Provo MSA Development Thread

[delts145]

CEDAR HILLS — Cedar Hills will have a public hearing at 7 p.m. on Thursday to receive input on a proposed Wal-Mart.
The hearing will be at Cedar Hills' public safety building, at 3925 W. Cedar Hills Drive.
The proposed Wal-Mart would be built on the northwest corner of Redwood Drive and Cedar Hills Drive.
According to preliminary site plans for the project, the building is proposed to be 132,890 square feet. Three other empty lots surround the proposed store, where other retail centers are in the early stages of planning.
According to city code, the store's hours of operation and whether the store will sell alcohol are yet to be determined.

[delts145]

HIGHLAND — After the sun goes down on state Route 92 in Highland, the highway starts to look a lot more like a dark country road than a potential light-rail passageway.


Deseret Morning News graphic

But thinking 30 years in the future, Highland Mayor Jay Franson says a TRAX line or rapid-bus transit route along the road might become a necessity, and if so, he wants to start talking about it today.
"I can even look at myself in the mirror and go, 'Are you crazy? Light rail in north Utah County?"' Franson said as he talked to City Council members about the idea at a meeting last week. "But when I think about 25 years in the future, I go, 'No, this is something we need to do in terms of planning, particularly while the corridor's there."'
Franson suggested that the city discuss with Utah's Department of Transportation the possibility of preserving a right-of-way along S.R. 92 to facilitate a light rail or bus-rapid transit system in the future.
"I think we ought to get that in the planning process that's going to be going forward on S.R. 92," Franson said. "It's just something we need to address sooner rather than later."
UDOT already has plans to examine S.R. 92 in a road-widening environmental impact study that should be completed by early next year. In an effort to gather public feedback on how residents think UDOT should improve the road — which is also known as Micron Road— the organization will host a public meeting in February.
"If requests are made for transit or bike lanes, you have to throw all of that into the mix," said UDOT Region 3 spokesman Geoff Dupaix. "That's the purpose of the study, to look at those options and see if they're viable."
Dupaix said the environmental-impact study will determine how wide the road should be, but it will have a minimum of five lanes for the section that is most heavily traveled.
For the most part, S.R. 92 is a two-lane road. It runs through Lehi, Highland and Cedar Hills and is a primary route for residents travelling to I-15.
The road also winds into American Fork Canyon, where it turns into the Alpine Loop. It ends at S.R. 189 in Provo Canyon.
According to Dupaix, $20 million has been set aside for the project, which is enough to go ahead with the environmental-impact study and subsequent designs for improvement. The cost of the road repairs is yet to be determined, but Dupaix said the road will probably be under construction by 2009.
Whether UDOT will also consider reserving more space for a bus-rapid transit system or light rail remains to be seen.
The Mountainland Association of Government's transportation planning arm typically studies traffic patterns in Utah County before making recommendations to UDOT.
While planning for future transit is an important focus for the organization, the cost of transit projects weighs heavily against the predicted need in each area.
"Light rail costs $35 million a mile," said Chad Eccles, MAG transportation planner. "You start asking yourself if the best use of that $35 million a mile is to run TRAX out to Highland."
Eccles said that the organization isn't looking at the area as a potential light rail or rapid bus route, but the potential is there.
Open house Feb. 22

What: UDOT open house for S.R. 92 widening project
When: Feb. 22, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Where: IM Flash Technologies, LLC office, at 1550 E. 3400 North, Lehi

