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  #41  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2006, 12:48 PM
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UVSC enrollment still rising

By Laura Hancock and Tiffany Erickson
Deseret Morning News
OREM — What goes up must come down.
Except at Utah Valley State College, where enrollment continues to rise, even if just in small amounts.
Fall semester figures released Tuesday by Utah's System of Higher Education show UVSC saw an increase in the total number of students at the school and a jump in those taking a full load of classes.
UVSC joined Southern Utah University and Snow College as the taxpayer-supported colleges that enjoyed enrollment increases this semester.
The other taxpayer-funded schools in Utah's higher-education system — the University of Utah, Utah State University, Weber State University, Dixie State College, the College of Eastern Utah and Salt Lake Community College — saw a drop in the number of students who are taking college-credit courses.
"Although we are experiencing a small decline in the number of students enrolling in college, it is concerning when you think of the potential impact it will have on the lives of individuals," Richard Kendell, Utah's higher education commissioner, said in a statement. "Postsecondary education provides workforce training and increased income potential for students — it produces self-sustaining adults who, in turn, can support a family."
Kendell wants to see the enrollment grow at least a half percent each year.
At UVSC, in all, 20,262 students are taking at least one class at the Orem-based college, an increase of 426 students over last year at this time, according to Tuesday's enrollment report. The number of full-time students is 13,877, an increase of 146 students over fall semester 2005.
Utah Valley officials say enrollment figures may not have grown as much as previous years because of changes to the concurrent enrollment program, which allows high school students to enroll in college classes.

A new statewide requirement says high school students must finish certain prerequisite courses before enrolling in the college classes, UVSC spokeswoman Megan Laurie said.
However, UVSC officials are relishing in the 1 percent increase in the number of students taking a full course load.
"Our revenue is based on our tuition dollars," Laurie said.
That means the school will have a larger budget this year because of additional students paying for courses.
University of Utah President Michael Young said the numbers come as a pleasant surprise.
He said the trend is that enrollments increase when the economy lags and decrease when it thrives.
"I just would have thought, given how very robust the economy is, the (decreases) would be much deeper," Young said. "Right now there are hundreds of unfilled jobs with moderately attractive salaries for high school graduates."
He said the enrollment dip's small size was a ringing endorsement across the state "that, at the end of the day, the people of the state still really understand the value of higher education and have quite a commitment to it."
Young attributed the enrollment drop at the U. to transfer students and fifth-year seniors — students often pursuing a second bachelor's degree.
Last year, the U. raised admission standards, but the freshman class is the same size as last year's and the head count in graduate programs has increased about 3 percent.
Young said the decrease in transfer students was most pronounced in those coming from Salt Lake Community College but said administrators don't know why at this point.
Nonetheless, Young said, the U. is not looking for growth.
"We are pretty committed to a quality of education that requires a certain intensity and student-teacher ratio ... (and) as an institution have not been chasing enrollment," Young said.
"In this economy — with enrollments with such a modest decline — it really is quite a tribute to the quality of education that the U. provides and the general recognition around the state of a quality education and the importance of that, both to the individual and society."
But that is not to say U. leaders aren't concerned about more students going to college in Utah.
Young said the state has dropped from about seventh in the nation in the percentage of people between the ages of 25 and 40 holding bachelor's degrees to about 21st in the nation.
"That's a pretty scary statistic, so from our perspective the participation rate remains a very significant issue and we would like to see that increase dramatically," Young said.
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  #42  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2006, 1:18 PM
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Post Transportation called key to growth of Provo, Orem.

Also posted on No Magic Thread.

