Salt Lake City: Official Development News Thread - Part 5

[delts145]

I think it was one of Patrinely's main assertions that they were having trouble finding the right trusted general and sub contractors with specific construction expertise for their particular project and it's specific design specs. The usual names are booked solid and will be for quite some time. There are a lot of major projects in the pipeline along the Wasatch Front. I'm wondering if they could find available expertise even if they were willing to import it. Seems like many of the major cities are taking up whatever construction labor there is available.

[Ironweed]

I think it would probably be a good idea to revisit all the zoning height maximums to make sure they still make sense in an actively growing city in this day and age, one that is trying to reinvigorate/reinvent its downtown core.[/QUOTE]

Definitely yes on this!!

[Orlando]

Originally Posted by Always Sunny in SLC

If downtown is in such desperate need of large office space is Patrinely only held back by lack of manpower?

I think this is still largely a preference for local tech companies to build out in suburban office buildings. Pluralsight could have gone with Patrinely or even built their own building in or near downtown.

[DenverInfill]

Originally Posted by Ironweed

I think it would probably be a good idea to revisit all the zoning height maximums to make sure they still make sense in an actively growing city in this day and age, one that is trying to reinvigorate/reinvent its downtown core.

Zoning is simply a tool for implementing the plans that describe the vision for an area. When a city adopts a new plan, either a citywide plan or for a particular subarea, they should update the zoning for the area in question to make sure that the zoning will actually produce the urban form and uses desired.

When was the last time the city created or updated a plan for downtown SLC and is the current downtown zoning consistent with that vision? If no, then the city needs to update the downtown zoning. If yes, then you would need to adopt a new vision for downtown if you want to change the zoning.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by Ironweed

I think it would probably be a good idea to revisit all the zoning height maximums to make sure they still make sense in an actively growing city in this day and age, one that is trying to reinvigorate/reinvent its downtown core.

Definitely yes on this!!

It would seem from Makid's most recent report that that is exactly what the city is doing. From what I'm gathering, many of the city council/leaders are also unhappy with the height restrictions downtown, particularly in those areas that are transit friendly.

[Makid]

Originally Posted by DenverInfill

When was the last time the city created or updated a plan for downtown SLC and is the current downtown zoning consistent with that vision? If no, then the city needs to update the downtown zoning. If yes, then you would need to adopt a new vision for downtown if you want to change the zoning.

The last update to the downtown master plan which controls much of the zoning as well as the look and feel for the area was 3 years ago and the largest update was 5 years ago.

Both updates came before the change in interests for downtown. The 5 year update came just prior to the residential boom. The 3 year update happened right before the demand shift with developers wanting to exceed the maximum zoning heights.

The City Council is working with the Planning Commission to find a solution to the issue of increased building heights for both the downtown area as well as the rest of the City as there have been multiple projects recently that have sought City Council approval to exceed current zoning heights.

[SLCLvr]

In previous years I would have said the 375' height limit with the possibility of exceeding the height limit with a review by the planning commission would be fine. But lately the planning commission has made a series of decisions that had to be corrected by the council. Probably would be better to have say a 500' limit by right in D1 (or whatever the right number is) with a planning commission design review if the height exceeds a certain number of feet. Then the focus would be on the design of the building rather than the height. I totally support a width limit. I think this is more important than a height limit. I would support expanding the D1 area a little south and west to 300 West. And implementation of the 400 South TRAX extension would be very helpful. I'm not sure what the Black TRAX line is but would probably support that too if I knew where it went :-). (Edit: I googled Black TRAX line, Direct link from the airport to the U.)

[Utahn]

Great news for the Granary District. USA Climbing, the national governing body for climbing is relocating to Salt Lake City. Headquarters will be in the Granary District and they'll be looking to create a national training center

More Olympic flavor: USA Climbing is moving its headquarters to Salt Lake City
Olympic organization will look to make new full-time home in Salt Lake’s Granary District

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/2018/11/06/more-olympic-flavor-usa/

[Pencil]

https://kjzz.com/news/local/proposal-for...otel-in-salt-lake-city-approved-by-board

[nushiof]

Originally Posted by Pencil

https://kjzz.com/news/local/proposal-for...otel-in-salt-lake-city-approved-by-board

So this must be the announcement referenced last week. Height and room number total is a little underwhelming, but happy to see this moving forward.

Here are some of Portman's other hotel projects. The San Diego Hilton or Pan Pacific in Singapore are probably Portman's closest comps to the size of our CCH, although those are slightly taller.

http://portmanholdings.com/projects/category/hospitality/

[airhero]

Nice find Pencil

Originally Posted by Pencil

https://kjzz.com/news/local/proposal-for...otel-in-salt-lake-city-approved-by-board

From article:

(KUTV) -- Members of the Governor's Office of Economic Development Board approved the proposal Tuesday for a new Convention Center Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City.

This approval authorizes post-performance tax incentives in exchange for the development of the hotel, a press release stated.

“We are pleased to partner with the County, and DDRM, to build this convention hotel in Salt Lake City. We have found Utah, Salt Lake County, and Salt Lake City to be both business-friendly and a strong destination market; with an excellent airport, infrastructure, and leisure activities in proximity to the Salt Palace Convention Center. We hope this will be the first of many projects we undertake in this market,” Ambrish Baisiwala, CEO of Portman Holdings, said in a press release.

