Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[Atlas]

Originally Posted by jedikermit

The renderings on the New Regent Street Hotel are from October 2020...wow.

It looks like the artist uploaded them in October 2020 but the date on the slides is October 2016.

Some other forumers (Schmoe, Wasatch Wasteland?) who've seen more recent plans have commented that the newer versions are different but still similar looking. Also, the apparently the thin parcel directly east of the site (between it and Kensington, across Plum Alley) is part of the project now.

[jedikermit]

Very interesting. I don't know what the odds are of that happening, but I've wanted to see something like this for Regent Street and Gallivan for decades. It would be exciting to see those lots used for something like this.

[Ironweed]

Originally Posted by Stenar

Eeegad! Can we demolish it before it’s even built??

Good point Stenar. This is an embarrassment for that site, and the city. Ridiculous!

[delts145]

For someone who might be confused or missed it from the previous page. This is the atrocity that Stenar was referring to, not The Regent Tower. I would have been ashamed to have even proposed this back in the 60's when this type of crap was common. This is almost as bad as the structure on the Southeast corner of 3rd and State. I would much rather see a pocket park there, at least for the time being, as a placeholder. Perhaps, someone will smack these jokers upside the head. Obviously, their level of taste is better suited for designing livestock-holding pens. I just don't understand how this can be allowed in that prime space, not just the scope of the structure, but the design of the facade.

[meman]

Does anyone out there know when the approximate construction start date is
for the Pantages Tower and the new Regent Street Hotel?

[Atlas]

Here's a view of the West Quarter that I had never seen before. It's from an online listing for the retail spaces in Phase I. A PDF with higher res versions of these is available there.

[scottharding]

I got a mailer this week about the post office relocating. They're taking public opinion on where they should move, but my big take-away was that the lease is about up.

[Blah_Amazing]

Fox 13 News: Behind locked doors of a decades-old Salt Lake City secret
• Video Link

[Blah_Amazing]

Originally Posted by scottharding

I got a mailer this week about the post office relocating. They're taking public opinion on where they should move, but my big take-away was that the lease is about up.

I wonder where the post office will relocate. Interesting.

I also wonder if Phase II's date will get pushed back at all. For them to make that date, construction would likely have to start by the end of the year or early next year.

Which means that the demo of the Royal Wood Office Plaza building where the post office is would need to done this year as well.

Phase II and Kensington are probably the two projects I am most excited about. Kensington because it will be our new tallest. WQ Phase II because it will likely have the most impact from ground level. The amount of change this project represents to the overall feel of the west side of downtown will be enormous. Plus, Phase II will add 3 new towers and another midrise to the mix! This makes it a project unlike anything SLC has really ever seen.

In the advertisement video The West Quarter has on their official website, they described this project as a true "legacy project." If this project actually manages to be built as planned, it will set a high new bar for development in the city.

I am worried by having so much depending on the inclusion of a large hotel and office tower, seeing as neither of those markets are certain, but I refuse to give up hope.

BTW Atlas, you should post those images over on Reddit.

[Atlas]

Building Salt Lake has the scoop on the Tavernacle Tower, which they are calling the Worthington Tower (unofficial name). 31 stories and 335 ft.

The tower that will replace the existing Broadway Place will be 31 stories tall. It will bring 359 residential units to the area on 26 of the 31 stories, leaving 5,800 square feet of space for ground-floor retail and 359 parking stalls on four stories above ground.

[delts145]

^^^I wonder if this will start a trend for more towers that far east of Main.

Per the discussion on how expensive it's becoming to purchase a home in Utah. This is one ranking where I wish Utah wasn't climbing into the top tier.

Originally Posted by i-215

Ah dude, that sucks. My brother and sister-in-law can only afford a place in Magna because they rent a 100-year-old Copperton move-on house from my Dad which has 1.5 bedrooms. Family discounted rent.

What they found was when they could only qualify for $225k, houses went for $275k. Now with a few pay raises, two jobs and debt reduction they qualify for $275k but everything is at least $325k. Even in Magna. It's either move to Tooele or don't buy. So they just keep renting from my dad. Thank heavens for that.

