Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Though still in the trenches of construction, the new exterior walls of the museum are up which now encompass an additional 4,000 square feet of landmost of which is dedicated to the Main Gallery, an impressive near-3,000 square foot windowless expanse that will be built with moveable walls, allowing for multiple exhibitions at a time.

Two galleries were typically the most the museum could host before.

The remaining square footage11,000 in total including new outdoor gardens and seating areaswill feature a state-of-the-art education laboratory, a reading and archives room, an office space, a visitors lobby and reception area, a retail shop, a temperature-controlled storage room and three permanent gallery spaces, some of which will have multipurpose uses.

Expanded, professional-grade galleries will host several different exhibitions at a time and allow the museum to deepen its leadership in the exploration of abstraction, said newly appointed museum director Paul Baker Prindle in a statement.

Clark Construction Group began working on the museum in June 2020, alongside renovations to the museums neighboring Horn Center which is in the process of retrofitting and converting its computer lab and undergraduate advising center into 10 classrooms, two lecture halls, and additional all-gender restrooms.

The total cost for both projects is $24 million, according to CSULB. While state funding is paying for the Horn Center, private donations are footing the bill for the new museum. Its greatest benefactor is the museums new namesake, artist Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld, who donated $10 million, as reported by the Daily 49er.

The museum also includes a 521-square-foot gallery built in her honor that will be outfitted with barrel ceilings and hardwood floors. The Kleefeld Gallery room will house a permanent collection of some of her works in addition to a rotating selection by other artists.

The Kleefeld Gallery room will be the only space with hardwood flooringthe rest of the museum, save for the carpeted offices, will be laid with concrete. With this cozy feature, the gallery room will also be used as a community hall where visitors can reserve quiet, loud, evening or weekend hours for use.

We definitely dont want to be another ivory tower in the museum space, thats really the antithesis of what were working towards, Amanda Fruta, public affairs and communication specialist for Kleefeld Contemporary explained. With the quiet hours, loud hours, extended hours, gardens, multi-use spaces, learning spaces and all-gender bathrooms, we want really want everyone to feel welcome here.

Pfeiffer Partners Architects will be adding a new, glass vestibule to the original mid-century faade designed by famous architect Ed Killingsworth. The near 15-foot-tall diamond offset structure will act as an eye-catching attraction, hopefully encouraging passersby to stroll through the museum, something the space had previously struggled to do, Fruta said.

Pfeiffer Partners Architects continued the angular theme with three triangular points on the expansions roof. Once finished, the exterior walls of the expansion will be lined with sturdy, seam metal panels and stucco.

The entire expanse of the original museum building has been renovated; the floor plan also revamped. What was formerly the main gallery space will now be the Constance W. Glenn Court (named after the museums founding director) that features a visitors lobby and check-in, a modest retail shop, and two small, rotating art galleries.

Upon entering the 8-foot-tall double doors of the museum, visitors will immediately notice a small retail space that will sell handmade or wearable artworks by recently graduated CSULB art students from the School of Art, School of Industrial Design and other interdisciplinary programs.

We recognize that its hard to be a fresh fish out of water jumping into the cold ocean of the art marketplace, Fruta said. We want to help these emerging artists have a kind of bridge way so that they have a higher likelihood of success.

Lining the wall along the retail space will be a small selection of works from the museums permanent collection and other curated pieces. From June to July, an art history student will be awarded the chance to curate and present an exhibition from the museums collection on the wall as well.

The Community Gallery (200 square feet) in the Glenn Court will line the wall space leading toward the Horn Center and showcase three shows, two from local professional artists and one local call exhibition for interested Long Beach residents.

So, we really wanted to make this front and center to show that we embrace the community and that we see ourselves as not just a part of the community, but a community ourselves, Fruta said.

In keeping with the universitys push toward sustainability and environmental proficiency, the museum will be upgraded to LEED Silver standards with solar panels on the roof to help power the building. The gallery will be lit throughout with LED strip lighting and LED spotlights, which are significantly more energy-efficient than conventional bulbs.