By Sara Israelsen and Tad Walch
Deseret Morning News
PROVO — Orem and Provo are great cities destined to become even better, their mayors said in State of the City addresses before the Provo/Orem Chamber of Commerce.
Lewis BillingsJerry Washburn "Is Orem as good as it gets?" Mayor Jerry Washburn asked, "Heck no, it's going to get a lot better."
Provo Mayor Lewis Billings echoed the theme, but both men cautioned that transportation upgrades, especially on I-15, are necessary to maintain growth.
"Transportation is a big deal," Billings said. "Have you recently traveled to that city to the north, Salt Lake City, on a Friday afternoon or evening? We're trying to foist on that I-15 backbone more traffic than it can handle."
He said thousands of new homes in Lehi and other northern Utah County cities and towns will further complicate the issue.
"That will impact your business," he said. "It will impact your ability to be efficient."
The mayors said Provo and Orem are seeing job and business growth despite flatter population growth than other communities in the county and new commercial centers in northern Utah County.
Orem saw a 9 percent increase in jobs — from 33,921 to 34,983 — last year, Washburn said.
"We must really be sure to always fight against complacency," he said, stating his belief that Orem is destined to improve, even though the population will probably remain about the same.
According to the city's figures, Orem is projected to see a 43 percent boost in population through 2050, but in the same 45 years the county as a whole will grow at a rate of 200 percent.
Both cities, Washburn reminded business leaders, are 10th in the Morgan Quitno rankings of safe cities — Provo, for cities with more than 100,000 residents and Orem, for those with 75,000 to 99,999 residents.
Billings said Provo has seen a resurgence in interest from carriers in bringing scheduled airline service to the Provo Municipal Airport since the air traffic control tower became operational in 2004.
"Multiple proposals have come to the city," he said. "Two of those are very viable. We don't know when, and we don't know what, but I believe there will come a day when scheduled service will take you to Las Vegas, Southern California, Colorado" and other regional destinations.
The next hurdle is improving access to the airport from I-15.
"The Provo City Council has said they want to provide additional connectivity to the airport before scheduled service begins," Billings said.
The city is using federal funds to study the feasibility of such a road or offramp from I-15.
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  #43  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2006, 3:56 PM
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Thumbs up Numbers of requests for homesites at old Geneva site off the chart's!!

Vineyard to bear rich fruit

Geneva land sale and developments to expand small town

By Sara Israelsen
Deseret Morning News

VINEYARD — It's a quiet place. There are a handful of homes, a pristine lake view and room to grow.
Nestled between Utah Lake and Orem, the small town of Vineyard won't stay quiet for long, with the recent sale of the Geneva Steel property, two planned housing developments and the lure of spacious, lake-front property. It's going to start growing. And soon.
"Trying to build a town is huge," said Mayor Randy Farnworth. "(But) that's the nice thing about having everybody develop around you. If you're smart, you'll look at what they did that was good and bad. You have a lot of examples out there."
To help ensure good growth and preparation for the anticipated population boom, the city hired Bruce Parker and an assistant to work as consultants. They previously worked at a Salt Lake planning firm
Parker, who serves as the principal consultant for planning and development, has been working with the Town Council to modify the general plan and the zoning map, which in the past has been limited to farm and industrial categories. The Town Council and residents want to ensure the preservation of the town's agricultural history.
Vineyard shares a border with Orem — from 800 South to 1600 North — as well as some services, including police and fire protection and some water and sewer lines. As the city grows, that may have to change.
Transportation will also be a major issue as the town grows.
The Utah Department of Transportation has started an environmental impact study to look at possible improvements for Geneva Road. The study will take two years and cost $1.5 million, said UDOT regional spokesman Geoff Dupaix.
There is also serious talk of getting commuter rail in the county — another answer to the growing traffic concerns. The line — as currently designed — would pass through Vineyard alongside the existing Union Pacific railroad tracks.
The Utah Transit Authority owns 175 miles of corridor, stretching from Payson to Brigham City. Commuter rail construction from Salt Lake County to Weber County started last fall and will cost almost $600 million when it is finished in 2008.
Although there is interest in Utah County for commuter rail, the funds aren't yet available, said UTA spokesman Justin Jones.
"When they want it, we'll build it," Jones said. "We're moving forward with the idea that when they figure out how they want to pay for it, they'll come to us." UTA is working on the lengthy environmental study so the agency is ready when the local governments are.
A lot of options face the little town. The main goal is to determine how best to promote long-term economic growth and then sustain that growth.
"Location . . . is going to be huge," Farnworth said of Vineyard's close proximity to I-15 and the fact it lies between Provo and Orem, Utah County's two largest cities. "The location will be able to make it a good vibrant town, but it will grow into a city, no doubt."
The Geneva property
It's cleanup time for the 1,700-acre Geneva Steel property recently sold to Anderson Development LLC.
Demolition began in July of 2005 when dynamite took out a handful of towers and furnaces. It will take another five years before the entire area is clean, said Gary Chandler, project manager for Anderson Geneva Development Inc.
Under a permit from the State Department of Environment Quality, Chandler said they are working to identify and clean up contamination in the soil and groundwater.
Most of the waste is non-toxic but will need to be treated at the site, consolidated into a closed impound or taken to a secure landfill.
The developers hope work can begin within a year in the area north of 1600 North, which is zoned for industrial uses. After the industrial park, efforts will likely focus on building homes in the southeast region.
The 1,700-acre plot is divided into two basic sections. One section lies west of the Union Pacific railroad line and could be a perfect spot for the commuter rail connection with UTA.
With a planned-development zoning that allows for mixed uses, individual homes could go in on the west side of the tracks, with businesses, light industrial and some high-density homes on the east side of the tracks, Chandler said. The proximity to the freeway and to potential commuter rail should add to the land's appeal.
"This property . . . is a very unique property that will have a very high long-term value," Chandler said. "It takes vision to see what it will look like in a few years vs. what it looks like today."
Lakes at Sleepy Ridge
The Lakes at Sleepy Ridge development, straddling the boundaries of Orem and Vineyard, will likely spark a population explosion west of I-15.
There are 160 lots proposed for Vineyard and 65 for Orem, with many homes backing on Orem's Sleepy Ridge golf course and facing Utah Lake.
The homes are expected to start in the high $400,000s and range into the $700,000s, providing an upper middle-class living opportunity new to the area, said Brandt Andersen, managing partner with Cambridge Partners.
"There's not a lot of property left in Orem," Andersen said. "(Vineyard) is going to be a place where people are really going to want to live. The number of requests we've had has been off the charts."
The community is scheduled to be finished within three years; home building should start toward the end of the summer.
Cambridge Partners will contract out the actual construction, and the Orem side of the development will begin first, with construction in Vineyard beginning by 2007.

