St.George Metro:Official Development News Thread - Page 30

delts145 · #**581** Posted **Apr 1, 2018, 10:18 PM**

Census: St. George is fastest-growing metro area in the U.S.

... "The speed of the growth, and especially its makeup, is raising more than a few eyebrows among state demographers, said Pam Perlich, director of demographic research at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. According to the estimates, people moving into the state overwhelmingly made up the 6,200 or so new residents. Eighty-six percent came from net migration — a startling figure given that most places in Utah see the bulk of new growth coming from "natural" growth, or more people being born than dying"...

(Photo: Chris Caldwell / The Spectrum & Daily News)

David DeMille, The Spectrum - https://www.thespectrum.com/story/ne...u-s/446901002/

The St. George metro area is the fastest-growing in the U.S., according to new estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

There were an estimated 165,662 people in 2017 in the designated metro area, which includes most of Washington County, up 4 percent from 2016, according to estimates released Thursday.

The news may come as little surprise to residents used to traversing the constant road construction; looking up at new homes, new stores and other construction projects; and watching as housing developments expand away from the city centers and into the surrounding desert...

Construction crews continue building homes in the Ledges Wednesday, July 26, 2017. Local governments and city planners discuss the projected increase in population and the potential impacts on the area.
(Photo: Chris Caldwell / The Spectrum & Daily News)

...The St. George area has become a magnet for move-ins, not only retirees from northern Utah, Southern California and elsewhere, but from an increasingly diverse cross-section of new workers, new students and others, Perlich said.

"Certainly it's tied to the growth dynamic of the Greater Las Vegas area, but it's got its own internal growth dynamic, and there isn't another county in the state we can point to that has this," she said.

...

Demolition crews remove buildings along Bluff Street Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. Chris Caldwell / The Spectrum & Daily News

Construction near Tabernacle Street Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018. Chris Caldwell / The Spectrum & Daily News, Chris Caldwell / The Spectrum & Daily News

Construction at Dixie State University Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018. Chris Caldwell / The Spectrum & Daily News

Top 10 fastest-growing U.S. metro areas by percentage, 2016-2017

#1. St. George, Utah, 4 percent to 165,662.

2. Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and North Carolina, 3.7 percent to 447,793.

3. Greeley, Colorado, 3.5 percent to 294,243.

4. Bend-Redmond, Oregon, 3.4 percent to 180,675.

5. Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, 2.9 percent to 153,144.

6. Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida, 2.9 percent to 667,018.

7. Boise City, Idaho, 2.8 percent to 690,810.

#8. Provo-Orem, Utah, 2.7 percent to 601,478.

9. Austin-Round Rock, Texas, 2.7 percent to 2,060,558.

10. The Villages, Florida, 2.5 percent to 125,165.

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delts145 · #**582** Posted **Apr 1, 2018, 10:20 PM**

Breaking Ground April 4th - St. George says new apartments, rest of Joule Plaza will be economic jolt

An artist's rendering of Joule Plaza, a housing, retail and restaurant complex breaking ground April 4, 2018, in St. George.
(Photo: NAI Excel)

David DeMille, The Spectrum - https://www.thespectrum.com/story/ne...ost/473398002/

St. George officials are touting Joule Plaza as a major economic jolt for a section of downtown in need of something new.

Developers said this week they are ready to break ground Wednesday on the mixed-use apartment project — a complex of four-story buildings that will go up at the corner of 200 South and 300 West, across from the Fifth District Courthouse.

“Our goal has been to bring people back to downtown St. George and to offer a property with a walkable lifestyle,” said Wes Davis, developer and broker at NAI Excel. "This project will meet those goals with residential units combined with offices, shopping and restaurants. Its proximity to parks, culture, retail, and food is an ideal location.”

The site, owned for generations by the local Wilkinson family, is where the popular Wilkinson's Electric and Wilkinson's House of Lighting served St. George shoppers for years. But the store location, along with some of the homes around it, had fallen into disrepair in recent years. The House of Lighting store, which sat empty for years, burned down last summer.

The new project was named to honor the memories of Kay W. and Lail Wilkinson, said Randy Wilkinson, Kay's oldest son.