The new LEED Silver Certified Museum is being built to serve the campus as a living laboratory for cultural exploration and a showcase of the campus aggressive sustainability commitment, said CSULB Director of Design and Building Services Mark Zakhour in a statement. Intentional selection of native plants in landscaping, use of sustainable and local building materials, integration of solar panels, energy-efficient design, green cleaning and maintenance plans, and investment in long-lasting learning technologies were key aspects of the build that contributed to the sustainability rating.

A costly new HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) system throughout the museum will ensure temperature control and protect the presented art as well as the works kept in the museums new storage vault. The new vault will allow the university to finally house its permanent collection on campusthe works are currently kept in storage areas all around the South Bay.

All of our American modern masterpieces of the Gordon F. Hampton collection were housed off-site, Fruta said. Now we can have them here and have much better access not just for that collection, but for our works on paper collection, which includes extensive printmaking, drawings and photography that will be available for research requests for study.

The Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum anticipates it will open publicly by February 2022.

Interested in more Kleefled Contemporary content? Click below:

PODCAST: The art of museum navigation with Kleefeld Contemporarys Paul Baker Prindle

PODCAST: Back to school at CSULB; journalism, art and the B word

Editors Note: The story has been updated to correct the name of the artist George F. Hampton, not Hanson as previously reported and the correct height of the glass vestibule, which will be close to 15ft tall, not 8.

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Construction at massive new CSULB art museum promises more art and community inclusion the Hi-lo - Long Beach Post

July 13, 2021

Sometimes the path to a rewarding career is straightforward, and sometimes it has many roadblocks and detours along the way.

For Tiffany Sharp, principal and founder of general contractor Sharp Construction, forging her way into the male-dominated Phoenix construction industry establishment was especially challenging, but has made her success all the sweeter. Tiffany Sharp, an Arizona State University construction management alumna, worked her way up in the Phoenix construction industry, then took a chance on herself and started her own company, Sharp Construction. Photo courtesy of Tiffany Sharp Download Full Image

Sharp has been recognized as one of the Phoenix Business Journals 40 Under 40 for 2021. Chosen from nearly 450 applicants, the construction management alumna from the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University will be honored at a virtual event on Aug. 5.

Once people realize youre off on the right foot and making headway, thats huge, Sharp said. Im thankful for the recognition and I think its going to push us in the right direction.

Sharps journey began when she started exploring different majors as an undergraduate student at ASU. Early on, she had an interest in bringing buildings to life, but she found architecture and structural engineering to be too narrow in their focus. What she wanted was a role that took her from a building projects conception to its completion.

Equipped with a bachelors degree in interdisciplinary studies which included forays into architecture and structural engineering as well as art and business and a structural engineering internship with TOR Engineering in Flagstaff, Sharp sought out her true calling.

She got a taste of what she was after as a project manager with the custom residential construction company Platinum Companies. She got to see whole projects through from start to finish.

Being part of the project at the very beginning stages and then being able to see it through is what I found fed my hunger, Sharp said. I knew this is where I needed to be.

Then the Great Recession hit, and the housing construction market tanked along with the rest of the economy.

Sharp managed to survive the layoffs during that unfortunate time and, as one of only a handful of employees remaining, was able to gain some unique work experience.

I was involved in every facet of the company, which really put me in a position to be successful moving forward, she said. These were things that a standard construction project manager wouldnt have typically been introduced to.

Sharp was then ready for a new challenge in the commercial construction industry. She sought out a construction project manager position at Intel that had eluded her over the years. The third time the position opened up, Sharp decided she needed to get creative. She figured out how to get in touch with someone by decoding the companys email address format. Thirty minutes later, she was on the phone with the hiring manager and getting called in for an interview. By the next week, Sharp had the job. It turned out her resume was being rejected because she didnt have a construction degree.

That changed once she was on board at Intel. In addition to offering Sharp opportunities to lead projects like the construction of a 385,000-square-foot clean room facility and revamping the interior of Intels Chandler campus, Intel also supported her graduate studies.

Sharp returned to ASU to earn her masters degree in construction management at the Del E. Webb School of Construction, part of the School for Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, one of the six Fulton Schools.

The classes I was taking fit really well with my career at the time, Sharp said. Intel and ASU had some amazing synergy. There were a lot of things we were doing at Intel that ASU was leveraging. The foundation I got from ASU led me down a path in which I could be successful in any project.

