Your version of Salt Lake City, Utah

[ctobsl]

Salt Lake City, Wishful Thinking!

Hi Guys, Gals!

This thread is for all of you who would like to add your own version of what you think Salt Lake City should look like or could be.
So add on!

Everyone else, this is just for fun and wishful thinking so don't get all dramatic or bent out of shape about the strange ideas that might be posted.
WE KNOW IT'S NOT REAL!
Lighten Up!



Original Photo was taken by: Unknown.

Link to the previous photo was lost, so some comments referring to the skyline may not make sense.

[SLCforme]

were the "beehive" and "pioneer" towers ever actual proposals, and if not, why do they have names? where did you find the picture? I'm curious.

I like what you've done with the place, but somehow, I don't think Dubai style post-modern architecture fits in SLC; just my opinion.

[Scraperdude801]

I like it. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the area of our skyline (100 south to 200 south) that currently has no towers will one day be filled in with our tallest buildings. some 65, 70 and 75 stories. Currently there are some ugly buildings and parking lots in the radius of west temple to 200 east from 100 to 200 south that could be torn out to make way for such towers. Of course leave the historic stuff. I love the look of history flanked by modern skyscrapers. Reminds me of Boston.

I wish I knew how to edit photos so I can illustrate my points.

[ctobsl]

Hi there SLCforme,

I'm sorry, but I can not answer your questions except for I did find that photo in one of the threads here on this site. I liked the photo and wanted to add a few more buildings to it.

I am assuming that the Pioneer and Beehive towers were proposals at one time, but I have never heard of such a thing.
I think they are just made up (cut and paste) as I have done with the buildings that I added to the photo.

The buildings under construction are from Miami, some are from L.A. and N.Y.
The only building I know of that was an actual proposal was the Zions building (the tallest in my photo).

The photo of Salt Lake was not supposed to be of any style, I just like tall buildings and wanted to see what Salt Lake could look like if it had taller buildings.

Thanks for your input and reply.
It's nice to see that I am not the only one who likes tall buildings or would like to see our city change a little more in height.

Have a nice day.
Anthony

[Makid]

The Carls Jr downtown was the site of a planned 55 story office building that fell through in the late 80's. It might have been one of the towers but I haven't been able to find out more information about it. I have been looking though.

[Comrade]

Those two towers were "visions" done by a former poster over at SSC. As you can see the photo he used was from me, I remember him quite well. I think he was actually banned from SSC and lived in Idaho. So no, those weren't real proposals.

Makid is right though, there was a new tallest proposed in the late 80s on the current Carls Junior site. It was scrapped however and little is known about the tower, in fact I don't even think a rendering was ever published.

[SLCforme]

Thanks for the info Ctobsl,

After looking at the photo again I think the only one that's really out of place is the ovoid building on the far right, just doesn't seem to fit IMHO. But I absolutely would love to see the SLC looking like this in the future.

I don't know how to manipulate photos or I would come up with something myself; it would be fun for everyone to compare thier vision of what they'd like the city to look like. On that note, Comrade have you done any more work on your google earth SLC? It was looking good last we saw it.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by Makid

The Carls Jr downtown was the site of a planned 55 story office building that fell through in the late 80's. It might have been one of the towers but I haven't been able to find out more information about it. I have been looking though.

Salt Lake had three new tallest towers that fell though...

Since the 80's Salt Lake had three tallest towers that could of been build, but yet they all fell though.

1. 55-story tower on the Carls Jr site as Makid told us.
2. 50-story tower on the Triad Center. ( Triad Tower 1 I think it would of been called. ) But in stead we only have towers 3, 4, and 5 there today. They are only 10-stories each.
3. 33-story tower on the Social Hall site planned back in 2002. ( Zion Social Hall Center ) But then 9-11 happen and the bad economy.

Picture how different Salt Lake's skyline would be if we would of had all three of these towers built? or even just one?

[Happy Valley Freak]

god damn, I hate when plans fall through like that

[ctobsl]

Hey there SLC Projects,

There were supposed to be two 40 story towers at the Triad Center, one on the corner where the arena sits and one across the street North of the arena. The two towers were to be mirror images of each other and were supposed to be the gateway to the city from the West.

I agree with Happy Valley Freak, I hate it when plans fall through.
We could of had a very nice skyline to look at, but there is still hope!
Maybe some company would like to relocate here and will need a large high rise to be built.

Anthony

Here is something I found.

http://www.geocities.com/aroundslc/about.html

The area, officially called Triad America, would be home to two twin towers, towering about 40 stories. The area would have also been home to some smaller 20 story residential towers, as well as a hotel and other 5-10 story buildings. But the shady deals that took place throughout the time of groundbreaking brought the inevitable. The groups behind the area screwed the city and after all the dust settled, only two buildings, phase one of the project, were built. Today we know them as Broadcast House, home to KSL-TV in Salt Lake City, Utah.

[blm3034L!fe]

Not to knock the potential of SLC getting taller tower(s) or anything, but you guys do claim to have that increadible Mountainous backdrop of your City. Which BTW I agree is pretty decent, I'm just wondering if that would be in jeopardy with a bunch of 40+/50+ story skyscrapers blocking the view of those peaks? Maybe that might have an influence on the approval committe? If there is one? Or possibly people with more influence on SLC's development? I don't know? There is nothing to back up my theory, but it's just a thought, what do you guys think?

[IFtowner]

Downtown SLC is practically dead. I say when that's fixed, then SLC gets a new tallest.

OR

Maybe the new tallest could kick start the non-deadness...

[Comrade]

Downtown SLC is practically dead? Huh?