Homestead at Vineyard
Stuart Johnson, Deseret Morning News

Only a few Geneva Steel buildings remain standing. The site will be developed once cleanup is completed. To the southwest of the former Geneva Steel site, The Homestead at Vineyard will add another 1,100 homes on 319 acres.
Anderson Development is working to finalize a development agreement with the town outlining details for future home builders and city officials, such as lot sizes and water and sewer set-ups.
The agreement is to ensure that the development follows what was promised, said Bruce Baird, legal counsel for Anderson Development. It also details requirements for the appearances of houses, streets and signs.
"We hope we're going to provide a good model of development for all cities," Baird said. "There's not a lot of master-planned communities in the Provo-Orem area."
The lifetime community will offer town homes, middle-range homes and the larger homes for "after the big promotion."
Anderson, who manages the land, will contract out to builders, who will hopefully begin constructing homes by the end of the summer.
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  #44  
Old Posted Oct 23, 2006, 4:12 PM
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Thumbs up New Wasatch mega power plant under construction!

Also posted on the Salt Lake Development Thread.

Power shortfalls expected

Demand growth may exceed supply growth by 3 times

By Tina Seeley
Bloomberg News
U.S. electricity demand will increase three times faster than supplies during the next decade, threatening reliable operation of the nation's power grid, according to an industry report.

Jason Olson, Deseret Morning News,

Operations began last year at the Currant Creek power plant in Mona, Utah's first significant power plant since 1983. Demand for power will increase 19 percent, or 141,000 megawatts, while supplies are only expected to increase 6 percent, or 57,000 megawatts, leaving a shortfall of 84,000 megawatts, the report from the North American Electric Reliability Council said. A megawatt is enough power for about 800 typical U.S. homes, according to the U.S. Energy Department.
For PacifiCorp, which serves Utah and five other states, another 1,775 to 2,743 megawatts of electricity will be needed by 2014, with Utah driving much of the new demand, according to company spokesman Dave Eskelsen.