“Joule is an electrical measurement, and I think this will honor my father, and the Wilkinson’s House of Lighting," he said...

http://www.utahprojects.info/

A mock-up image shows conceptual site plans for Joule Plaza, a mixed-use apartment and commercial development in downtown St. George | Image courtesy of City of St. George

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Schmoe · #**583** Posted **Apr 3, 2018, 9:20 PM**

I've always been curious about something and hoping one of you knows the answer. As St. George grows, what are the barriers preventing development on the other side of the border in Arizona? Are there land use and or infrastructure challenges that would prevent development to the south? There is sure a lot of open land down there.

DCRes · #**584** Posted **Apr 5, 2018, 4:40 PM**

I walked by the groundbreaking for Joule Plaza today and snapped this picture.

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by , on Flickr[/IMG]

delts145 · #**585** Posted **Apr 5, 2018, 7:12 PM**

DCRes, You've got to explain how in the world they expect to keep the residential in the background from being eaten up by a landslide. That's some cut into the hill they've made!! Perhaps it's just an optical illusion made by how the photograph is shot?

Deek1978 · #**586** Posted **Apr 5, 2018, 9:54 PM**

Schmoe,

I believe the land on the other side of the border into Arizona is all BLM land, until you get past the Gorge to Littlefield. I may be wrong, but that's what I understand has prevented a community or even a truckstop from popping up across the border. Think of the money a truckstop could make down there selling better beer, lotto tickets, etc...

DCRes · #**587** Posted **Apr 6, 2018, 2:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by delts145

DCRes, You've got to explain how in the world they expect to keep the residential in the background from being eaten up by a landslide. That's some cut into the hill they've made!! Perhaps it's just an optical illusion made by how the photograph is shot?

I hate the way that hill-cut looks. It looks like someone took a giant knife and cut a slice right out of the hill. I've driven up there because I was curious and it's even bigger than it looks from below. There is a road that goes right through the cut area and has a bunch of four-plexes on it. I can't imagine how the developer ever got permission to cut away such a prominent hill like that.

TonyAnderson · #**588** Posted **Apr 6, 2018, 8:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCRes

I hate the way that hill-cut looks. It looks like someone took a giant knife and cut a slice right out of the hill. I've driven up there because I was curious and it's even bigger than it looks from below. There is a road that goes right through the cut area and has a bunch of four-plexes on it. I can't imagine how the developer ever got permission to cut away such a prominent hill like that.

That's Utah for you. People will freak out if you build anything over 2 stories because it will obstruct their mountain view and at the same time vote in a bunch of people who will let developers do any imaginable thing they want to their area.

tygr · #**589** Posted **Apr 6, 2018, 8:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCRes

I hate the way that hill-cut looks. It looks like someone took a giant knife and cut a slice right out of the hill. I've driven up there because I was curious and it's even bigger than it looks from below. There is a road that goes right through the cut area and has a bunch of four-plexes on it. I can't imagine how the developer ever got permission to cut away such a prominent hill like that.

That cut made a big change to St. George City's ordinances. I was living there when that happened and it was a big debacle and will forever be a scar that should have never happened.

DCRes · #**590** Posted **Apr 9, 2018, 4:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tygr

That cut made a big change to St. George City's ordinances. I was living there when that happened and it was a big debacle and will forever be a scar that should have never happened.

I'm curious, how long ago did it happen? The homes up there looked to me like they are at least 20 years old.

Schmoe · #**591** Posted **Apr 11, 2018, 6:33 PM**

Thanks, that makes sense. It's just been something I wonder about when I drive through.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deek1978

Schmoe,

I believe the land on the other side of the border into Arizona is all BLM land, until you get past the Gorge to Littlefield. I may be wrong, but that's what I understand has prevented a community or even a truckstop from popping up across the border. Think of the money a truckstop could make down there selling better beer, lotto tickets, etc...

delts145 · #**592** Posted **Apr 14, 2018, 1:25 PM**

I've been pleasantly surprised by how many people here in So. Cal. are well acquainted with St. George. Many plan to retire there or already have second homes in the area. Seems like California is fueling a lot of the accelerated growth in the area. I can understand why. It's scenery is unsurpassed, and a lot more peaceful and kick back than Vegas, yet so close to Vegas you can take in the excitement when you feel the urge to take the short commute.