That foundation strengthened by courses in accounting, management and business would soon become even more valuable than Sharp had realized.

After more than four years of learning from excellent mentors and gaining new skills at Intel, a new opportunity knocked on her door.

Platinum Companies, where she had worked during the recession, was expanding again and looking for someone to take over the company after the current owner retired. At the time, Sharp was also looking into construction project management opportunities with Google and Facebook. Securing offers from all three, she chose Platinum Companies.

The opportunity to own or buy into the company and have that leadership position was ultimately where I wanted to go, Sharp said.

After several years at the company and rising to the position of president the pull of leadership was still there.

While she valued her time and experiences at Platinum Companies, Sharp decided to start her own company, giving her the opportunities to set her own path and develop her own business culture.

Sharp remembers being scared when she walked away from a great career at an excellent company and into the unknown.

I walked into the commercial construction industry unheard of with nobody to leverage. I just said Im going to do it, and I did it, she said. Four years later, we have 50 employees and were bringing in some significant projects.

One of her favorite projects is 16 North, a retail space near 16th Street and Bethany Home Road in Phoenix. Her company turned a Shasta Pools location complete with in-ground pools and spas into a modern neighborhood retail and office space.

When you went out onto the job site, it was filled with pools and spas in what was going to be the future parking lot, Sharp said. The demolition on that project was just amazing and fun to watch. It was a very interesting project that turned out beautifully.

Even in the best of times, it isnt easy for a new construction company to establish itself in Phoenix, but Sharps company also had to contend with a global pandemic within its first few years.

In March of 2020, I had four phone calls in a two-hour period where we lost $30 million worth of work and a project underway that completely stopped and shut down, Sharp said. Everything we were doing at the time was office, retail, restaurants and hospitality and our entire market went to sleep overnight. That was probably the hardest thing Ive dealt with in my entire career.

But as a trained problem-solver, Sharp adapted. The company survived by pivoting to industrial construction work the only market that was thriving at the time.

Now, the construction market in the Phoenix area is booming again and is presenting new challenges with rapidly fluctuating steel and lumber prices and a shortage of materials.

With a variety of construction projects under the companys belt, Sharp Construction is still looking to firmly establish its niche in the industry. Upcoming projects will focus on multifamily, office and industrial work. And Sharp says her team is ready to explore the possibilities in those areas.

Were still trying to figure where we fit in the construction market, Sharp said. I think as we continue to complete projects well have a better idea of where were going.

I know there are so many young girls out there who want to go into construction and engineering fields but theyre scared, Sharp said. I want to help pave that path and make sure they know they can do it. And not only can they do it, they can thrive.

When Sharp joined the construction management graduate program in the Fulton Schools, she was one of only a handful of female students. And while it has been a difficult road to prove herself in a male-dominated field, she has had support along the way.

Allan Chasey, a former program chair in the Del E. Webb School of Construction who has now retired and is an emeritus professor, was one of Sharps biggest supporters at ASU.

I think I was only one of two females in the construction and engineering group at ASU, and (Chasey) was really understanding of the challenges that we were confronted with, Sharp said. He tried to encourage women to join the program and he encouraged women who were in the program to continue and prosper.

Sharp spoke to a construction management class last year and hopes to get more involved in mentoring and encouraging the next generation of women in engineering by telling her own story.

As a professional, she had to prove her value to many people in the industry, though she says it was harder 15 years ago than today as the industry has begun seeing more diversity among its ranks.

Sharp says she still encounters people who are not open to doing business in construction with a woman, but shes not letting that get in her way.

This is just one of the challenges we have as women who are breaking into an industry that women arent typically in, Sharp said. I think the positions I have been put in because I had to prove myself are reasons why I am successful today. Even if it was challenging, it was worth it.

Goals: Be very specific about what you want to accomplish and how youre going to get there. You have to manage the completion of your goals: Look at them, make sure you have focus and put in the right efforts.

Mentors: Find leaders in your industry or individuals you value and who will give you the right advice. Try to hold monthly meetings, have productive conversations and review your goals with them.

Networking: Get out there and build relationships in the industries youre trying to get involved in. Relationships are so important. You never know where those relationships are going to lead you or what theyll do for you in your future. That was something I learned way too late.

