[Wasatch_One]

A friend of mine got a tour of the tower crane at the Zions Bank Financial Center project that is finishing up... He is letting me link the pictures here (all photos courtesy of Austin Lindsay)

Here is a rendering of the 9 story Zions Bank Financial Center which is nearing completion in downtown Provo (Population 122,000 - Metro 580,000)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3511/3991588787_1064091176_o.jpg

Provo lies 40 miles south of of Salt Lake City in the Utah Valley and is not part of the SLC metro... yet. My guess is that the Provo/Orem (its sister city with ~100K residents) will soon be part of a newly formed Salt Lake/Provo/Ogden CSA because all three metros have pretty much grown together since the last census. If/when this happens, it will create a 2.2+ million person csa.

Anyway, on to the photo tour...

Looking back at the crane operator
http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341570117_675895117_9188507_4978193_n.jpg

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341750117_675895117_9188535_540852_n.jpg

http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341720117_675895117_9188530_1863889_n.jpg"]http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341720117_675895117_9188530_1863889_n.jpg

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341735117_675895117_9188533_7278673_n.jpg"]http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341735117_675895117_9188533_7278673_n.jpg

Massive counterbalance weights on the back of the tower crane.
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341740117_675895117_9188534_3589964_n.jpg"]http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341740117_675895117_9188534_3589964_n.jpg

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341755117_675895117_9188536_2127160_n.jpg"]http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341755117_675895117_9188536_2127160_n.jpg

Looking NW from the new Zions Bank Financial Center in downtown Provo Utah.
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341560117_675895117_9188505_3411420_n.jpg

Looking north from the site of the new Zions Bank FC. Off in the distance is the omnipresent Mt. Timpanogos at nearly 12,000'. On the back of that mountain lies Sundance Resort (Robert Redford owns it and lives there) The Sundance Film Festival was named after this resort on the backside of "Timp" however, the festival really takes place in Park City, about a 40 minute drive up the canyon from Provo.
http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341565117_675895117_9188506_500166_n.jpg

10 story NuSkin corporate HQ in downtown Provo. This building began the revitalization in the late 1980's... However, the momentum has been slow until recently. Within the past 4 years there will be two new midrise towers completed and one proposed at 11 stories which could be the new tallest in the city at around 170' when complete.
http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341575117_675895117_9188508_595999_n.jpg

Here is a rendering of the University Tower which could become the city's next tallest
http://images.loopnet.com/xnet/mainsite/attachments/viewImage.aspx?FileGuid=E9CE5231-8443-4BE4-A43E-DB11AB190EC7&Extension=jpg&Width=631&Height=421

Looking SSW toward the 7 story Wells Fargo Center, a mixed use building completed in 2005.
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341715117_675895117_9188529_2403715_n.jpg"]http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341715117_675895117_9188529_2403715_n.jpg

4th District courthouse in downtown Provo. Supposedly a new federal courthouse will be built soon in the immediate area.
http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341585117_675895117_9188509_923765_n.jpg

Small shops in older historic buildings along University Ave in downtown.
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341595117_675895117_9188511_7732615_n.jpg"]http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341595117_675895117_9188511_7732615_n.jpg

Looking south down University Avenue toward the East Bay (of Utah Lake) district.
http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341600117_675895117_9188512_6362595_n.jpg"]http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341600117_675895117_9188512_6362595_n.jpg

Former Novell corporate HQ on the south end of downtown. They moved their HQ to Cambridge Mass. but still have a strong workforce (1,500ish workers) in that campus.
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341610117_675895117_9188514_2787326_n.jpg"]http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341610117_675895117_9188514_2787326_n.jpg

One of the many Utah County govt buildings (Provo is the county seat)
http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341615117_675895117_9188515_3926744_n.jpg"]http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341615117_675895117_9188515_3926744_n.jpg

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341620117_675895117_9188516_759123_n.jpg"]http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341620117_675895117_9188516_759123_n.jpg

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341625117_675895117_9188517_938599_n.jpg"]http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341625117_675895117_9188517_938599_n.jpg