Deek1978 · #**593** Posted **Apr 14, 2018, 9:45 PM**

DCRes, I grew up in St George, moved there in '85 at the age of 7. I don't know if the scar was there when I moved there, but it's been there as long as I can remember. (That is a total vague answer, but 7 year olds don't tend to pay too much attention to landscape destruction. Not to mention, we moved to Green Valley, so I spent most days behind the black hill, wouldn't have been able to watch the cut being made. That said, I think it was carved in the 80's that's when a lot of development up on the hill was done.

Makid · #**594** Posted **Apr 15, 2018, 2:15 AM**

Because I was also curious, I went diving and found this from 2013:

https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/ar.../#.WtKvnnkh1hE

Quote:

Reclaiming the scar

Committee Chairperson Jennifer Kraft said that the committee had been exploring ways to reclaim, or rather restore, the scarred portion of the Black Hill near the “D.”

The city is often blamed for the creation of the scar, Councilwoman Gail Bunker said, but originally the city had nothing to do with it. The scar has been created over the last 26 years through excavation for potential development. The issue has since become a recurring subject of conversation between citizens and city officials.

delts145 · #**595** Posted **Apr 17, 2018, 1:59 PM**

Art Around the Corner: Downtown St. George decorated with slew of new sculptures

Emily Havens, The Spectrum & Daily News -https://www.thespectrum.com/story/ne...res/517362002/

Downtown St. George was decorated with new, imaginative pieces of artwork this weekend at the annual Art Around the Corner celebration.

The outdoor sculpture gallery is focused in and around Main Street, and it features 24 sculptures by local artists of all styles, tastes and mediums.

As tourists and community members walk along the streets, they're met with art — quite literally — around every corner.

This year's collection features everything from abstract works, sculptures depicting humans, celestial figures, animals and one massive, welded spider. ..

Local artists install their art along Main Street Saturday, April 14, 2018. (Photo: Chris Caldwell / The Spectrum & Daily News)

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delts145 · #**596** Posted **Apr 23, 2018, 3:07 PM**

DCRes, I know they've broken ground. Have they started construction on the new Human Performance Center yet? Will be a cool building.

https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/wp-cont...FI-970x546.jpg

DCRes · #**597** Posted **Jul 24, 2018, 7:43 PM**

[center]

david demille - the spectrum, http://www.thespectrum.com/story/new...ect/969927001/

update - january 13th, 2018 - off-campus housing expands to offer more options to students

dixie sun news, by jonn holland

http://www.dixiesunnews.com/news/art...tions-student/

master plan, courtesy peg development

It was only 105 degrees at lunch today so I thought it would be a good time to walk around this project and take some pictures

The first picture is from Tabernacle Street looking North, then I walked over to Main Street, along St George Blvd, then down 100 West. I was happy to see that they are working on the foundations of all three buildings in the project. I thought that they might build one and wait on the others but it seems that the whole thing is happening now.

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by , on Flickr[/IMG]
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by , on Flickr[/IMG]
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https://farm1.staticflickr.com/858/28730139707_0e10ddaaa0_b.jpg[/img] by , on Flickr[/IMG]

DCRes · #**598** Posted **Jul 24, 2018, 7:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCRes

I walked by the groundbreaking for Joule Plaza today and snapped this picture.

[IMG]

by , on Flickr[/IMG]

Site work for Joule Plaza has kicked into high gear the last couple weeks as well

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by , on Flickr[/IMG]

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by , on Flickr[/IMG]

DCRes · #**599** Posted **Aug 8, 2018, 5:22 PM**

Here are a couple pictures of the new student housing project, 605 Place. It sits between 600 & 700 East on Tabernacle Street

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by , on Flickr[/IMG]

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by , on Flickr[/IMG]

delts145 · #**600** Posted **Aug 9, 2018, 2:00 PM**

Thanks DCRes for the great updates! Always excited to see the growth happening in and around St. George. I look forward to the day when the Wasatch Front is not the only major MSA/CSA in Utah.