Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[taboubak]

Originally Posted by khabah

I may have missed this upthread, but it appears that the Element initially proposed for the Block 67 project by Vivint Arena has been swapped out for a Le Méridien property as per the developer's page here: https://azulhospitalitygroup.com/hotel/le-meridien-salt-lake-city-downtown/

According to the page, Le Méridien Salt Lake City Downtown "boasts 144 guestrooms, approximately 10,000 sq ft of meeting space, a rooftop bar, and Adelaide Restaurant and Bar, featuring elevated farm-to-table cuisine that pays homage to the traditional cooking of New Orleans and the South."

Their separate page for the Adelaide Restaurant indicates an opening of summer 2022, which would imply that this one should be well under construction by now. Link with renderings here: https://azulhospitalitygroup.com/hotel/adelaide/

Looks great, and a wonderful hotel brand that I'm glad to see expanding in the US.

khabah

The New Orleans theme is great being right across the street from the Jazz arena. Now if only someone would open up a cool Jazz club nearby too.

[Atlas]

Originally Posted by khabah

I may have missed this upthread, but it appears that the Element initially proposed for the Block 67 project by Vivint Arena has been swapped out for a Le Méridien property as per the developer's page here: https://azulhospitalitygroup.com/hotel/le-meridien-salt-lake-city-downtown/

According to the page, Le Méridien Salt Lake City Downtown "boasts 144 guestrooms, approximately 10,000 sq ft of meeting space, a rooftop bar, and Adelaide Restaurant and Bar, featuring elevated farm-to-table cuisine that pays homage to the traditional cooking of New Orleans and the South."

Their separate page for the Adelaide Restaurant indicates an opening of summer 2022, which would imply that this one should be well under construction by now. Link with renderings here: https://azulhospitalitygroup.com/hotel/adelaide/

Looks great, and a wonderful hotel brand that I'm glad to see expanding in the US.

khabah

I wonder if the Le Meridien information is up-to-date. Garn still has this page up on their website, which lists the Element and Grid hotels as the West Quarter's tenants, and the renderings there are substantially newer (they're the ones that were presented to the PC as recently as last year). Also, that AZUL website has a page for the Element hotel.

[khabah]

Originally Posted by Atlas

I wonder if the Le Meridien information is up-to-date. Garn still has this page up on their website, which lists the Element and Grid hotels as the West Quarter's tenants, and the renderings there are substantially newer (they're the ones that were presented to the PC as recently as last year). Also, that AZUL website has a page for the Element hotel.

I based my judgment on the fact that the Aloft logo was clearly in the AZUL rendering, but after doing some more sleuthing, it appears that the updated development of the Element/Grid is the one going up. I also found Element Salt Lake City Downtown listed at 300 West 100 South which therefore means it's still a go for the project [I found it buried in Marriott's fact sheets]. Marriott also has the Element pegged at 128 units, so subtracted from the 271 rooms for the whole development, it leaves 143 for the other hotel and is about consistent with the 144 units mentioned for Le Méridien.

Another possible indicator that a brand swap has happened is The Grid's Instagram page, which hasn't posted anything new since they dumped nine images on their page on April 30th, 2020, and website mentioned on that page is unavailable.

I love Le Méridien properties, and would think one would be a great fit for SLC. I hope the brand change is a go, but if anyone on the ground can poke around when they get a moment, that would be great. Thanks!

khabah

[wrendog]

So I guess Hines tower design was approved?

[Atlas]

Originally Posted by wrendog

So I guess Hines tower design was approved?

It was. The meeting was inundated by public comments about the theatre even though the purpose of the meeting really didn't have anything to do with the demolition itself. Ultimately, the commission voted 6-1 to approve the design with Amy Barry voting against because she thought it didn't do enough to engage pedestrians.

