Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[Reeder113]

Originally Posted by RC14

EV trucks will come. Right now, the only real downside to an EV vehicle vs ICE is the time it takes to charge and for most people, that can be avoided by simply plugging the vehicle in at night. As technology continues to improve, the advantages will become too obvious to ignore.

Agreed. Most people plug in overnight and rarely supercharge unless it's on a road trip.

The other thing is range. EV's (especially trucks for towing) need to figure out how to get up into the 500 or 600 mile range.

But most things about EV's are already much better/more advanced than ICE vehicles.

[Paniolo Man]

The West Office Building is coming down:

[MountainSkyline]

I'm really curious about the the LDS churches plans for its blocks in downtown.

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by MountainSkyline

I'm really curious about the the LDS churches plans for its blocks in downtown.

Parking and more parking.

[RC14]

Originally Posted by Comrade

Parking and more parking.

I don’t think that's the long term plan... I hope.

[Paniolo Man]

The video is a couple months old, but Building 521, the School of Medicine at the U has been entirely torn down.

• Video Link

[meman]

Yea, I hope these buildings being torn down dont just become another ugly, weed-filled vacant lot, like a lot of parcels downtown, like the ugly hole where the Carleton Hotel once stood. Why the hell was the Carleton Hotel torn down if nothing was planned to go in its place? Also the holes where the Main Street Apartments were supposed to go and the empty hole where the old yardstick building was. I really hope the LDS Church has nice plans for the lot where Utah Woolen Milsl stood for many many years. What was wrong with that building that they needed to tear it down??? Its very frustrating how this city loves to tear down buildings but then put nothing in their place except an ugly empty hole

[Paniolo Man]

Northwest corner of 600 S and 300 E:

[delts145]

Thanks for the Gables photo update Paniolo Man. Kier doesn't seem to update their website nearly as often as in the past.

I was wondering if you knew if this construction photo that you took recently was a part of the CW Urban's 'Iris' development? I noticed on Google Maps(August), there was a lot of activity on this block around this photo, and it all seems to be centered around Modera or CW's 400 North 'The Iris'. Unless someone corrects me I'm just going to label it as part of The Iris over on the Comp. Thread.

~433 West 400 N:

On further digging it looks like I have an answer to my question. This rendering of The Iris at KSL.com lines up perfectly with your photo.

https://homes.ksl.com/community/cole-west-theiris

[i-215]

If the LDS Church builds out their entire "Disneyland" vision, it would be really wild for downtown. Probably in a good way.

The trouble is, it's just a vision. And seeing how long the block between 200 W and 300 W has sat as just a parking lot, I'm concerned to hear that the Howard Johnson hotel building and West Office building will also turn into parking.

They are grossly over-estimating the public demand for the Salt Lake Temple Open House. And really, should be leaning into telling visitors to arrive via TRAX train.

But leadership changes. And I'm horrified to think if they build the Conference Center today, if today's leaders would've felt obligated to build a massive parking structure for accommodate 100% parking for all those who attend General Conference (vs. Hinckley, who told people to take the train).

[Paniolo Man]

If more parking is the goal, I find it curious to tear down the Plaza Hotel parking garage. It is not structurally integrated with the hotel, which could still be torn down. I don't have an exact measurement, but I feel like the 4-story parking structure has more spots than the whole complex as a surface lot. Not to mention the entire city block of parking one block west, the sudden haste to turn any noncritical structure into a surface parking lot is bizarre.

That parking garage is bigger than it appears from the street, demolition must result in a net loss of parking...

[RC14]

Originally Posted by Paniolo Man

If more parking is the goal, I find it curious to tear down the Plaza Hotel parking garage. It is not structurally integrated with the hotel, which could still be torn down. I don't have an exact measurement, but I feel like the 4-story parking structure has more spots than the whole complex as a surface lot. Not to mention the entire city block of parking one block west, the sudden haste to turn any noncritical structure into a surface parking lot is bizarre.

That parking garage is bigger than it appears from the street, demolition must result in a net loss of parking...]

You make a good point. My hunch is that the church has plans that they want to get to work on after the Salt Lake Temple Dedication.

With the Olympics aproaching and the SEG entertainment district going up across the street, the church my see some urgency to improve the area around the temple.
But that could be just wishful thinking on my part.

[MountainSkyline]

Originally Posted by RC14

You make a good point. My hunch is that the church has plans that they want to get to work on after the Salt Lake Temple Dedication.

With the Olympics aproaching and the SEG entertainment district going up across the street, the church my see some urgency to improve the area around the temple.
But that could be just wishful thinking on my part.

I am thinking the same thing.

[delts145]

What Major Salt Lake City's MSA/CSA Rare Earth Minerals Discovery Portends For Salt Lake City's Upcoming Development

“This confirmation is a watershed moment for American resource independence,” Andre Zeitoun, CEO and founder of Ionic MIT, noted...the deposit represents a rare opportunity to produce a wide spectrum of critical minerals within the US, using a faster and cleaner extraction process than traditional hard-rock mining.

“With our mining permits and processing facility in place, we can now move rapidly to production, reducing a key strategic vulnerability for the United States,” he continued. - https://interestingengineering.com/e...it-utah-desert

Yahoo Finance - "Independent assays from ALS Chemex, confirm the deposit as a halloysite-hosted ion-adsorption clay (IAC) – the same geological formation that supplies approximately 35-40% of China's total rare earth production and over 70% of the world’s heavy rare earth elements."

https://interestingengineering.com/e...it-utah-desert

AI Overview
- A major Utah rare earth discovery could trigger a tech/clean energy boom in the SLC area, sparking growth in high-tech manufacturing (AI, defense, EVs), logistics, R&D (University of Utah collaboration), specialized processing facilities (like Ionic MT's Provo site), and skilled job creation, transforming Utah into the key U.S. domestic supply chain hub for next-gen tech, boosting local economies, and attracting investment in energy innovation.

