Your version of Salt Lake City, Utah - Page 5

TANGELD_SLC · #81 Posted **Aug 4, 2008, 7:45 AM**

I love Calgary's Skyline. I am SO jealous! I really think that it's beyond ridiculous that we don't have a more impressive downtown than we do. As we all know(or most of us) there has been recent talk in the SLC MSA forum about outside perception of Salt Lake City.

Companies that might have moved their headquarters here moved them elsewhere simply because of SLC's pitiful population of only 180,000. And then People just sat by and did nothing when we lost 400k in our metro population a few years ago and the government allows cities to keep splitting away from us(like Cottonwood Heights).

If Salt Lake were to incorporate some of the suburbs like suggested and had 558,000 people living in Salt Lake City proper instead of 180,000 I think that would do a great deal to alter the outsider's view of our city and people would realize that we are a city to be reckoned with. Businesses would feel better about moving here versus Denver or Phoenix even California. Numbers mean alot to people. If they saw we were a city with over half a million residents and 2.2 million people in the metro area then maybe we could have a skyline filled with towers much like the ones above. Then we could truly become
THE CROSSROADS OF THE WEST!

delts145 · #82 Posted **Aug 4, 2008, 11:29 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RFPCME

...Third, I thought the comparison of the Calgary skyline with the SLC skyline was amazingly ironic. Where did the Calgary skyline come from, most of it in the last 25 years? One place...the development of unconventional energy resources...in this case, tar sands...although different, remarkably similar to the energy laying underneath the Green River Basin with reserves far exceeding what is in Canada.

...I just spent a couple of hours trying to detail the issues facing oil shale development in the Mtn. West over on the Western Energy thread. The more I wrote about the issues, complex and vexing, the more I realized that they will be solved because so much is at stake.

I agree with much of what your said RFPCME. For me, the most important point is to understand that the cycles of the past are being broken. This is not the Salt Lake City or Wasatch Front of your grandparents, or even your parents. This Metro is establishing new benchmarks, and raising the bar ever higher. This is a Salt Lake City who's world presence will continue to accelerate, even over the next ten years. No more quaint, provincial capital. This is a metro that not only will acquire a few new stores along the CSA, but also the store's manufacturing and distributing headquarters.

For some, there is comfort in cynicism. If your cynical or negative about the future, then you'll never be disapointed. I would imagine there would have been a lot of naysayers, if we were to look back just fifteen years. What if we had made a list of all the major projects, such as the Grand, Gateway, CCC, TRAX, FrontRunner, Resort expansion, and on and on? If a few of us had said, "These are some of the changes that I think will occur over the next fifteen years along the Wasatch." Well, there would have definately been rolling eyes, and 'non e possibile' from a few.

RFPCME · #83 Posted **Aug 4, 2008, 11:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by delts145

I couldn't agree with you more RFPCME. For me, the most important point is to understand that the cycles of the past are being broken. This is not the Salt Lake City or Wasatch Front of your grandparents, or even your parents. This is a Salt Lake City who's world presence will continue to accelerate, even over the next ten years. No more quaint, provincial capital. This is a metro that not only will acquire a few new stores along the CSA, but also the store's manufacturing and distributing headquarters.

For some, there is comfort in cynicism. If your cynical or negative about the future, then you'll never be disapointed. I would imagine there would have been a lot of naysayers, if we were to look back just fifteen years. What if we had made a list of all the major projects, such as the Grand, Gateway, CCC, TRAX, FrontRunner, Resort expansion, and on and on? If a few of us had said, "These are some of the changes that I think will occur over the next fifteen years along the Wasatch." Well, there would have definately been some rolling eyes, 'non e possibile' from a few.

Delts: Ah men!

urbanboy · #84 Posted **Aug 4, 2008, 7:59 PM**

UV4EVER · #85 Posted **Aug 5, 2008, 12:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TANGELD_SLC

I love Calgary's Skyline. I am SO jealous! I really think that it's beyond ridiculous that we don't have a more impressive downtown than we do. As we all know(or most of us) there has been recent talk in the SLC MSA forum about outside perception of Salt Lake City.

Companies that might have moved their headquarters here moved them elsewhere simply because of SLC's pitiful population of only 180,000. And then People just sat by and did nothing when we lost 400k in our metro population a few years ago and the government allows cities to keep splitting away from us(like Cottonwood Heights).

