expect to see Vongerichten regularly. And not just during the winter months. He plans to forage for watercress and other wild things in the nearby mountains in the spring and summer.

"It's like having a nice car," he said. "You want to drive it a lot."

.

[delts145]

St. Regis Deer Crest cuts ribbon

Management calls it one of the most 'grand' of the luxury brand


State dignitaries flanked by owners and partners in the St. Regis Deer Crest stand together to cut the ribbon and officially open the hotel on Friday. Photo by Grayson West/Park Record

by Andrew Kirk of the Park Record Staff

One of the most anticipated moments of the winter occurred Friday morning when the ribbon was cut on the St. Regis Deer Crest hotel ushering in a new era in which Park City is expected to have a higher profile and greater exposure among the most wealthy vacationers from the Northeast.
Michael Zaccaro, managing partner of the ownership group Deer Crest Janna, said the vision for an internationally-recognized, five-star-brand hotel was inspired by the site itself.

Perched above and to the east of the base of Deer Valley Resort, the site is adjacent to one of the ski runs in the private community of Deer Crest. From below the site can only be seen from a particular angle near the south tip of Jordanelle Reservoir.

With ski-in, ski-out access, incredible views of the Wasatch Back, situated in one of Park City's most upscale communities adjacent to a resort repeatedly voted No. 1 in America by affluent skiers, something like a St. Regis was the only thing deserving of the site, Zaccaro explained Thursday.

The ownership group in conjunction with the developers, Stan Castleton and DDRM, chose Starwood Hotels' St. Regis brand because of the large and loyal following it has among elite travelers especially those in the Northeast.

General Manager Michael Hatzfeld said St. Regis is excited to be in Park City because being at the best addresses in the best destinations is core to its values. Deer Crest and Deer Valley is one of those addresses and Park City is one of those destinations.

The St. Regis in Aspen, Colo. has been "an iconic ski destination" for the company, but it isn't ski-in, ski-out.

Furthermore, the summer activities in Park City are superior to those in Aspen, he said.

"It's not just a focus on the three or four months of ski season, but the summer months can bring Fortune 500 companies to these destinations," he said.

So as not to overload Deer Crest with traffic, most guests and visitors are brought to the hotel by a funicular starting near the Deer Valley parking lot.

A gondola just wouldn't have done, Zaccaro said. The smooth, roomy and unique experience the funicular ride provides is the perfect introduction to the hotel. It was a focal point in the planning process, he said.

"It's not that much different than an elevator but far more spectacular," he said.

It is the first commercial funicular in the United States, holds 15 people plus luggage and is a 90 second ride that is touted as energy efficient. The views are expansive as well.

"Nothing else has the same impact," he said.

Zaccaro said the condominium-hotel industry was "given a black eye" by the start of the recession, but said the financial structure of the hotel is incredibly sound. The committed buyers are closing at a rate that has soothed fears, he explained.

At the ribbon cutting, Hatzfeld and Starwood senior vice president of operations Carla Murray both said they had been general managers at the Aspen location and both agreed St. Regis Deer Crest was "a little grander."

"This is by far the most spectacular and interesting (St. Regis) I've had the privilege to run in my career," Hatzfeld said.

"Count on us," Murray said during her remarks. "We plan to be an active member of this community."

Lt. Gov. Greg Bell addressed the crowd at Friday's ceremony and said he considered the hotel to be one of the country's most amazing structures. Conceptually, legally, financially and structurally it is a "remarkable" feat, he said, and called its completion despite the recession "miraculous."

As the hotel and its three competitors (Dakota Mountain Lodge, Stein Eriksen Lodge and The Montage) create more world-class amenities it will garner greater world-wide recognition, Zaccaro said adding, all four hotels are "looking forward to working with each other."

[delts145]

2009/2010 - Utah Ski Resorts Unveil New Improvements

In a time when consumers demand value and convenience, Utah's 13 ski resorts consistently offer unparalleled access, quality and bountiful amounts of The Greatest Snow on Earth. Salt Lake City International Airport was recently ranked number one in the nation for having the most on-time flights according to data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Salt Lake International is located within an hour drive of 11 of the state's ski and snowboard resorts enabling many visitors to maximize their time by skiing the same day they arrive.

In an effort to boost tourism and better serve visitors, Utah legislators made the most significant change to the state's liquor laws in 40 years. Utah bars are now open to the general public and the state's previous private club system, which requried customers to fill out an application and pay a fee for the right to enter a bar, has been eliminated. The state's resorts have celebrated the change by sprucing up their amenities, products and services for the 2009-10 winter season. Snow is just around the corner and Utah's resorts

Park Record


This was also kind of a cool little article below that we might have missed on the forum. Hey, if nothing else I'm going to grab some friends and get a free ride on the funicular. We'll check out the Hotel and grab a piece of pie/cake at this new soon-to-be five-star restaurant. Probably a piece of pie will be all the Christmas buget can afford, but the funicular ride and seeing the hotel first hand will be a blast.



.

[i-215]

I wish 'em the best. It's tough to operate anything "5-star" in this economy.

But, I suppose bailed out execs still need to ski, though.

[delts145]

Holladay upholds plans for village center

Community » Developer says he's willing to modify proposal to suit critics.

by Rosemary Winters
The Salt Lake Tribune

Proposed architectural perspective of the Holladay Village STARTING SPRING 2010

cityofholladay.com


Holladay » Plans to transform the long vacant Video Vern's property into a quaint village center in the heart of Holladay are moving ahead.