Most of the meeting is a waste of time to watch but starting at 3:57:15, Hines responds directly to the public comments and to the "Save the Utah Pantages" group. Worth watching if you get a chance:

• Video Link

[Marvland]

Core is going up on Brinshore. Tower crane is in place. I would upload the photo I just took but that's a huge hassle on this website. Also I'm lazy.

[Orpheum]

I don't remember how to post things to this forum but I just placed the Main Street Apartments over the theater in sketchup and noticed that they are literally demolishing it only for the parking garage. The proposed alley could've led right to a restored theater but they chose to put parking there. They're demolishing it just for a parking garage. They could've build the parking garage just to the north of the theater.. this is disgusting.

[Atlas]

SLC requires 0.5 parking spaces per unit downtown, so they had to have at least 200 spaces in their garage. Instead of having a giant parking podium, which would be an eyesore (see Sundial Tower), they put it behind the tower and put a public park on top of it.

I know it feels like we are trading a theatre for a parking garage. The fact is that the theatre's auditorium is in such bad condition that it basically looks like a parking garage at this point. Other than the ceiling in the "upper" auditorium, which is being saved and repurposed in some form, it looks like this:



So a renovation of this space would basically just be a new theatre. Only the bones and the ceiling would be at all historic.

[Orpheum]

.

[meman]

Did anyone in the planning meeting for the theatre tower mention an approximate ground-breaking date?

Also has anyone heard if the Astra tower has an estimated ground breaking date?

[Ironweed]

Just in: "Moda Lux project has gone bankrupt. Lot to become surface parking lot. Other projects within the city share the same fate." jk?

Is it me, or are we losing momentum on new starts?

[Boz]

Originally Posted by Orpheum

.

Well said.

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by Boz

Well said.

I don't buy this. Brevity has never been Orpheum's strong suit.

[Old&New]

Originally Posted by Atlas

SLC requires 0.5 parking spaces per unit downtown, so they had to have at least 200 spaces in their garage. Instead of having a giant parking podium, which would be an eyesore (see Sundial Tower), they put it behind the tower and put a public park on top of it.

I know it feels like we are trading a theatre for a parking garage. The fact is that the theatre's auditorium is in such bad condition that it basically looks like a parking garage at this point. Other than the ceiling in the "upper" auditorium, which is being saved and repurposed in some form, it looks like this:



So a renovation of this space would basically just be a new theatre. Only the bones and the ceiling would be at all historic.

You only show the worst picture.

[Old&New]

Indi/Amateur Presentation, but great information. It seems to me like the theater might be on it's way to being saved/restored.

• Video Link

I love the colorizations they've done:

[SLCLvr]

Originally Posted by Old&New

Amateur Presentation, but great information. It seems to me like the theater might be on it's way to being saved/restored.

Did not see anything in the video that would lead me to believe the theater might be on its way to being saved. With the Planning Commission vote to approve last night I'm expecting a wrecking ball by the end of the year.

[Blah_Amazing]

Originally Posted by SLCLvr

Did not see anything in the video that would lead me to believe the theater might be on its way to being saved. With the Planning Commission vote to approve last night I'm expecting a wrecking ball by the end of the year.

Same. Honestly, it’s in Hines’ best interest at this point to demo the building as soon as possible. They know they will face resistance as long as the building stands.

[Orlando]

Hmmmm.... it really is beautiful inside there. Now, I'm torn. But, besides Sundance, when else would it be used?

[Atlas]

Here's a direct comparison of photos Old&New posted against the theatre's current state, for your viewing pleasure.













The mezzanine and hallway look salvageable but the auditorium is mostly gone except for the ceiling, like I said before. If a majority of these countless missing adornments are in some warehouse somewhere and not lost forever, that would go a long way to changing my opinion.

[Marvland]

Originally Posted by Old&New

Amateur Presentation, but great information. It seems to me like the theater might be on it's way to being saved/restored.

• Video Link

I love the colorizations they've done:

Love your optimism. But, pray tell, with what money?