PacifiCorp's Lake Side power plant is currently under construction on 62 acres at the site of the defunct Geneva Steel in Vineyard.
"We're trying to get more out of the system than it's capable of providing in the long term," Rick Sergel, president of the Electric Reliability Council, said at a press conference Monday.
Regions whose power reserves are expected to fall below minimum recommended levels in the next two to three years are Texas, the upper Midwest, New England, the Mid-Atlantic and Rocky Mountain areas. Other parts of the country face the same prospect within 10 years, the report said.
Those declining reserve measurements do not count plants that have been mothballed because of falling power prices or because they have not been able to get transmission access to sell generation where it's needed, said Dave Nevius, vice president of the council. The report estimates there are about 50,000 megawatts of generation in that predicament.
"As customer demand increases and transmission systems experience increased power transfers, portions of these systems will be operated at or near their reliability limits more of the time," the report said. "Under these conditions, coincident unavailability of generating units, transmission lines or transformers, while improbable, can degrade bulk power system reliability."
The council, based in Princeton, N.J., was founded in 1968 by the power industry as a self-regulatory group after a 1965 blackout cut power to 30 million people in the Northeast. Federal regulators earlier this year named the nonprofit organization as the developer and enforcer of now mandatory reliability rules for power line owners and operators.
The council based its report on data supplied by its members, including utilities and government-owned power buyers and sellers.
The council's "report confirms what we've been saying for some time, that the nation needs more power resources sooner rather than later, and that it's the case across all regulatory systems," John Shelk, president of the Electric Power Supply Association, said in a statement.
Along with a shortfall in new power plants, the report finds a lack of adequate power line construction. The amount of new transmission lines will increase by 6.1 percent, adding about 12,873 miles of wire to the nation's grid.
"Expansion and strengthening of the transmission system continues to lag demand growth and expansion of generating resources in most areas," said the report.
"The lack of adequate transmission emergency transfer capability or transmission service agreements could limit the ability to deliver available resources from areas of surplus to areas of need."
Sergel said that in both transmission and generation there has not been enough long-term planning to accommodate rising needs.
"In both cases, we have become more short term in our thinking, and I believe that we have to extend that," he said.

Contributing: Dave Anderton
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  #45  
Old Posted Oct 25, 2006, 11:17 AM
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Post American Fork, Shoppers flock to the Meadows.

Meadows

American Fork official praises project, but some residents see a downside

By Amy Choate-Nielsen
Deseret Morning News

AMERICAN FORK — If Saturday afternoon shopping is any indication of a growing trend, the parking lots of The Meadows in American Fork show the new development is a hit.

Tom Smart, Deseret Morning News

Many shoppers like The Meadows because they no longer have to drive far to find major stores. To some locals, the collection of big-box retailers, ranging from Wal-Mart to Old Navy to Super Target is like a breath of fresh air for convenience. About four years ago, the area just off I-15 on Main Street was nothing but marsh land, and people living in north Utah County had to travel elsewhere for a majority of their shopping.
"I used to have to go to Orem or (Sandy)," said Alpine resident George Veit. "This saves me a lot of time and money. It's a much shorter trip."
The Meadows has become a sprawling community of Kohl's, Target, Pier 1, a Sears Grand,Ross,many Banks and other stores and restaurants and a large multi-plex movie theater, all connected by parking lots,attractive landscaping,bridges,round-abouts, and sidewalks.
According to Melanie Marsh, chief of American Fork's city staff, the project has been successful in that other commercial developments are drawn to the area because of The Meadows. Costco and Loew's in Lehi city boundaries for example, opened Aug. 24 across the street from the Walmart Supercenter and Home Depot in American Fork city boundaries.
Marsh said the city also expects The Meadows to have a positive financial impact on American Fork residents by easing potential property tax increases over the years.
"The Meadows has provided a positive economic impact to American Fork," Marsh said. "It has created a destination shopping place.
"American Fork believes that it has done a lot of things right with respect to The Meadows development and would absolutely want to have another development like The Meadows in our community."
But some residents aren't sure they want more developments like The Meadows in their city. Though the shopping center is convenient, it also has a downside, some residents say.
"It's good and bad," said Nola Harvey of American Fork. "The good part is we have shopping here. We don't have to go to Orem for everything."
Tom Smart, Deseret Morning NewsAmerican Fork's The Meadows is a work in progress. It already boasts numerous big-box and other stores and restaurants and a movie theater. The bad part, Harvey said, is the development has brought more traffic to the area.
"Increased growth never pays for itself," Harvey said.
Other shoppers at The Meadows expressed the same sentiment, that convenience is good but traffic is bad. Some said they don't mind driving farther to deal with less crowding.
"I don't mind driving 15 minutes to shop with less people," said Chris Lee of Provo. Lee said he drives to American Fork or Springville to shop at Wal-Mart because it is not as busy as the Wal-Mart in Orem.
Lee said he appreciates growing cities, but he doesn't like overcrowding and big developments.
"It's kind of like a necessary evil," Lee said. "People need a place to shop."
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  #46  
Old Posted Oct 25, 2006, 1:11 PM
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Aging SCERA gaining new luster