The 680,000 square-foot building will be connected to the Salt Palace Convention Center. This land does not generate tax revenue.

It will cost $337 million. Hotel owners DDRM have partnered with Portman Holdings, an architecture design firm, to build the hotel.

“DDRM is fortunate to join with Portman to bring this hotel to Utah. Portman’s convention hotel experience, creativity and financial resources are very prominent within the industry worldwide and will help us create something that will make the entire State of Utah proud,” Stan Castleton of the DDRM Companies, said in a press release.

The hotel will have 700-750 rooms and be about 325 feet tall. It will have a 62,000 square-foot meeting space, including a 25,000 square-foot Grand Ballroom and a 14,000 square-foot Junior Ballroom and an outdoor rooftop amenity space, press release stated.

Portman Holdings and DDRM expect to break ground for the new hotel in Fall 2019 and plan to open it in 2022.

From Fox 13:

The hotel will directly connect to the Salt Palace Convention Center, on 200 South West Temple.

The Board authorizes post-performance tax incentives for the development of the hotel, which will have ballrooms and a meeting space.

“Once fully operating, the hotel is anticipated to increase direct visitor spending in Utah by up to $45 million per year,” the press release stated.

“Portman Holdings and DDRM expect to break ground on the new hotel in Fall 2019 and open in Spring 2022,” the press release stated. “The hotel operator will be announced early 2019.”

https://fox13now.com/2018/11/06/developm...-salt-palace-convention-center-approved/

Sounds like it will be going on the plaza at 200 South West Temple.

I didn't believe it would be over 375 but wasn't expecting as little as 325. It's fine with me as long as the design is attractive, though I really, really think Salt Lake could benefit from more rooms in this hotel. I feel like at least 900 rooms should have been required for the tax incentives. Ideally there would be 1200+. Hopefully the rumors Makid and others mentioned of another possible hotel on the north site are merited.

[ctobsl]

Originally Posted by Pencil

https://kjzz.com/news/local/proposal-for...otel-in-salt-lake-city-approved-by-board

"The hotel will have 700-750 rooms and be about 325 feet tall."

Wow, why bother?
Here we have an opportunity to have something outstanding and possibly striking in our skyline and they are only thinking 325 ft?

Why cut your self short with 750 rooms when at this point in time they can go for the 1000 rooms and have the potential to attract larger conventions?

We waited this long to hear we are getting a 16 story tower the size of the Marriott.

[taboubak]

Wow 325 is extremely dissapointing. Again Salt Lake City squanders another opportunity to better it's skyline. It's better than nothing but I am shocked they didn't go taller. It will probably be another wide building.

[nushiof]

Originally Posted by taboubak

Wow 325 is extremely dissapointing. Again Salt Lake City squanders another opportunity to better it's skyline. It's better than nothing but I am shocked they didn't go taller. It will probably be another wide building.

The Grand America has 775 rooms and is 328 feet (to the top of the flag pole), and 75,000 square feet of meeting space, making it a pretty good comp to the proposed CCH. We are likely looking at a wall-ish tower like the Grand America.

[EPdesign]

325 is fine. The south west portion of downtown will really get a boost with this, block 67, Held and any other future developments in that area. Lots of open land.

[Orlando]

This is Portman's 400 room hotel in San Diego:
https://www.portmanusa.com/en/projects/hospitality/bric-phase-two/?lite_escape=1

Here's a wide monstrosity going up in Atlanta by Portman:
https://www.portmanusa.com/en/projects/office/coda-in-technology-square/?lite_escape=1

[airhero]

Originally Posted by nushiof

The Grand America has 775 rooms and is 328 feet (to the top of the flag pole), and 75,000 square feet of meeting space, making it a pretty good comp to the proposed CCH. We are likely looking at a wall-ish tower like the Grand America.

Fortunately the site isn't big enough for a building as wall-like as the Grand America. Even if most of the south lobby is torn down to accommodate construction, they'll need to preserve hallways/access for existing exhibit halls and meeting rooms, and will also likely preserve the dropoff area on the south side of the convention center, possibly extending it east for hotel dropoff. This would give us a maximum construction area of approximately 310x220 feet as shown below:



Grand America is about 340 feet wide. 310 feet is about the width of the Wells Fargo Building. That would still be horribly wide, and I really hope the hotel doesn't span that entire width (I don't believe it will), but it's less wide than the Grand America and significantly less wide than the buildings Orlando referenced. 220 is about the width of the Zions Bank building, still wide but not bad.

[wrendog]

Well, that was anticlimactic. Oh well.

On to the next big hope!

[Marvland]

Density is SOOOOO much more important that height. In fact, there is a case to be made that the higher the building is, the worse the street front engagement. I'm stoked. Keep building stubbies. I'd be happy if we landed four of five more 300-400 footers than two five hundred footers. Stoked to see the design and what nameplate it lands. That Atlanta building is RAD.

[bob rulz]

Well said Marvland.

Obviously I hope it's not a big wall, but this is a sorely needed project no matter what. People complain about things moving too slowly, then complain when we do get news. Some people just can't be satisfied I guess.