On Thursday, the Holladay City Council upheld the Planning Commission's approval of conceptual plans for the site, denying an appeal filed by neighboring residents.

"I don't know that we should let our desire for what is perfect destroy our ability to get what is very good," Councilman Lynn Pace said before voting against the appeal. "This project is very good for the city of Holladay."

Developer Cowboy Partners aims to start construction this spring on the $15 million project, which features three, 3-story buildings on the nearly two-acre site. Two buildings that line Holladay Boulevard and Murray-Holladay Road would have ground-level shops and restaurants topped by apartments...



As soon as summer 2011, diners could be eating outdoors next to a public plaza the city plans to build on a recently abandoned portion of Holladay Boulevard. A third building on Laney Avenue would have street-level offices -- a concession made Thursday to the residents who appealed -- below two stories of apartments.

Some neighbors worried the project has too many apartments, too little commercial space and not enough parking stalls.

"This should be the Holladay Village Center -- not the Holladay Village Apartment Complex," reads the appeal filed by Clark and Holley Richards, Debbie and Sal Petilos and Robin Hough.

Dan Lofgren, principal of Cowboy Partners, said Thursday he could reduce the number of apartments from 80 to 75 by adding professional office space on the first floor of the Laney Avenue building and by converting some two-bedroom units to one-bedroom rentals.

"It is our most fond desire to also do what is right for the city and do what is right for [the next] 50 years" by building a project that works, Lofgren told the council.

Councilman Barry Topham, citing concerns about the height of the buildings and density of the apartments, was the lone dissenter in the council's 5-1 vote.

Pace said the three-story buildings are necessary to create a sense of "center" and "energy" in Holladay's downtown.

[shakman]

I strongly believe once this project is complete, Holladay residents will want more of the same. I am saying this based off of similar scenarios across the US.

Just curious to know what Holladay residents on this forum think about what I said above.

[Future Mayor]

I'm not a Holladay resident but I love the project. I think I said it before but I'll repeat it. The only way to make it truly feel like a town center is to have residents that live in the town center, that frequent the shops, not because it's the cool place to be but because it's their neighborhood. People that don't have to drive there to visit the stores. Making everyone drive there makes it a destination or a place to go, not a true gathering place. IMO

Good job council Gee Topham was the dissenting vote, who would have guessed? lol

[SLC Projects]

I can't believe people are getting so worked up over three-story buildings. Three stories isn't even that tall. There's apartment and office buildings in Holladay that are just as tall if not taller.
I think the village center is a great idea for the area.

[delts145]

Sandy making new plans for Proscenium land

By Rebecca Palmer
Deseret News - Friday, Dec. 11, 2009 3:27 p.m.


SANDY — With plans for the Proscenium Broadway-style theater scrapped and developer Scott McQuarrie withdrawing from the project, Sandy officials have gone back to the drawing board over what should be built on about 10 vacant acres just south of City Hall.

Sandy leaders have also agreed to pursue a development on some of the property with Russell Platt, who had been the original architect for the towering Proscenium structures. More information about the first buildings will be made public in January. Platt and the city currently have a nondisclosure agreement in place regarding that development.

So far, 40-story buildings are still allowed in the area, but everything could change, said Sandy economic development director Randy Sant. The master plan could be finished by next spring.

"It's a wonderful location," Platt said, "and having Sandy ask me to come in and do a study to create a downtown area would be any architect's dream."

Platt said the plan will call for a mix of uses such as housing and office space. He also wants an anchor, such as the Broadway-style theater, but doesn't yet know what it will be.

Platt and a team of traffic engineers and civic planners have been hired to help with the master plan, Duerkson said. Platt submitted the only response to a city request for qualifications published in early November.

Sandy purchased about 7 acres of the property from the bank earlier this year while the land was under foreclosure proceedings, said city spokeswoman Trina Duerkson. The $5.2 million price tag was paid from the city property acquisition budget. Under McQuarrie, the property was appraised at $8.7 million in 2008.

Sandy is also looking to purchase 3 acres adjacent to the Proscenium property. Negotiations, which may not include money exchange, are expected to wrap up within 60 days, Duerkson said.

Ultimately, the city hopes to sell the property. The municipality also expects to receive tax-increment funds from the completed project.

The deal has City Council Chairman Bryant Anderson looking for a high return on the investment.

"From a development point of view, it looks like a pretty good move," Anderson said.

McQuarrie could not be reached for comment.

..

[Orlando]

I knew McQuarrie didn't know what he was doing. You would have to be pretty naieve to believe that a small and unknown developer from Utah County would actually be able to develop anything remotely close to the scale he was proposing. I think it's neat that he dreams big, but c'mon 40 story towers in Sandy???? .

Even the Market Station development is a little unbelievable. Once again, it's a small-time developer trying to pull-off something huge. It is possibly equivalent to the Pearl District in Portland. But, this was started in steps, and was done by a savvy group of developers, which are now doing large, urban-ecofriendly, portland-like residential/mixed-use in Los Angeles and the northwest. Though Market Stations developers aren't as savvy, at least they had a much more reasonable and interesting development proposal in a much better location.

I think the new Sugarhouse redaptation of existing structures development is one that I am very anxious to see happen. Sugarhouse is one of the coolest areas in Salt Lake, and has a lot of potential, especially if it connects with a future Market Station. This area could potentially be the equivalent of Portland's Pearl District.

[WeST]

For those on this forum who constantly harp on cities like Sandy and Draper for building without enough infrastructure to support the traffic, I am shocked that those same folks aren't questioning whether developments like the Holladay project with likewise strain current capacity.