If Salt Lake were to incorporate some of the suburbs like suggested and had 558,000 people living in Salt Lake City proper instead of 180,000 I think that would do a great deal to alter the outsider's view of our city and people would realize that we are a city to be reckoned with. Businesses would feel better about moving here versus Denver or Phoenix even California. Numbers mean alot to people. If they saw we were a city with over half a million residents and 2.2 million people in the metro area then maybe we could have a skyline filled with towers much like the ones above. Then we could truly become
THE CROSSROADS OF THE WEST!

I couldn't have said it better myself!

IdahoMountainBoy · #86 Posted **Aug 5, 2008, 1:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TANGELD_SLC

I love Calgary's Skyline. I am SO jealous! I really think that it's beyond ridiculous that we don't have a more impressive downtown than we do. As we all know(or most of us) there has been recent talk in the SLC MSA forum about outside perception of Salt Lake City.

Companies that might have moved their headquarters here moved them elsewhere simply because of SLC's pitiful population of only 180,000. And then People just sat by and did nothing when we lost 400k in our metro population a few years ago and the government allows cities to keep splitting away from us(like Cottonwood Heights).

If Salt Lake were to incorporate some of the suburbs like suggested and had 558,000 people living in Salt Lake City proper instead of 180,000 I think that would do a great deal to alter the outsider's view of our city and people would realize that we are a city to be reckoned with. Businesses would feel better about moving here versus Denver or Phoenix even California. Numbers mean alot to people. If they saw we were a city with over half a million residents and 2.2 million people in the metro area then maybe we could have a skyline filled with towers much like the ones above. Then we could truly become
THE CROSSROADS OF THE WEST!

City numbers may mean something to lay men individuals but businesses looking to relocate do their homework, which includes carefully examining demographic information pertaining to a city. I doubtfully believe that a city's CBD success is dictated by the proportion of its population to the entire metropolitan area. Certainly, Jacksonville isn't commonly believed to be Florida's largest city nor is Boston considered to be of similar size to Denver...

RFPCME · #87 Posted **Aug 5, 2008, 2:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbanboy

Urbanboy: I thought you hit a home run with your previous "skitches," especially with the twins. But now that you've included a 1,000-footer in the approximate position of the Holding block, which I now dub "The Energy Center," you have hit a tape-measure shot, certainly one for the record books.

TANGELD_SLC · #88 Posted **Aug 5, 2008, 3:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbanboy

I love the new skitch! It's not near as intrusive or awkward as I thought it would be. It also helps to fill in that gap between Wells Fargo and Grand America. You should try twin 1000-footers on the "Energy Centre" spot now, a bit more slender though, and see what it looks like. Maybe fill in that gap completly with some 400fters here and there...

Boiseguy · #89 Posted **Aug 5, 2008, 4:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by IdahoMountainBoy

City numbers may mean something to lay men individuals but businesses looking to relocate do their homework, which includes carefully examining demographic information pertaining to a city. I doubtfully believe that a city's CBD success is dictated by the proportion of its population to the entire metropolitan area. Certainly, Jacksonville isn't commonly believed to be Florida's largest city nor is Boston considered to be of similar size to Denver...

I agree, it has very little to do with city boundaries in terms of population. Most developers and companies do population figures in 10 or 20 mile radius' which incorporates the whole valley.. Incorporating smaller cities only makes sense if you're a numbers person for the sake of numbers.. or for government initiatives... to ensure everyone is under the same roof when it comes to accomplishing things such as managing growth.

urbanboy · #90 Posted **Aug 5, 2008, 5:13 AM**

double post

urbanboy · #91 Posted **Aug 5, 2008, 5:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TANGELD_SLC

I love the new skitch! It's not near as intrusive or awkward as I thought it would be. It also helps to fill in that gap between Wells Fargo and Grand America. You should try twin 1000-footers on the "Energy Centre" spot now, a bit more slender though, and see what it looks like. Maybe fill in that gap completly with some 400fters here and there...

TANGELD_SLC · #92 Posted **Aug 5, 2008, 5:32 AM**

LOVIN' IT URBANBOY! I think it looks good

I see inspiration from the old New York World Trade Center and even Burj Al Arab. Nicely done. Now if you'd just get them BUILT for me...

MetroFanatic · #93 Posted **Aug 5, 2008, 11:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbanboy

This is me crying because as much as I'd like that... I can't see it happening for a long, long while.

This is a baby being eaten because when I saw this... it made me LOLZ

RFPCME · #94 Posted **Aug 6, 2008, 2:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbanboy

Urbanboy: Thanks for indulging my interest in a couple of mega-towers in the vicinity of the Energy Center. I was wrong. The towers are too big, too intrusive. I think the city would be much better served by your earlier skyline with the twins on one end, a large tower (but no more than 750') somewhere north of the twins that links sldt with slut.