Looking WSW from the Zions Bank project. The 9 story building is the Marriott hotel. There is a new convention center planned on the block west of it and could break ground within the next year. There are also rumors of that Marriott being torn down and a newer more up to date and taller Marriott replacing it. There is also talk of bringing in another hotel (Hilton) once the convention center is complete.
http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341630117_675895117_9188518_3365985_n.jpg"]http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341630117_675895117_9188518_3365985_n.jpg

Utah Lake is off in the distance, in front of the distant mountains. Utah Lake, a fresh water lake feeds the "dead" (no outlets) Great Salt Lake 40 miles to the north. Because there are no outlets, the Great Salt Lake is something like 15X more salty than the ocean.
http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341635117_675895117_9188519_4991927_n.jpg"]http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341635117_675895117_9188519_4991927_n.jpg
34,000 student BYU campus closeup. It is the second largest private university in the nation. It lies about a mile NE of downtown.
http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341650117_675895117_9188521_5449473_n.jpg"]http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341650117_675895117_9188521_5449473_n.jpg

http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341655117_675895117_9188522_712448_n.jpg"]http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341655117_675895117_9188522_712448_n.jpg

Looking NW up University Ave, the main North/South thoroughfare in Provo.
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341660117_675895117_9188523_6194885_n.jpg"]http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341660117_675895117_9188523_6194885_n.jpg

Looking WNW out toward Lake Mountain off in the distance.
http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341665117_675895117_9188524_2679424_n.jpg"]http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341665117_675895117_9188524_2679424_n.jpg

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341675117_675895117_9188525_7628886_n.jpg"]http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341675117_675895117_9188525_7628886_n.jpg

Again looking north up Univ Ave with the Mt. Timpanogos massiff which is ever present from anywhere in the city. Downtown Provo sits at 4,550' above sea level and "Timp" rises almost 7,500' vertically over the north end of the city. It is a very dramatic presence because there are virtually no foothills between the valley floor and the summit.
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341685117_675895117_9188526_4005243_n.jpg"]http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341685117_675895117_9188526_4005243_n.jpg

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341690117_675895117_9188527_1231787_n.jpg"]http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341690117_675895117_9188527_1231787_n.jpg

Looking SW toward the NuSkin corporate HQ and the Marriott Hotel.
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341710117_675895117_9188528_2770095_n.jpg"]http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs254.snc1/10127_306341710117_675895117_9188528_2770095_n.jpg

Provo City Power stacks off in the distance.
http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341560117_675895117_9188505_3411420_n.jpg"]http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341560117_675895117_9188505_3411420_n.jpg

Brigham Young University (BYU) in the right center of the picture with the 12 story Spencer W Kimball tower visible.
http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341565117_675895117_9188506_500166_n.jpg"]http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341565117_675895117_9188506_500166_n.jpg

Suburban style mall on the south end of downtown
http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341605117_675895117_9188513_6029133_n.jpg"]http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs274.snc1/10127_306341605117_675895117_9188513_6029133_n.jpg

[SLO]

Great Provo tour....
Downtown is coming around, any work at street level, mixed use?

[Cottonwood]

Nice pics, the mountain views are great, but if they were taken by your friend shouldn't they be posted in the "found" city photos thread?

[kool maudit]

HOW TO ANNOY A LIBERAL: ...work hard and be happy :)







this is an awesome contribution to the discourse. just wanted to let you know.

[Wasatch_One]

I aim to please... ;)


SLO... I am still waiting for a large push for more downtown high density residential. There are some nice historic neighborhoods that surround the core, but not a whole lot of newer high density. I think once this happens, downtown will really begin to flourish.

[skyline]

Nice vantage point photos!

[CPVLIVE]

HOW TO ANNOY A LIBERAL: ...work hard and be happy

this is an awesome contribution to the discourse. just wanted to let you know.

The irony here is just too rich.

SLO... I am still waiting for a large push for more downtown high density residential. There are some nice historic neighborhoods that surround the core, but not a whole lot of newer high density. I think once this happens, downtown will really begin to flourish.

How to annoy a conservative:... Suggest they live in downtown high density residential.

[TonyAnderson]

The irony here is just too rich.



How to annoy a conservative:... Suggest they live in downtown high density residential.

There's many shades of the 'conservative' and 'liberal' labels.

Thanks for the pics - a unique perspective.