Salt Lake:Official development news thread - Part 2 - Page 489

SLC Projects · #**9761** Posted: **Apr 10, 2012, 8:01 AM**

I wouldnt mind seeing a Ritz hotel or some other hotel that size develop, but that area is a bad spot. Maybe somewhere on west temple.

Comrade Reynolds · #**9762** Posted: **Apr 10, 2012, 10:02 AM**

That is insane. I mean, really, really, really insane. I'm trying to imagine how it would look and I don't think my brain could comprehend a development of that size right in the heart of downtown.

I can only guess, if this is real (and the sheer magnitude of it makes me doubt this), the south entrance would be integrated into a mid-block street development where those office buildings both front Main & the potential U street. That would be the only way to not have it look absolutely out of place, since the structure doesn't actually start until mid-block and that much empty space, essentially right in the middle of downtown, would look awful.

Bob The Builder · #**9763** Posted: **Apr 10, 2012, 1:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Comrade Reynolds

That is insane. I mean, really, really, really insane. I'm trying to imagine how it would look and I don't think my brain could comprehend a development of that size right in the heart of downtown.

I can only guess, if this is real (and the sheer magnitude of it makes me doubt this), the south entrance would be integrated into a mid-block street development where those office buildings both front Main & the potential U street. That would be the only way to not have it look absolutely out of place, since the structure doesn't actually start until mid-block and that much empty space, essentially right in the middle of downtown, would look awful.

I agree that it is a lot of wasted space on the south side of the block. I suppose they could place more buildings and fill-in along the south side of the block, heck they could/should have had the south entrance run through the middle of the block. From what I understand the idea was to have more 'Green Space' down town. These buidlings where to all have a 'Classic Look' like the Walker Building, being white stone (similar to Grand America). I like it except for the opening/space on the south side of the block.

Future Mayor · #**9764** Posted: **Apr 10, 2012, 2:55 PM**

I gotta say, I'm also doubting the validity of this project, and that is was even proposed. Several reasons I ever doubt it was proposed.
One: as JTrent pointed out, the Des News only decided to move a short time ago
Two: The economy was in the crapper the entire time City Creek Center was being built and I don't see a project like this being proposed while the economy is in the crapper.
Three: Federal Building, Lambs Grill Building, Tribune Tower, Historic buildings that would have to be purchased that CCRI or PRI, had no control over, Federal Reserve bank building, also a building PRI has no control over.
Four: Promised Valley Playhouse facade - the LDS church spent a lot of money keeping that facade in place when they built offices and a parking garage behind it.
Five: I'm sure Boyer would have come up with a design proposal that looks a little better than square boxes that looks like it was created in MS Paint.

Sounds a lot like the Green Bro "inside information about a fortune 500 company moving to town and building a new tower" that his this thread a couple of years back. I don't buy it for a second.

UTPlanner · #**9765** Posted: **Apr 10, 2012, 3:16 PM**

Just an FYI-- the proposed Brunswick Apartments will not be adjacent to the buildings proposed by La Porte Group. Brunswick is proposed on the east side of 200 East between the Woodruff Building and the mortuary.

Old&New · #**9766** Posted: **Apr 10, 2012, 3:43 PM**

I think the discussion was about this project being in the same vicinity as the La Porte Group, which would help the retail portion of the La Porte Group project. I think someone was also mentioning that if the new mid-block connection, that is part of the La Porte Group's project, were to be extended to 200 East, then the Brunswick Apartments would have a direct connection all the way through two blocks to Main Street.

Future Mayor · #**9767** Posted: **Apr 10, 2012, 5:04 PM**

That's how I read it also. It would be a good book end a block to the east.

Orlando · #**9768** Posted: **Apr 10, 2012, 7:16 PM**

Ya, that proposal looks like a fake. No smart architect or developer would propose some mirrored proposal like that. Not only that, but the document looks very fake, too. This looks very amateurish, and it looks like the work of Urban Boy. Bob the Builder, who are you really?!

We're not fools on here. I'm calling it right now. That proposal is a fake. And, Bob the Builder is a fake.

Future Mayor · #**9769** Posted: **Apr 10, 2012, 7:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orlando

Ya, that proposal looks like a fake. No smart architect or developer would propose some mirrored proposal like that. Not only that, but the document looks very fake, too. This looks very amateurish, and it looks like the work of Urban Boy. Bob the Builder, who are you really?!

We're not fools on here. I'm calling it right now. That proposal is a fake. And, Bob the Builder is a fake.

I gotta say Urban Boys proposals were always much more thought out and designed much better than this one by Bob The Builder. I think BTB is Green Bro.

goldcntry · #**9770** Posted: **Apr 10, 2012, 9:10 PM**

Yah... as much as UrbanBoy and I would butt heads, his ad hoc designs were almost always top-notch. If it was legit, someone should've been fired for it.

