Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[locolife]

Originally Posted by TheGeographer

City Creek is great for dog walking. World class. And convention centers can be great draws to downtown while not being “in the way”. Look at Denver’s

I don't consider Denver CC not in the way, it sort of off the side of the city which kind of helps. I go to Denver a lot, I never go by the CC unless I'm at an event because it's a pretty dead zone. Looks a lot like this google photo a lot. The reality is most CCs and really most stadium areas not busy areas unless an event is occurring.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.7437...8192?entry=ttu

[TheGeographer]

True that is a good point the Denver CC is off to the side compared to SLC CC. I think SLC CC will hopefully be less in the way with a revamp and getting rid of the west end of it

[delts145]

When the Salt Palace was built it acted as more of a protective wall for all points east at the time. Now with so much development and improvement west of the CC these past 23 years, it's time to rethink its massing. The CC should be reconfigured into something more like a vibrant multi-storied centerpiece for the entire downtown area. If done right we could actually end up as grateful that it's located at the center of downtown and not as a wall against I-15.

[locolife]

Originally Posted by delts145

When the Salt Palace was built it acted as more of a protective wall for all points east at the time. Now with so much development and improvement west of the CC these past 23 years, it's time to rethink its massing. The CC should be reconfigured into something more like a vibrant multi-storied centerpiece for the entire downtown area. If done right we could actually end up as grateful that it's located at the center of downtown and not as a wall against I-15.

Large conferences do not want the square footage spread over multi-stories, they want large areas or mass square footage on the same level. This is why all the biggest CCs are exactly that, they may have 2-3 levels max but they all eat up a lot of land. Chicago, LA, San Diego, Vegas, New Orleans, Phoenix. I’ve been to quite a few of these.

You either want big conventions or you don’t. Salt Palace is in a bad spot, Phoenix is too. Both create a bit of a dead space between two areas the cities have more activity in. Not too sure it can be fixed well, trying to think of any examples where it works well….

[s.p.hansen]

The massive convention space in San Francisco is in the dense area of the city and mostly underground.

[airhero]

Originally Posted by s.p.hansen

The massive convention space in San Francisco is in the dense area of the city and mostly underground.

I’m assuming that’s off the table for slc because of cost. If not, yes please put the exhibit halls underground. I’d much rather put those underground than the streets. That would absolutely help minimize the barrier effect.

[locolife]

Originally Posted by s.p.hansen

The massive convention space in San Francisco is in the dense area of the city and mostly underground.

SF spent $3.50 per foot to add 157,000 square foot to it in 2019, that's $4.28 per square foot in 2024 dollars. So if you want to "rebuild" 700,000 square feet of the Salt Palace today mostly under ground, that would push over $3billion. I'm not sure if the 2019 construction in SF was actually underground or not.

That doesn't put Salt Palace in a top 20 position of CCs by size but just reconfigures what it has now, unlikely that any additional conventions result in this type of overhaul. ROI on such a remodel doesn't seem great.

Anything is possible but where is all this money supposedly coming from?

[delts145]

Originally Posted by locolife

Large conferences do not want the square footage spread over multi-stories, they want large areas or mass square footage on the same level. This is why all the biggest CCs are exactly that, they may have 2-3 levels max but they all eat up a lot of land. Chicago, LA, San Diego, Vegas, New Orleans, Phoenix. I’ve been to quite a few of these.

You either want big conventions or you don’t. Salt Palace is in a bad spot, Phoenix is too. Both create a bit of a dead space between two areas the cities have more activity in. Not too sure it can be fixed well, trying to think of any examples where it works well….

I agree with what you're saying. I was thinking of two or three levels, not a mid-rise as far as exhibit space goes. There's plenty of room for ample 2nd level uninterrupted exhibit space on an improved two-level CC, and a newly opened up first south. I'm assuming 1st south through the CC and continuing on to the new Delta Center would be strictly pedestrian, narrower, and service vehicles only. They can stack high-rise hotels, the high-rise portions of West Quarter residential, and whatever else on top of whatever rooftop space they need at the second and third levels. Perhaps, they'll even go the extra mile and create a doable percentage of subterranean as has been done up in Park City/Deer Valley, City Creek, or Temple Square. Not all but some subterranean could be created for the many ancillary needs of smaller spaces. A lot of valuable, usable space could be put underground. Speaking of taking some valuable space underground, just look at the redo of Temple Square. I think it's a given that the LDS Church will find a way to generously donate to the cause. Decades ago they were an integral part of creating the Salt Palace in the first place and will probably donate quietly but generously as they have in the past. The potential interest and involvement of one of the biggest most stable private portfolios on the planet can't be stressed enough. We'll just have to see what materializes.

[zurich]

Originally Posted by delts145

I agree with what you're saying. I was thinking of two or three levels, not a mid-rise as far as exhibit space goes. There's plenty of room for ample 2nd level uninterrupted exhibit space on an improved two-level CC, and a newly opened up first south. I don't think it has been mentioned, but I'm assuming 1st south through the CC and continuing on to the new Delta Center would be strictly pedestrian, narrower, and service vehicles only. They can stack high-rise hotels, the high-rise portions of West Quarter residential, and whatever else on top of whatever rooftop space they need at the second and third levels. Perhaps, they'll even go the extra mile and create a doable percentage of subterranean as has been done up in Park City/Deer Valley, City Creek, or Temple Square. Not all but some subterranean could be created for the many ancillary needs of smaller spaces. A lot of valuable, usable space could be put underground. Speaking of taking some valuable space underground just look at the redo of Temple Square. I think it's a given that the LDS Church will find a way to generously donate to the cause. Decades ago they were an integral part of creating the Salt Palace in the first place and will probably donate quietly but generously as they have in the past.

There are a lot of amazing things that are going to be accomplished with this redo. Not too many cities the size of SLC proper have the where with all to create the likes of a Temple Square, a City Creek, or what is about to happen with the west side. Of course, there is a CSA now approaching 3 million and many would say that CSA creates too much competition. However, it is also creating an ever-increasing, expanding economic engine that many so-called national experts keep heralding. Anyway, we'll just have to see what materializes.

Why don't they just build a tunnel and pedestrian walkway for 100 South, under the convention center. Then utilize almost two, halves of a block, the entire northside of the convention center, end to end. Along with the two city blocks north, that would be a huge / blank slate for the new entertainment district. You would also do nothing to the convention center and keep everyone happy. I tried to add an image, but failed

[delts145]

^^^
I guess it would depend on what you mean by tunnel. I don't think an airport-style underground tunnel is what they're thinking of as pedestrian connectivity. It certainly wouldn't be putting Salt Lake's best foot forward. If we're talking something like a piece of Montreal's underground then that would be a whole different discussion. Expensive but impressive.

https://www.tomorrow.city/montreal-underground-city/


https://everydaytourist.ca/wandering...ve-ground-city