[delts145]

corporate offices, Provo

By Dina Bass
Bloomberg News
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world's largest retailer, chose Novell Inc.'s Linux software for some of its computer networks in an agreement attributed to Novell's recent alliance with Microsoft Corp.
Wal-Mart signed a contract with Microsoft and Novell, based in Waltham, Mass., to use Novell's version of Linux for some its networks, Chief Technology Officer Nancy Stewart said Monday in an interview. Terms weren't disclosed.
Wal-Mart, already a software customer of Microsoft, based in Redmond, Wash., chose Novell "because of my relationship with Microsoft," Stewart said.
Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, and Novell, the second-biggest seller of Linux software, agreed in November to make their programs compatible in corporate-server networks.
Since then, Microsoft has announced agreements to supply Novell's Linux software to Deutsche Bank AG, Credit Suisse and AIG Technologies Inc.
Shares of Novell, which has about one-third of its work force in Provo, rose 19 cents to close at $7 Tuesday on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Microsoft rose 2 cents to $30.74. Wal-Mart fell 15 cents to $47.81 in New York Stock Exchange composite trading.
Microsoft and Novell have been competitors for most of their history, and Microsoft paid Novell $536 million in 2004 to settle an antitrust lawsuit. Microsoft also has spent billions of dollars to improve its Windows server software, partially to fend off the threat of Linux. The new collaboration may give Novell an advantage over Red Hat Inc., the top Linux seller.
"While there are people in the Linux community that were upset about the relationship, there are certainly big enterprises that feel more confident using Linux now that they see a partnership with Microsoft," said Brendan Barnicle, an analyst at Pacific Crest Securities in Portland, Ore., who rates Novell "sector perform."
The relationship is helped by the fact that Microsoft Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner previously worked for Wal-Mart as chief information officer and later ran the company's Sam's Club warehouse-store division.
Wal-Mart, which currently uses some Linux software from Red Hat, also considered products from International Business Machines Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Dell Inc. before choosing Microsoft and Novell, Stewart said.
Wal-Mart was concerned about legal liability in expanding its use of Linux, which is built on freely distributed code, Stewart said. The agreement between Microsoft and Novell, which included a clause saying that the two wouldn't sue each other over Linux, helped alleviate that concern, she said.
As part of the November deal, Microsoft is paying Novell $240 million for licenses to use Novell's version of Linux, Suse, which Microsoft will distribute to customers such as Wal-Mart. The revenue from the Wal-Mart agreement is part of that $240 million, said Susan Heystee, a Novell general manager who oversees the Microsoft business.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by delts145

corporate offices, Provo

I like that building in Provo. Too bad it wasn't built more downtown. But still it adds to the skyline. ( kind of )

[newkidontheblock]

A little blurb in the SL Tribune about a couple of 8 story 140 foot buildings to be built in Orem
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_5086552

[SLC Projects]

I love how Orem has been starting to build UP these past few years with midtown village and soon with this new project "North Pointe"
Way a Orem city for having the balls to build taller buildings.

[SmilingBob]

Originally Posted by newkidontheblock

A little blurb in the SL Tribune about a couple of 8 story 140 foot buildings to be built in Orem
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_5086552

New high rises set for Orem
By Todd Hollingshead
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 01/25/2007 02:18:44 PM MST

Posted: 2:19 PM- OREM - Another set of high-rise buildings is on its way to Orem.
The Orem City Council this week rezoned five acres just east of the 1600 North exit for a new business complex that will feature two eight-story, 140-foot tall buildings.
The North Pointe Plaza will join Orem's Midtown Village as the only two high-rise complexes in Utah County's second largest city.
"You're going to know when you're in Orem," said City Councilman Mark Seastrand. "Some twin towers are going up."

This is between the Exxon and Holiday oil gas stations, next to the Leavitt Insurance Building.

[Happy Valley Freak]

is there n e were I can find some renderings?

[Wasatch_One]

Smiling Bob found some renderings a few months back... do you remember who the developer was Bob? (their website)

...as for this project... yeah, its cool that Orem is getting some taller buildings, but the city council needs to consolidate this high rise building trend.

Midtown and North Pointe are probably 3 miles apart. Orem needs to build their core up around State St and Center St (Midtown is doing better at achieving this than the North Pointe development is)

[jedikermit]

You're right...there's too much sprawl, not enough consolidation...and it kills me that they call these 8-story things "high rises." GAH!

Still, glad they're getting built, I suppose.