NYC Rick · #95 Posted **Aug 6, 2008, 6:18 PM**

Read below

NYC Rick · #96 Posted **Aug 6, 2008, 6:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TANGELD_SLC

I love Calgary's Skyline. I am SO jealous! I really think that it's beyond ridiculous that we don't have a more impressive downtown than we do. As we all know(or most of us) there has [B]been recent talk in the SLC MSA forum about outside perception of Salt Lake City.

Companies that might have moved their headquarters here moved them elsewhere simply because of SLC's pitiful population of only 180,000. And then People just sat by and did nothing when we lost 400k in our metro population a few years ago and the government allows cities to keep splitting away from us(like Cottonwood Heights).

If Salt Lake were to incorporate some of the suburbs like suggested and had 558,000 people living in Salt Lake City proper instead of 180,000 I think that would do a great deal to alter the outsider's view of our city and people would realize that we are a city to be reckoned with. Businesses would feel better about moving here versus Denver or Phoenix even California. Numbers mean alot to people. If they saw we were a city with over half a million residents and 2.2 million people in the metro area then maybe we could have a skyline filled with towers much like the ones above. Then we could truly become
THE CROSSROADS OF THE WEST!

Calgary is petrolium driven. If you go back to 1988 and look at the skyline you will see that it was dominant then. (I saw a show on the Olympics and China but they showed each of the cities since 1980 both winter and summer). SLC looked decent in their shots but I was still amazed at Calgary's skyline even in 88.

Salt Lake City had one of the best skylines between Chicago and San Francisco in the 1920's. The need to go high rise was not needed. I grew out and not up. Denver was the same but in the 1960's business' moved there because it had a substantial population compared to anything between there and the coast,

Calgary is a business center in country with very few cities. When a city with population shows up then it becomes an automatic center and a big deal. Calgary became something because it is the petrolium capitol of Canada Edmonton, which has a nice skyline became something because it is the capitol of Alberta

Alberta is very close to the size of Colorado, Utah and Arizona put together. Calgary is also the largest Canadian city between Toronto and Calgary. It has its skyline because it is business focused in a totally demand industry and because it is an island in the ocean of barren land. Where SLC is surrounded by mountains and barren land, it is not the one city that is the largest between the two coasts.

What are you jealous of? Salt Lake City is a much more growth potential area. The city of Calgary is what it is because in is a huge core center of a country that has very few viable areas.

Companies that might have moved their headquarters here moved them elsewhere simply because of SLC's pitiful population of only 180,000. And then People just sat by and did nothing when we lost 400k in our metro population a few years ago and the government allows cities to keep splitting away from us(like Cottonwood Heights).

Business do not move their headquarters because of population specs from a book. They move because a need for their business to move into a defined area. This is certainly going to happen in SLC. If they allow petroleum production then look out for many companies to magically arrive at once.

I am not totally in favor of oil shale production if it is not truly needed but I imagine it will come.

While we all love skylines and especially on this great site. We cannot wait for the truly large buildings to arrive, there is really no point to moan about it. They will come.

I am very happy that in the past 2 years, a major push for Salt Lake City is happening and people are listening. We are close.

NYC Rick · #97 Posted **Aug 6, 2008, 6:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbanboy

There is reality and there is wishful thinking. Do you realize how many people it would take to occupy buildings this size?

Maybe SLC 2040.

I think you will continue to see 20-30 story buildings added. But large buildings...that is a long way off.

urbanboy · #98 Posted **Aug 6, 2008, 7:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by NYC Rick

There is reality and there is wishful thinking. Do you realize how many people it would take to occupy buildings this size?

Maybe SLC 2040.

I think you will continue to see 20-30 story buildings added. But large buildings...that is a long way off.

Hey, have you not been reading the posts? This was just for fun. Also, the population along the Wasatch Front is expected to increase. So it's not entirely improbable. Highrise buildings are not only used for office space.

TANGELD_SLC · #99 Posted **Aug 9, 2008, 6:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbanboy

Hey, have you not been reading the posts? This was just for fun. Also, the population along the Wasatch Front is expected to increase. So it's not entirely improbable. Highrise buildings are not only used for office space.

I think we could fill tall residential towers well enough.

DENrising · #**100** Posted **Aug 13, 2008, 4:09 AM**

It does however look like construction jobs are declining much faster than other Utah industries. This should be a concern to the future of SLC development.

See the story here:

http://jobs.utah.gov/opencms/wi/pubs/une/