This is a bullshit line I've heard about downtown for the past 10 years and I don't see it. Yeah the vibrancy in downtown can't compare to many larger cities, but it's not dead...well except on Sundays. I go downtown a lot and there's always people, whether during the day or night. The summer months especially and I'll prove this with a photo thread in the coming days. Downtown SLC is far from being dead, the problem is that it can be so much better and I think the more residents you get downtown, the more life you'll see on the streets.

As for my vision of Salt Lake? Well this is what I'd like to see.

Main Street:

Main Street will definitely improve once City Creek opens, but that's only one part of it. I'd love to see them close off Main from South Temple to 100 South and make it a pedestrian street. It's not as if many people use that block to drive anyway, since the street ends at Temple Square. I think this creates a nice little "square" in downtown, that opens the street up to pedestrians and connects both malls.

On the corner of 100 South and Main, by the original Zions Bank Building, I would love to see a mixed-use tower. Maybe a hotel, along with commercial and residential. That's a great spot for a new tallest, possibly 500 feet or so. In my mind, that would definitely help fill in the gap between the towers on South Temple and the towers around the Gallivan Center.

The Newhouse block on 400 S and Main NEEDS to be developed. That's essentially the southern entrance to downtown and it's a terrible welcome to the city's central core. I don't know why that area isn't being developed, but it's about time something is built there. In my mind, this area would make a great place for retail, residential condos, commercial towers and other entertainment options. It's a fucking block here, not just a sliver of land. You can build a lot of good shit on that spot and it's ridiculous that this area has been vacant for longer than I've been alive! The land just east of this area, behind the courthouse, would be great for a tower as well.

The same goes for Earl Holding's land bordered by 600 S and 700 S on Main. Another "entrance" to downtown and it's nothing but a bunch of parking and ghetto stores. But this doesn't bother me nearly as much as the land on 4th South because that's nearly right in the heart of the city and it's a block of pavement.

State Street:

I've said this before on the board and I'll say it again, we need to narrow State, at least the part that runs from the City-County Building to South Temple. State Street has the shops and entertainment options to be a really vibrant street, and it kinda is. Yet there's also a huge freaking highway that divides the western businesses from the eastern and it makes it far more difficult to walk across than Main (which is a lot narrower). You can narrow this by running a trolley that connects to the TRAX line through 7th South, have it run up State to South Temple and then over to Main Street for a smaller, slower, trolley loop. I think this would open a ton of options for businesses not only on Main but State as well. Imagine stops in front of the City-County/Courthouse building, the Marriott, Orpheum and the other side of ZCMI Center.

West Temple:

We need to do something about West Temple, because it really does piss me off. There's just not much there, yet in some sense there is. The fact the Salt Palace is right there makes this area a great anchor for development. More restaurants, bars and entertainment options, as well as a 1,000 room hotel connected to the Salt Palace would rock. I think they also need to find a way to narrow that street as well.

West Downtown:

This is the area around the ESA, Gateway and what not. In my mind, this could be Salt Lake's entertainment center. I'm talking sports bars, clubs and other night life options. There is that whole block just south of the ESA that is nothing but industrial and poor commercial buildings. Demolish them, build a sports district and have it connect to the ESA and Gateway by maybe closing down 100 S in that area (since it's not a major street, as it ends at the Salt Palace). Then you can build mixed-use condo towers as well, bridge the gap between that and Pioneer Park, which is already turning into a nice urban area. This whole area has promise, since there are warehouses and lofts. Continue building entertainment and housing options and the area from 300 West over to 400 West and then down from 100 South to 400 South will really turn into something we can be proud of. That's where we need adult entertainment (not porn, but bars, clubs, fine dining, stuff like that). It works well since we have the ESA and Gateway already there, along with warehouses that have been converted into lofts, art galleries around Pierpont and other development over the past few years.

That's my simplistic version.

[i-215]

I hate to say it, but I think most people in the valley would be more excited to hear that a Costco was coming to downtown SLC than they would a new high-rise.

[wrendog]

Good ideas Comrade.. I'm with you.

[FrancoRey]

Originally Posted by i-215

I hate to say it, but I think most people in the valley would be more excited to hear that a Costco was coming to downtown SLC than they would a new high-rise.

[Boiseguy]

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by i-215

I hate to say it, but I think most people in the valley would be more excited to hear that a Costco was coming to downtown SLC than they would a new high-rise.

Sad, but true. But people can't go shopping in a highrise.

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by Boiseguy

i think the point is... for a metro area of 2 million how you all say... downtown slc IS dead... there's really nothing downtown that people can't find out in the malls in the suburbs.. so why the hell would people want to pay for parking and walk downtown just to go to hit up macy's and olive garden for lunch?
if the metro area is 2 million like you say.. then slc is comparable to portland..
there's a BIG difference between the vitality of downtown portland vs slc...
I think thats the point they're trying to make

Uh no, but nice try.

[SLCforme]

the reasons I go downtown include:
see a Jazz game
attend a play
attend the symphony
look at historic architecture
buy a book at Ken Saunders or Sam Wellers
eat at Squatter, Redrock, Settebello, Takashi, Cafe Pierpont, Himalayan Kitchen, Tony Caputtos
go to a club such as Port o call, the Hotel, Tavernacle, Skybar, Juniors
The farmers market
just to walk around and experience the city


just a few reasons off the top of my head why I prefer downtown to a suburban mall, But I'm really not into clothes and jewlry and that sort of thing so maybe if I were I could find the same stuff at a mall as there is in downtown Salt Lake.

And I agree that there is much more potential downtown than is being realized. Just more people moving in who are interested in an urban environment will help, and I think this is the trend right now.