[delts145]

I'm hoping that whole Midtown Village style in Orem catches on in that immediate vicinity. I would like to see more of the same up and down State Street in Orem.

[Wasatch_One]

^^ ya know, I would almost rather not have this development built (North Pointe), at least in its current proposed location.

I feel the same way about the Gehery project. EVEN HERE ON AN URBANIST BOARD, people still arent seeing these projects for what they really are... something we urban nerds should abhor...

spraaaaaaawl

[delts145]

By Amy Choate-Nielsen
Deseret Morning News
PROVO — After three years of looking for funding and firm commitments, the Utah Lake Commission is on the verge of receiving a legislative stamp of approval.


Stuart Johnson, Deseret Morning News
Snow covers a frozen Utah Lake, which is the focus of a legislative bill.

Rep. Steve Clark, R-Provo, is sponsoring a bill that will allow the Department of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Quality and Central Utah Water Conservancy District to participate and vote in the commission — and pay about $105,000 annually to do so.
The state governmental agencies will join other Utah County cities that border the lake and are willing to commit funds to the commission. Because the commission's purpose will be to give educated advice toward developing and restoring the lake, Clark says he thinks the bill won't have any opposition.
"I don't see any problem up here with (the bill) not passing," Clark said. "People need to understand that we are not taking over the authority of the lake. There are people with property rights and water rights and they may think that this group is going to come in and start dictating what they can do with their property or their water. That is not the responsibility or the mission of this commission. This is a recommendation commission."
Clark's bill says the purpose for the commission is to "manage Utah Lake's shoreline, encourage and promote multiple uses of Utah Lake, conserve and protect Utah Lake's natural resources, maintain and develop recreation access to Utah Lake and monitor and promote responsible economic development activities around the lake."
But when Clark envisions the effects a successful Utah Lake Commission will have on the lake, he says he sees pristine water in a setting that looks as it did decades ago before all of the carp came.
"I would like to see (Utah Lake) restored to its clean, clear state," Clark said. "The carp are the biggest problem here. We've gone back in history to see what the lake was like before we were overrun with carp, and it was clear. It had vegetation, lily pads — it was a beautiful, clean, clear lake."
The Department of Natural Resources has already started a project, the June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program, to remove the carp from the lake.
So far, Orem, Springville, American Fork and Genola have signed resolutions to participate in the commission. Lehi, Lindon, Provo, Saratoga Springs, Vineyard and Utah County are also expected to join.
In recent county meetings, Utah County Commissioners Gary Anderson and Steve White raised concerns that the county representatives will only have one vote, while the state will have several.
"I'm probably the stick in the mud ... but we're working that through," Anderson said. "We want everybody to understand that even though we're holding up the process, it's long overdue and we're supportive of (the lake commission). We have some representation concerns and I think we can work things out, but we do have some concerns."
Provo Mayor Lewis Billings said that some cities may be hesitant to commit to the commission until they see what happens with the Legislature, but he is confident that Provo will eventually sign a resolution to participate.
"One of the comments of the (Provo City) Council was, 'Why wouldn't we do this?' and I think they're right," Billings said. "That's probably the right perspective. So I believe we'll have our people in place the first week in February."

[delts145]

Conceptual approval follows 4-hour hearing

By Rosalie Westenskow
Deseret Morning News
CEDAR HILLS — The city planning commission gave conceptual approval for a proposed Wal-mart supercenter Thursday night following a four-hour public hearing.