5-year-plan aims to turn building into a state-of-the-art facility

By Sara Israelsen
Deseret Morning News
OREM — At 73 years old, the SCERA theater is getting a makeover.
Eric Mansfield works to remove seats from the SCERA theater as part of a project to renovate the landmark using a $1 million donation from Xango. The five-week face-lift began this past week as construction crews ripped out theater seats, tore up carpet and prepped the walls, said SCERA President and CEO Adam Robertson. The seats are now gone, allowing construction workers access to the floor, which will be sandblasted and finished, then carpeted in some areas.
By Thanksgiving, the Xango Grand Theater should be ready for holiday movies.
"Basically, it's everything we have right now, only all brand new," Robertson said.
It is the first step in converting the old building into a state-of-the-art home for plays, movies, concerts and art programs.
"We have a five-year plan for the theater, and this first year is just to take everything we have now and make it brand new," Robertson said. "Next year, we start upgrading the theatrical side of things."
The face-lift is made possible by a $1 million gift from Xango, a Lehi-based company that markets juice made from the mangosteen fruit.
"We're thrilled that we've been able to help bolster and ensure that they have a long-term future," Xango spokesman Bob Freeze said. "Our hope was also that a commitment like this would spur others to get involved and support SCERA as well."
The five-year, $1 million commitment is doled out in chunks each year, and once the theater is up to par, Robertson said, SCERA executives will use the money to update other areas and improve some of the current art, music and drama programs.
Robertson is also hopeful that they will be able to apply for and receive funds generated by the CARE tax — a one-tenth-of-1-percent sales-tax increase approved by voters last November. The tax was projected to generate $1.6 million a year for cultural arts and recreation.
Orem city recently reviewed a feasibility study about how funds could be used, but no plans or promises have been made yet.
With renovations, the SCERA is sponsoring an "adopt-a-chair" program that allows interested community members to contribute $250 for a theater chair that would have a small name plaque. For more information, call 225-2569.
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  #47  
Old Posted Oct 25, 2006, 3:29 PM
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Geneva site plan offers shops, hub

By Sara Israelsen
Deseret Morning News
VINEYARD — The land west of I-15 near Orem may not look like much right now, but in a few years, the former Geneva Steel site may be home to shops, homes and even a commuter hub.
Deseret Morning News graphic

Vineyard town and Anderson Geneva Development Inc. are looking at potential uses for the 1,700 acres of lake front property, but there won't be any signs of life for a while, at least not until the large plot of land goes through an environmental cleanup.
Geneva Steel opened in 1944 and finally closed its doors in 2001. The main smoke stacks were demolished in 2005, and piece by piece the plant is being dismantled and shipped to China.
The area is still zoned industrial, although Anderson Geneva Development Inc. may apply for rezones to allow residential, retail and even light industrial firms in the area.
The group is hoping to have some commercial space available by mid-2007 said Dennis Astill, project manager and attorney for Anderson Geneva Development.
Vineyard is waiting for the cleanup process to be complete before addressing development specifics, said Bruce Parker, principal consultant for Planning and Development Services of Vineyard.
In the meantime, Vineyard also is looking at transportation options, with the possibility of an intermodal hub or commuter rail station hub in the middle of the town.
"There's a portion of the track where both our light rail line and our commuter rail line meet up in Vineyard, creating an opportunity ... for a hub of sorts," said UTA spokesman Justin Jones.
Specifics are still up in the air because most everything is on hold until Utah's Department of Environmental Quality finishes testing, evaluating and cleaning up what they call "hot spots" of past contamination on the former factory land.
State officials have estimated that within a decade most environmental cleanup will be done and homes will be built at the site.
document.writeln(AAMB6); var bnum=new Number(Math.floor(99999999 * Math.random())+1); document.write(''); With those projections, Vineyard wants to ensure it is ready for a population boom.
The Town and Planning Council each recently met with a planning facilitator to discuss the qualities of the agricultural town and how to preserve those in the midst of growth.
The town's vision statement lays out its desire to have "rural living in a well-planned, independent municipality," and a desire to preserve open space, broaden the tax base and have adequate access in and around the community.




E-mail: sisraelsen@desnews.com
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  #48  
Old Posted Oct 25, 2006, 8:19 PM
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Updates from around the state.

Projects from around the state:

Salt Lake City – The UTAH SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION and UTAH VALLEY STATE COLLEGE have agreed on a blueprint to prepare UVSC for university status. The plan includes building a new library, increasing full-time faculty numbers and developing graduate programs.