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ASU alum builds rewarding construction career from ground up - ASU Now

Construction on a $100 million, 20-story apartment building in Center City is scheduled to start in the coming months.

The apartment building, which will be located at 12th and Sansom streets, will have nearly 400 units and 11,000 square feet of commercial space.

Construction is estimated to end in the summer of 2023, the Philadelphia Business Journal reported. It will take the place of a current parking garage, set to be demolished over the next few months.

The project comes out of rental property company Greystar, which already manages 7,000 apartment units across the Philadelphia region, and was designed by BLT Architects.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the city's vacancy rates to increase slightly because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the end of the first quarter, the rate sat at 9% in the city and 3.3% in the suburbs, according to a report from Delta Associates, the Journal reported. Though, Delta says these conditions are "temporary and are pandemic-driven," and should improve as vaccination rates rise and the economy bounces back.

In fact, Philadelphia saw less of its residents leave during the pandemic compared to other large cities like New York City and Boston.

Despite the lower vacancy numbers, construction on several residential buildings are underway in the city. At the end of 2020, approximately 10,000 apartment units were under construction and several projects are moving through the application and approval process.

Greystar's executives said the company is not worried about vacancy levels across the city.

I think the depth of the market is very strong, George Hayward, senior director at Greystar, said to the Journal. We think that for many folks who are not familiar with the city, Philadelphia has been hiding in plain sight.

Hayward said the company hopes to use its retail space to draw in more residents, like coffee users, a restaurant or a small format market.

Greystar has more than 15 properties in Center City alone, according to its website. The company is partnering with Mesirow Financial, a Chicago firm, to fund the new building.

Excerpt from:
$100 million apartment building coming to Center City in 2023 - PhillyVoice.com

Enclave has broken ground for a 155,000-square-foot building that will add 110 apartment homes and nearly 5,000 square feet of first floor retail space to Phase II of its development bordering bustling Veterans Boulevard.

The West Fargo-based development, construction and management firm said Lyv at Uptown & Main, which will go up just east of McAlisters Deli and south of Plaza Azteca, should be completed by summer 2022.

Lyv will join the existing mixed-use Uptown & Main building, Caribou Coffee, Plaza Azteca, Gundersons Jewelers and McAlisters Deli in the development.

Tim Gleason, a developer at Enclave, said it's satisfying to be part of the tremendous growth along Veterans Boulevard.

Its fun to just contribute to the vibrancy of that area of town, Gleason said Tuesday, June 29. Southwest Fargo is one of the fastest growing areas in North Dakota, if not the fastest growing area in North Dakota, so its fun to be part of that, and to be part of the next phase of Uptown & Main.

Lyv was designed in collaboration with Fargo-based TL Stroh Architects. It includes sheltered green space and multiple community patios. The building also offers club level amenities on the top floor, including 10-foot ceilings. There is a rooftop patio and grill, ground level patio and fire pit, underground parking, bike room, fitness studio, pet spa, package room, and other conveniences, Gleason said.

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An office building is still planned for Phase I of the development. It will sit west of the original Uptown & Main building, Gleason said.

The $18 million first phase Uptown & Main building, seen Tuesday, June 29, 2021, opened in 2019. (Helmut Schmidt/The Forum)

The latest round of construction is being celebrated at the recently opened McAlisters Deli at 5600 28th Ave. S.

McAlister's Co-owner Steven Majkrzak says construction of Lyv at Uptown & Main will be a big boost for businesses in the area, his included.

I think its fantastic. Enclaves vision, its truly amazing what theyre doing (and) what theyve done in Phase 1 and now theyre continuing their vision into Phase II, Majkrzak said Wednesday, June 30. We view it as only being helpful for us. Thats more businesses, thats more individuals that are going to be living in our area, living in those premium facilities that theyve built. Its absolutely exciting for us.

Majkrzak said Enclave founders Austin Morris and Ben Meland shared their vision with him before he decided to build McAlisters in Uptown & Main.

Its exciting what those guys are doing, Majkrzak said. Its cool to see it all play out and see how theyve made changes and adapted along the way. Its really exciting stuff. I think theyre doing such a fantastic job on Veterans.