Deseret Morning News graphic

The move is an indication the project will get the go-ahead, but planning commissioners are recommending a few modifications be made before they pass it on to the City Council for final consideration.
Residents who packed the public hearing voiced a mixture of opposition and support for the store.
It's the second time the retailer has approached the city. The City Council rejected the original application in 2003 in the wake of strong protests from city residents. The company's new plan is for a 131,946-square-foot super center that would sit between Riverwood Drive and 4800 West on Cedar Hills Drive. The size is 30,000 square feet smaller than the building proposed in 2003.
Despite the decrease in size, several of the residents who spoke at the hearing said they want an even smaller store.
"My biggest concern is the size," Gary Hilton said. "I wonder why we always have to supersize things."
Although Hilton said he likes the savings Wal-Mart provides, he cautioned the commission against a purely economic decision.
"Don't sell out on something that will decrease our value of life just to save money," he said.
Others raised concerns about increased traffic on nearby roads, particularly 4800 West, and the safety of students at Lone Peak High School, which lies across the street from the proposed Wal-Mart location.
"I am here as a concerned father of a student at Lone Peak High School," said Steve King, a Highland resident. "(Traffic is) a concern to me, having my son travel on (4800 West) to and from school."
Wal-Mart's Sunday operations also created worries for those who believe the structure would ruin the area's ambience.
"Does Utah really need a Wal-Mart in every single town?" Wendy Gage asked. "Most people bought their homes (in Cedar Hills) for the mountain views, lake views and close-knit community. Not for a glowing Wal-Mart view."
Wal-Mart has attempted to create a community-oriented design for the building, said Shell MacPherson from Pacland, the development company that created the plans.
"Wal-Mart has listened to the community and responded," he said.
The structure would be one-of-a-kind, with an unusually large plaza in front, large trees and architecture designed to blend in with the community.

[SLC Projects]

You guys bring up a good point about how far apart "Midtown" and "North Point" are from one another. I agree that these two projects should of been built closer together to give Orem city it's core. But I do believe there will be more projects like Midtown with 8-stories buildings to be build on state street near Midtown in the near future.

[delts145]

I hadn't seen anything lately on Deseret Towers. I ran across this by accident on Google,under Salt Lake Library/rooftop garden.????
Anyway, these pics are from Dec. 30th.

[SLC Projects]

What a mess.

But what is going to get build there again? I forgot.

[delts145]

I was just thinking the same thing. I wonder if Wasatch has a rendering of whats going to replace the tower's? Given what BYU has been doing lately with it's replacements, it will definately look a lot better than the current Deseret Towers.

[Wasatch_One]

...from what I understand, Deseret Towers will be torn down and nothing is slated yet for their current location.

However, a massive 5000 student housing complex of 5 and 6 story buildings will be going up on 8th north and 4th east (just south of the BYU campus)... this is what will replace Deseret Towers. Classrooms may be built where Deseret Towers are being demolished.

Renderings of the new complex are at architecturalnexus.com

[DevdogAZ]

Originally Posted by Wasatch_One

...from what I understand, Deseret Towers will be torn down and nothing is slated yet for their current location.

However, a massive 5000 student housing complex of 5 and 6 story buildings will be going up on 8th north and 4th east (just south of the BYU campus)... this is what will replace Deseret Towers. Classrooms may be built where Deseret Towers are being demolished.

Renderings of the new complex are at architecturalnexus.com

According to this blurb from that website:

Architectural Nexus was recently awarded the design of phase 1 for the Brigham Young University New Student Housing along 800 North which is currently in schematic design. Architectural Nexus also completed the initial program and master plan for the 3 different housing complexes at Brigham Young University including the replacement of Heritage Halls Housing, Deseret Towers Housing, and new student housing identified as 800 North. The Heritage/Deseret Towers complex will comprise 3000 beds and 1,213,884 G.S.F. The 800 North complex will comprise 1000 beds and will be 645,306 G.S.F.

it appears that there will be housing built on the DT/Heritage Halls site to replace what's being torn down and that the site on 8th North is something different. Is the 8th North site at the location of Joaquin Elementary? I know there has been discussion for a long time about turning that site into a multi-use housing/retail/entertainment district because of it's close proximity to campus. However, I wasn't aware that BYU had purchased it.

Edit: I just remembered that Joaquin is between 5th and 6th North and between 6th and 7th East, so this would not be the same complex. So does anyone know anything about the proposal for the Joaquin site?