Brian Head - With the Brian Head Town Council’s blessing in the form of a $3.7 million special improvement district, roadway and utility work for the Summit at Brian Head Resort complex has begun.
The project is one of four developments in the pipeline for the community. “At total build out, we’ll more than double the size of Brian Head,” said Mayor “Dutch” Deutschlander. Most of the town’s housing units are second homes, with about 50 of the existing 1,000 units occupied by full-time residents. The Lofts, Black Diamond and White Bear are the other three condo projects. The Summit is the largest at 42 acres with 420 condos, 34 town homes and a clubhouse.
Sales, which are targeted to people in the Las Vegas area, are scheduled to begin this fall, with a groundbreaking next spring. The first units should be ready for occupation by late fall of 2007.
While Brian Head is the closest ski area to Las Vegas and draws many of its winter visitors from Nevada, it’s also become a year-round recreational destination for hikers, mountain bikers and ATV enthusiasts.
The town council awarded Feller Enterprises of St. George and M-13 Construction of Springville the contracts to construct and manage the Summit’s infrastructure. Ray Gardner of Gardner Partnership Architects of Cedar City is the project architect and Stantec will be the civil engineer.


Snowbird - A 600-foot tunnel connecting Peruvian Gulch and Mineral Basin in Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort saw the light Aug. 16 as excavators punched through the tunnel exit. The tunnel, the first of its kind in North America, will carry skiers from one side of the mountain to the other on a conveyer belt similar to those in airports.
Skiers will catch a new high-speed quad lift from the base to the tunnel entrance on the Peruvian Gulch side. Then, without removing their skis or snowboards, they’ll travel through the lighted tunnel on the conveyer in about four minutes. Once on the other side, they’ll be able to access the Mineral Basin Express or head down Mt. Baldy.
In Utah, the number of skier days has increased by 29 percent during the past three years, and long lines for the tram to Hidden Peak spurred the improvements at the resort.
“We wanted to give our existing customers a better experience at Snowbird,” without adding a lift or tram on the ridgeline because of aesthetics and concerns about wind shear, says Snowbird President Bob Bonar. Ski tunnels are common in Europe, although they don’t often have the “magic carpet” conveyer, so Snowbird adapted the idea.
The $650,000 project was approved a year ago, and work began Aug. 17, 2005. The chairlift adds $5.6 million to the project, which is expected to be complete by the beginning of ski season.
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Old Posted Oct 25, 2006, 8:37 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SmilingBob
Projects from around the state:

Snowbird - A 600-foot tunnel connecting Peruvian Gulch and Mineral Basin in Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort saw the light Aug. 16 as excavators punched through the tunnel exit. The tunnel, the first of its kind in North America, will carry skiers from one side of the mountain to the other on a conveyer belt similar to those in airports.
Skiers will catch a new high-speed quad lift from the base to the tunnel entrance on the Peruvian Gulch side. Then, without removing their skis or snowboards, they’ll travel through the lighted tunnel on the conveyer in about four minutes. Once on the other side, they’ll be able to access the Mineral Basin Express or head down Mt. Baldy.
In Utah, the number of skier days has increased by 29 percent during the past three years, and long lines for the tram to Hidden Peak spurred the improvements at the resort.
“We wanted to give our existing customers a better experience at Snowbird,” without adding a lift or tram on the ridgeline because of aesthetics and concerns about wind shear, says Snowbird President Bob Bonar. Ski tunnels are common in Europe, although they don’t often have the “magic carpet” conveyer, so Snowbird adapted the idea.
The $650,000 project was approved a year ago, and work began Aug. 17, 2005. The chairlift adds $5.6 million to the project, which is expected to be complete by the beginning of ski season.
I can't wait to make my first trip through this tunnel!!
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Old Posted Oct 25, 2006, 9:02 PM
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oh yea! I can't wait until they start construction In P.G.!!!!
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  #51  
Old Posted Oct 25, 2006, 11:35 PM
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I remember that back in 96 or 97 there was a proposal for a 13 story building that was to go up on the North end of Provo's downtown. Does anyone know what happened to it?
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Old Posted Oct 25, 2006, 11:59 PM
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StevenF,