Bob The Builder · #**9771** Posted: **Apr 10, 2012, 9:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

I gotta say Urban Boys proposals were always much more thought out and designed much better than this one by Bob The Builder. I think BTB is Green Bro.

Believe it. It was real. This was in files of one of largest construction companies that I worked for. I am now a project manager for a construction company here in Utah.
The D News had plans to moved long before they did, but didn't want to leave the building empty. There was originally talk of just building a new hotel where the Marriott is located at City Creek, but then it spurred into placing it on this block to the south and placing another department store where the Marriott is now.
As many of you said, the current property owners already have plans for this block. None of them where willing to consider selling, thus it died at a concept.

Future Mayor · #**9772** Posted: **Apr 10, 2012, 9:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob The Builder

As many of you said, the current property owners already have plans for this block. None of them where willing to consider selling, thus it died at a concept.

Thank goodness, because that is the worst proposal I've EVER seen on here.

chad.farnes · #**9773** Posted: **Apr 11, 2012, 6:14 AM**

I was on CNN and just clicked a link about "six new spots for architecture lovers" (you can find it here: http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/10/travel...html?hpt=hp_c2). The Natural History Museum was one of the six featured places. Something else that surprised me was the pictures that they had featuring the places for architecture lovers. In addition to the Natural History Museum, they included a picture of Gilgal Gardens and wrote a little snip it about it in the article.

DCRes · #**9774** Posted: **Apr 11, 2012, 2:35 PM**

I noticed that the Downtown Rising website has been updated, in conjunction with the opening of City Creek, i assume. The projects list now includes the Convention Center Hotel. There is also a new "Downtown Rising Timeline". It's kind of cool to read through the timeline and remember when all these projects were announced, started and since completed.

http://www.downtownrising.com/index....jects-overview

redzeppelin · #**9775** Posted: **Apr 11, 2012, 3:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCRes

http://www.downtownrising.com/index....jects-overview

I was just over there and clicked on City Creek in the completed projects section. I had to laugh when the banner image across the top half of the page was a scene from inside the Gateway. The banner changes when you refresh the page, so it must be randomly selected.

Does anybody have recent pics of the new courthouse?

scottharding · #**9776** Posted: **Apr 11, 2012, 3:42 PM**

The skin is now being placed at the base of the courthouse. There's significant progress on the new cop shop across from the library as well.

DCRes · #**9777** Posted: **Apr 11, 2012, 5:20 PM**

I'm pretty excited that there is the potential for 3 new towers to be built in SLC in the next few years. There is the UPAC tower, the convention center hotel, and the Cascade. Of course none of these are 100% official with a design or a start date but all are likely to happen. One for commercial office space, one residential, and one hospitality.

If you were to guess the order of when these three towers will be built, what would it be?

T-Stan · #**9778** Posted: **Apr 11, 2012, 5:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DCRes

I'm pretty excited that there is the potential for 3 new towers to be built in SLC in the next few years. There is the UPAC tower, the convention center hotel, and the Cascade. Of course none of these are 100% official with a design or a start date but all are likely to happen. One for commercial office space, one residential, and one hospitality.

If you were to guess the order of when these three towers will be built, what would it be?

1. Convention Center Hotel - I think they will break ground in the next 18 months
2. UPAC Tower - Break ground in next 24 months
3. Cascade - Unless sales pick up, I don't see this happening for 5 or more years

NYC Rick · #**9779** Posted: **Apr 11, 2012, 5:41 PM**

I would imagine that the City Creek Center is going to be a real guideline as to the direction things will move.

You do not want to go out and build great towers if the need is not going to be there. SLC deserves that kind of notoriety.

However, since I read the other day that 33 percent is rented. That leaves 2/3s of the space is untented.

Forget the new buildings unless there is real fill up for all of the new CCC and downtown sites.

We would all love to see a vital downtown. Now, since everything is settling in we will see just how much the need will be demonstrated. No use in having large scale products if they will not be needed. That would be like hotels in Mexico that have 9 percent occupancy. The time will come but it has to be a proven product.

NYC Rick · #**9780** Posted: **Apr 11, 2012, 5:42 PM**

I would imagine that the City Creek Center is going to be a real guideline as to the direction things will move.

You do not want to go out and build great towers if the need is not going to be there. SLC deserves that kind of notoriety.

However, since I read the other day that 33 percent is rented. That leaves 2/3s of the space is untented.

Forget the new buildings unless there is real fill up for all of the new CCC and downtown sites.

We would all love to see a vital downtown. Now, since everything is settling in we will see just how much the need will be demonstrated. No use in having large scale products if they will not be needed. That would be like hotels in Mexico that have 9 percent occupancy. The time will come but it has to be a proven product.