Key Development Areas:
- Technology & Manufacturing Hubs:

- AI & Semiconductors: Rare earths are crucial for AI chips, spurring growth in tech companies.

- Electric Vehicles & Batteries: Increased lithium and rare earth production supports EV manufacturing and battery tech.

- Aerospace & Defense: Minerals like scandium are vital for jets and defense systems, attracting related industries.

- Infrastructure & Processing:
Processing Facilities: Companies like Ionic MT already have facilities (Provo), but more processing plants for refining, separation, and magnet production will be needed.

- Logistics & Supply Chain: Enhanced transportation, warehousing, and supply chain management services will boom.

- Research & Development:
University & Corporate Partnerships: The University of Utah and local tech firms will likely collaborate on R&D for extraction and new applications, creating high-skill jobs.

- Economic & Workforce Growth:
Job Creation: Hundreds of jobs in mining, processing, engineering, tech, and logistics.

- Investment Magnet: Attracting significant federal and private investment, solidifying Utah's role in clean energy.


Why the SLC Metro Area

- Proximity: Key mining sites are close to the SLC metro area.

- Existing Infrastructure: A growing tech sector, universities, and supportive state government (Operation Gigawatt initiative).

- Talent Pool: Access to a skilled workforce from local universities.
This discovery positions Utah, and by extension the SLC metro, to become a powerhouse in the global transition to green energy and advanced technology, reducing reliance on foreign sources like China.


The Salt Lake Tribune - Why a new mineral find near Utah Lake is drawing national attention - https://www.sltrib.com/news/environm...-could-reduce/

The Daily Mail - Incredible surprise discovery under sands of Utah desert that could give US military huge edge over China - https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ary-china.html

The Wall Street Journal - Trove of Critical Minerals Uncovered in the Utah Desert - https://www.wsj.com/articles/trove-o...83Ckw3uA%3D%3D

Yahoo Finance - Ionic Mineral Technologies Announces Major U.S. Discovery of Rare Earth and Critical Technology Metals at Utah’s Silicon Ridge - https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ionic...140000061.html

MSN/The Washington Examiner - Ionic MT discovers trove of critical minerals in Utah - https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/io...ah/ar-AA1SaoRu

[Boz]

Drill, baby! Drill!

This is great news.

[Paniolo Man]

Don't hold your breath on this one, but the University of Utah is moving forward with an expansion to the main University Hospital. The render shown in these slides is only a concept from the feasibility study, not a final design.

[Paniolo Man]

Here's progress on the expansion of the Doppelmayr facility as of today:

[Makid]

The plans for the LDS Church holdings long North Temple have changed from the original leaked design. You can view the design here as well as some information about it from the SL Tribune.

Since this was released, multiple things have happened that have changed the overall plan.

The biggest issue was the potential demolition of the old Hotel Utah (Joseph Smith Memorial Building). Then there is/was the creation of the Entertainment and Convention District. And then there is the West High relocation to the east side of 3rd West.

I have heard that the current Administration block (LDS Church Offices) would not be changing from its current state, meaning no buildings would be demolished on the block.

The block west of Temple Square though will end up being razed entirely during the next phase, additionally the plan is for West Temple and 2nd West (between South Temple and North Temple) to be bought by the Church and incorporated into their plans similar to what was done with Main Street.

I am not sure what is planned for the Devereaux Mansion, but the Triad buildings will be razed, likely the 3rd Phase. KSL will get a new broadcast center, likely during Phase 2. Ensign College will likely be relocated downtown.

The plans have changed a few times in the last couple of years and I do expect them to change again until the next phase is announced.

I don't think we will see much construction happening directly adjacent to Temple Square until after the temple open house ends in October of 2027. This means that the Deseret Book/Utah Woolen Mills building will likely be replaced with a mini park of some sort during the open house.

I don't think we will hear about the next phase of the LDS Church plans until the April 2027 General Conference. This would allow for the plans to go through the public review processes with the City for construction to start in 2028.

The PRI/CCR developments may start to move forward again next year, I don't know of any direct timeline for them.

[ajiuO]

Originally Posted by joscar

According to a building permit, the old Deseret First Credit Union HQ building is being replaced with the "Seasons at Capitol Hill," a five-story, 101 unit apartment building.

Interesting. I had a north temple facing apartment at the seasons on city creek on the top floor. I lived there for about 10 years and loved living there. The view were great and I miss it. I ultimately decided to buy my grandma’s house from her located in the 1990s part of Rose Park… I was super hesitant, but decided it would be a good idea because of all the redevelopment in the area. I really miss living downtown, but I’m still really close to downtown and this area just keeps getting better and better and the property value has increased significantly since my purchase. I kind of think the west side of Salt Lake will have an entirely different reputation 10 years from now… but until then it really hasn’t been so bad.

[ajiuO]

Does anybody know specifically where in the power district the new Rocky Mountain power building is going?

Based on the renderings I’m pretty sure it’s on South Temple… and I’m guessing 1460 W. On the north-east corner… But it’s hard to tell for sure and I can’t find an actual address anywhere. I drive down North Temple lot, but don’t really notice any construction in that area.