There has been a huge amount of construction on Provo's north end along University Ave and the river-bottoms. A lot of mixed use development,McMansions, "and I mean Big Mansions." The tower you're talking about would be at the mouth of Provo Canyon. While there are new multi-level office towers going up there,I seem to remember a ruling against anything over a certain height. We ought to look into it .
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Old Posted Oct 26, 2006, 12:23 AM
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Here is the Project I was talking about. Though not as tall as it appeared from a glance nevertheless big. It's called Alpine Village it's located @ 1340 N. Freedom Blvd. in Provo (I am not familiar with provo so not dure where that is) There will be 4 different buildings not sure on total count yet. The permit is in the City for building "A"
Building B
Building C
Building D
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  #54  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2006, 12:23 AM
davericard davericard is offline
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Here is the Project I was talking about. Though not as tall as it appeared from a glance nevertheless big. It's called Alpine Village it's located @ 1340 N. Freedom Blvd. in Provo (I am not familiar with provo so not dure where that is) There will be 4 different buildings not sure on total count yet. The permit is in the City for building "A"
Building B
Building C
Building D
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  #55  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2006, 1:53 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by delts145
StevenF,

There has been a huge amount of construction on Provo's north end along University Ave and the river-bottoms. A lot of mixed use development,McMansions, "and I mean Big Mansions." The tower you're talking about would be at the mouth of Provo Canyon. While there are new multi-level office towers going up there,I seem to remember a ruling against anything over a certain height. We ought to look into it .
I had a paper route from 93-97 and I would read anything and everything that would pertain to construction aspecially if it was about a new skyscraper. I am not sure of the exact year but there was a special edition in the paper at the end of one year that was on construction. I remember it mentioning the Salt Lake airport, I-15 reconstruction and had the article on the building in Provo. I believe it was a block or two just behind the marriot and at one time there was even a sign with a rendering of it. I believe it was white with a little red in it.
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  #56  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2006, 7:40 AM
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Davericard, this is going to be student housing for BYU. I believe that there will be in the area of 200 units total
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  #57  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2006, 10:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Wasatch_One
Davericard, this is going to be student housing for BYU. I believe that there will be in the area of 200 units total
WasatchOne,

Have you seen a billboard around the site? The rendering seems to be borrowing off of the Old Academy theme,which is very attractive. I'm just wondering what kind of materials there going to use for the exterior finish. I hope not too much stucco. Also, would that location be where the old Reams grocery store use to be and also taking in some of that old single story medical plaza along University that they tore down?
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  #58  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2006, 10:16 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StevenF
I had a paper route from 93-97 and I would read anything and everything that would pertain to construction aspecially if it was about a new skyscraper. I am not sure of the exact year but there was a special edition in the paper at the end of one year that was on construction. I remember it mentioning the Salt Lake airport, I-15 reconstruction and had the article on the building in Provo. I believe it was a block or two just behind the marriot and at one time there was even a sign with a rendering of it. I believe it was white with a little red in it.
Now you have me really curious. I'll see if I can find out any info on it.
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  #59  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2006, 11:17 AM
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Highland backs rec center by Lone Peak

HIGHLAND — City Council members voted Tuesday to support using city-owned land adjacent to Lone Peak High School for a possible recreation center for public use.
The council stopped short of guaranteeing cooperation with Alpine School District on the funding of the project if plans for a recreation center on the site fall through.
Alpine District has proposed adding to the high school's gym facility as part of a $230 million bond that will be voted on Nov. 7. If the bond is approved, the district would likely add the gym sometime between 2007 to 2011.
Alpine, Cedar Hills and Highland may help pay for the gym as part of plans to form a tri-city recreation center. If the cities and Alpine School District work together on the project, the facility would be open for public use. If plans for the center fall through, the district plans to expand their gym for school use only. The deal is still in early stages.
All three cities expect to have a feasibility study on the project completed by early 2007.
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  #60  
Old Posted Oct 26, 2006, 12:31 PM
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A mighty monarch once reigned over Timpanogos.

This article is a little bit of a departure from our love of buildings, but somehow I thought that there are a lot of us who have an equal love of our architectural landscape design, whether natural or man-made.

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D. ROBERT CARTER -
A royal branch of the family abies concolor ruled over a section of the Wasatch Mountains for more than three and a half centuries. Approximately 25 years after Spanish conquistador Francisco Coronado began his search for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold, a young seedling prince germinated on a promontory overlooking a beautiful glacial-worn canyon on the east side of the mountain we now call Timpanogos.

When the Pilgrims landed near Plymouth Rock in 1620, this princely white fir, or white balsam, was likely 6 or 7 inches in diameter. The tree continued to grow for more than 300 years.