The shortage means as wages increase, more dollars are chasing the same houses— not nearly enough. It's really sad to watch. And partly why I left Utah. If I can't afford to buy *anyplace*, I may as well be a squatting with relatives (nonagenarian elder care) in a place with palm trees.

I remember the Salt Lake Chamber used to run an ad spot on KSL radio which ended with, "... this is what's RIGHT with Utah." These days I look at out of control housing costs and say to myself, "...this is what's WRONG with Utah."

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/northern...U&utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social

[Blah_Amazing]

Originally Posted by delts145

^^^I wonder if this will start a trend for more towers that far east of Main.

I'm hoping it does. The BSL article alludes to the property just west across the street where the Green Ant is located. If I am remembering correctly, that is the site where that design/ development competition was held. Correct me if I am wrong.

[Orlando]

Originally Posted by Blah_Amazing

I'm hoping it does. The BSL article alludes to the property just west across the street where the Green Ant is located. If I am remembering correctly, that is the site where that design/ development competition was held. Correct me if I am wrong.

Yes, that is correct. It was a student competition. So, I don't know how legit it is, like if there was an actual developer or the RDA behind the competition.

[Atlas]

Originally Posted by Orlando

Yes, that is correct. It was a student competition. So, I don't know how legit it is, like if there was an actual developer or the RDA behind the competition.

I think Ivory Development was behind that particular competition and that they own the land. I do believe they intend on developing that corner, displacing Ken Sanders.

[Orlando]

As much as I love density and new towers, it's a little disappointing on how they treat the ground floor streetscape. It's all ubiquitous storefront. There's no character or charm to it. The Tavernacle and other shops weren't crazy charming on the outside, but they've got a whole lot more charm than that ground floor of that tower. I'd like to see some towers that really try to pull off something eclectic on the ground floor.

[jedikermit]

Originally Posted by Orlando

As much as I love density and new towers, it's a little disappointing on how they treat the ground floor streetscape. It's all ubiquitous storefront. There's no character or charm to it. The Tavernacle and other shops weren't crazy charming on the outside, but they've got a whole lot more charm than that ground floor of that tower. I'd like to see some towers that really try to pull off something eclectic on the ground floor.

I pretty much always agree with everything Orlando says, because he knows a lot more than I do about pretty much everything. I like the height of this building, I don't mind the design, I hate that it's displacing the Tavernacle and that row of shops. If it's a done deal (and everything indicates that it is), I wish the ground floor had more variety, more interesting, and lower rental rates so that local shops could actually move in.

Also, I hate that it's yet another square top.

[bob rulz]

Design is fine, not spectacular. Agree that ground floor engagement is lacking. This is why I think we need stricter design standards at least at ground level throughout downtown, and force them to go through the planning process for a project of this size. We will never get better street engagement without stricter standards and enforcement.

[Orlando]

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by jedikermit

I pretty much always agree with everything Orlando says, because he knows a lot more than I do about pretty much everything. I like the height of this building, I don't mind the design, I hate that it's displacing the Tavernacle and that row of shops. If it's a done deal (and everything indicates that it is), I wish the ground floor had more variety, more interesting, and lower rental rates so that local shops could actually move in.

Also, I hate that it's yet another square top.

Honestly, all these towers are starting to look the same.

My biggest issue with downtown continues to be the street engagement.

I came across this photo from prior to the flight out of Salt Lake to the suburbs and downtown actually had a big city feel:



This doesn't exist anymore.

Downtown Salt Lake is starting to remind me of the suburban communities in Canada with their high-rise towers and nothing else.

I get it's a pipedream to expect that level of engagement again. But projects like this absolutely do hurt street-level engagement and walkability. The fact is, on any random day, even before COVID, that area of downtown from that photo above looks like this:



It's sterile. And very disappointing.

[SLCNative]

We are never going to get vibrant streets like that again unless we build more residential downtown. Whether you like the design or not, it is helping bring residents into the city 24/7. Not just 9-5 on weekdays.