McAlister's Deli, pictured Tuesday, June 29, 2021, opened in May as part of Phase II construction for the Uptown & Main development next to Veterans Boulevard in southwest Fargo. (Helmut Schmidt / The Forum)

The $18 million first phase of Uptown & Main opened in 2019. The first floor of the building at 2633 55th St. S. has 24,500 square feet of retail, commercial or restaurant space, topped by three floors with 67 multi-family luxury condominium units.

Gleason said leasing interest has taken off as the COVID-19 pandemic has eased and businesses get a measure of the economic climate.

Its been a huge success. Weve been thrilled with how the building turned out, Gleason said. You cant ask for a better location in town.

The overall development is designed to be walkable, with easy access to areas to live, work, play and eat along the main boulevard, Uptown Way South, Gleason said.

Lyv at Uptown & Main will have 110 apartments and nearly 5,000 square feet of retail space. The addition to Enclave's Uptown & Main development is now under construction. (Rendering courtesy of Enclave)

Mixing apartments and condominiums, commercial and retail, works well with Fargo's Go2030 comprehensive plan, said Current Planning Coordinator Donald Kress.

"We do encourage that," Kress said Wednesday, June 30.

"They're trying to make it its own neighborhood," Kress said. "It's a popular style of development nationwide. Minneapolis, Chicago, you see these types of things. It seems attractive to the residents."

Enclave Companies was founded in 2011 in Fargo. This spring, it opened its new $13 million headquarters not far from Uptown & Main at 300 23rd Ave. E., in West Fargo.

Enclave specializes in multi-family housing and commercial and industrial spaces, with its focus primarily in North Dakota, Minnesota and South Dakota. It celebrates its 10th anniversary in July.

The firm has been busy over the years; in 2020 alone it took on 35 projects.

Just a few of Enclaves other projects, big and small, that are underway or completed include PRx Performance in north Fargo, the Variant1 distribution warehouse in north Fargo, the DECO mixed use building in Shakopee, Minn., Caliper apartment homes in Maple Grove, Minn., Reside luxury apartment homes in Savage, Minn., and the Mosaic apartment building in Fargo.

Other easily recognized spots in Fargo include the Fargo Center for Dermatology, MEDPark Medical Center, Cowboy Jacks in downtown Fargo, 300 Lime, and The Retreat in Fargos Urban Plains neighborhood.

The company is also in the planning process for redeveloping the former Kmart plaza along Fargos South University Drive. In January, the company told the City Commission that it hoped to build a mix of apartments, commercial buildings and perhaps a grocery store on the 11.7-acre site.

Gleason said it represented a unique infill opportunity for the city and could spur a renaissance for South University Drive.

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Enclave starts big expansion of Uptown & Main in southwest Fargo - INFORUM

Facebook is planting its roots in the real world, with a planned community near its Menlo Park, California, headquarterscomplete with a supermarket, restaurants, shops, and a 193-room hotel.

Willow Village will truly be a company townwith 1,729 apartments on-site, including 320 affordable units and 120 set aside for seniors.

The development of the 59-acre site, currently an industrial and research complex, is a collaboration between Facebook and Signature Development Group, a Bay Area real estate developer best known for the Hive, a mixed-use commercial, shopping, and residential space in Oakland.

The developments leafy Town Square.

The design for Willow Village is pedestrian-friendly, with bike lanes and ample sidewalks, and includes numerous public green spaces, including a quarter-mile elevated park akin to the High Line in Manhattan.

Plans also call for a new 1.25-million-square-foot modernist office building, including a massive glass-domed area envisioned as a collaborative area.

Facebook wants to modernize this and bring it into the 21st century, Mike Ghielmetti, president of Signature Development, told The Mercury News in January.

The company filed paperwork to redevelop the half-century-old Prologis Menlo Science and Technology Park in 2017, but was met with resistance during the two-year public comment period. Residents in nearby neighborhoods like Belle Haven complained it would worsen traffic and make housing even more scarce.

A rendering of the Facebook projects sizable master plan.

Original post:
Facebook Is Getting Into the Real Estate Business - Architectural Digest

The exponential growth over recent years of commercial and residential development in Dublins north docklands is expected to see strong interest from international investors in the sale of Point Square.