When workers constructed the Alpine Loop Road connecting Provo and American Fork canyons in the 1920s, the majestic monarch stood 110 feet tall and measured 20 feet in circumference. He towered above a ridge about a half mile beyond Aspen Grove and only a few feet from the newly constructed narrow, dirt lane.

King of the hill

Woodsmen and others certainly knew of the Monarch of Timpanogos, but it wasn't until 1923 that the giant tree received recognition for its size and uniqueness. During the summer of that year, Henry C. Cowles, a renown ecologist from the University of Chicago, taught classes during BYU's summer school at Aspen Grove.

While guiding his students on a field trip one balmy July day, Cowles noticed the giant balsam for the first time. After a close inspection of this king of the forest, Cowles took off his hat and pronounced it to be "the most magnificent fir in all the world."

Fallen, rotting trees surrounded the monarch showing that it had once been in a grove of fir trees, but it had outlived them all. Cowles believed that the tree might be the oldest of its species in existence. The fir had achieved extraordinary size for being located in the heart of the Rockies.

In 1923, Brigham Young University professor Walter Cottam wrote to the National American Forest Association and nominated the fir to the National Tree Hall of Fame. The association accepted the nomination, and the fir became Utah's only tree to be listed on the register. The monarch joined the ranks of such famous trees as the Washington Elm, the tree under which George Washington took command of the colonial army.

As Cottam studied the fir in more detail, he became deeply attached to it, and ascribed to it human qualities. Cottam believed that in its youth, the tree had reigned as the Apollo of firs. He viewed it in the 1920s as being an aging warrior, tenacious of life.

Clinging to life

During its long lifetime, the tree had suffered many tribulations. From his studies, Cottam deduced that when the tree was approximately 300 years old, lightning had stuck its uppermost branches, destroying the tree's symmetry, but not its life.

Cottam also postulated that it was about 1815 when a fire scarred the base of the tree. The flames could not destroy the monarch, but they did expose its Achilles' heel. The burned areas around the base of the tree became susceptible to fungi, which led to rot inside of the fir.

Beetles also attacked the tree, making some of its branches dry and brittle.

Still, the tree clung to life, although it grew extremely slowly for the next 100 years after the fire. Cottam developed the impression that the tree might be saying, "My adversaries if they be strong, may shatter my crown or break my arms, but never shall they bend my upright position while life lasts."

15 minutes of fame

As the old tree gained in fame, students and tourists beat a path through a grove of aspen trees to the monarch's base. Photographers snapped its image. Painters daubed its likeness on canvas. However, the fir's newfound fame did not last long.

On April 26, 1930, a group of BYU students wandered through the woods near the Aspen Grove campus on an early spring hike.

Orlin Biddulph discovered a scene that later sent a twinge of sadness through the hearts of Utah Valley conservationists. At some unknown time, a strong blast of wind from the south had toppled the monarch and sent him plunging to the comforting lap of Mother Earth. News of the well-known tree's demise made the front page of the Evening Herald and the Deseret News.

After hearing the sad tidings, Cottam made plans to visit the fallen giant. Two days later, he and a group of his advanced students climbed to the side of the huge fir, and like a committee of pathologists, they studied his death.

Ironically, their findings showed that the Monarch had died just as the warmth of spring heralded new life. Its branches were buried deep in the thawed earth's mud and rock.

When they cut a cross-section from the tree, the botanists found that fungi had hollowed the first 23 feet of the fir's body.

At a distance that would have measured 23 feet above ground level, the group cut out a section of the trunk. At this point, the fir measured 5 1/2 feet in diameter.

In the cross-section, the group counted 315 rings. If one allowed 50 years for the tree to reach a height of 23 feet, the fir would have lived for 365 years.

Cottam planned to take the cross-section back to BYU campus, sand it, polish it and preserve the huge slab in the school's museum.

A funeral fit for a king

One night during the summer of 1930, a group of BYU summer school students visited the broken body of the dead tree and held a memorial service. Using splinters and broken limbs from the deceased, they lighted a funeral bier. One of the mourners then recapped the life history of the monarch.

The words of Cottam summarized the conclusion of the memorial service and revealed his deep respect for the fallen fir and all of nature.

Cottam wrote: "Appropriate songs echoed from the cliffs high upon the face of grand Timpanogos, where spruce and balsam still murmur their solemn requiem. A mighty monarch lay dead."
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