Developed originally by Harry Crosbie, the scheme known formerly as Point Village, is being offered for sale by Savills on behalf of joint statutory receivers Stephen Tennant and Paul McCann of Grant Thornton, at a guide price of 75 million.

The Point Square scheme comprises some 103,000sq ft of office space, a 242,000sq ft shopping centre which incorporates a 95,000sq ft anchor store, over 61,000sq ft of space with planning permission for retail and/or leisure use, a six-screen cinema let to Odeon, 756 car parking spaces and 24,000sq ft of permitted caf/restaurant space home to various food and beverage operators including Starbucks, Eddie Rockets, Rubys, Salad Box and Freshii. In addition, Crossfit 353 have opened a gym in the scheme.

The sale is also set to include the Glass Box, situated in Point Square, Dublins first glass box restaurant which is nearing completion and currently available to let.

While the 252-bedroom Gibson Hotel, owned by Deka Immobilien and operated by Dalata, forms part of the wider scheme, this, together with the 95,000sq ft anchor store owned by Dunnes Stores, are held separately via long-leasehold interests and are not included in the sale.

Point Square is well-located within Dublins thriving north docklands. The scheme is situated immediately adjacent to Live Nations hugely-successful 3 Arena, a venue which ordinarily hosts more than 100 concerts a year, and within a short walk of Point Campus Student Accommodation, a development comprising 966 student accommodation beds, acquired by German investor DWS in 2019. The development is also located next to Dublins tallest office building, the Exo, which is under construction. Due for completion in the third quarter of this year, some 100,000sq ft of the 17-storey buildings 169,000sq ft of office accommodation is set to be occupied by An Post following the relocation of its headquarters from the GPO on OConnell Street.

Office-led developments

Outside of its immediate vicinity, Point Square is surrounded by a number of other large-scale office-led developments including Dublin Landings, the one million square foot scheme delivered by Sean Mulryans Ballymore and its partners, Oxley; Spencer Place Ronan Group Real Estates mixed-use development comprising 379,000sq ft of Grade A office accommodation (pre-let to Salesforce) and 329 apartments; and TIOs North Dock, which comprises a 241-bedroom aparthotel and two Grade A office buildings extending to 200,000sq ft. Point Square should also benefit from its proximity to the planned Pembroke Quarter. The development of the former Irish Glass Bottle site is expected to deliver 3,800 new homes and over one million sq ft of commercial space.

While Savills say they consider Point Square to be one of the best asset management and value-add opportunities to come to the market in Dublin in recent years, the scheme is already generating rental income of 4.9 million. The majority of this 80 per cent is being derived from the offices occupied by Oath (Yahoo!) and Voxpro. These offices are let at an average passing rent of 36 per sq ft, offering reversionary potential, and have a weighted average unexpired lease term of 2.7 years.

A feasibility study prepared in advance of the sale suggests that there is potential, subject to planning permission, to add extra floors at roof level of the office block.

Commenting on the proposed sale, Fergus OFarrell, investment director at Savills said: Point Square offers investors a rare opportunity to put in place an innovative and exciting asset management strategy while collecting significant rent roll. The retail component of Point Square offers buyers a blank canvas to put their stamp on this project, situated in an area that has undergone transformational change in recent years and where the likes of Microsoft, Salesforce and the Central Bank call home along with 25,000 residents.

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Point Square hits the market with 75m price tag - The Irish Times

STRONGSVILLE, Ohio -- Voters will decide in November whether a Strongsville developer can move forward with plans for a 32-acre townhome-retail development at the southeast corner of Ohio 82 and Prospect Road.

On July 6, City Council voted unanimously and without comment to place on the Nov. 2 ballot a rezoning that would make the project -- dubbed Camden Woods -- possible. The ballot issue must pass both citywide and in Ward 4, where the 32 acres are located, for the rezoning to take effect.

Cameron-Allie Development Group LLC, led by longtime Strongsville developer Mike Catanzarite and his son Nick Catanzarite, needs voters to rezone the land from a single-family district to local business and townhome cluster districts. Under city code, any rezoning of single-family residential lots must go to the ballot.

At a June 21 public hearing about the proposed rezoning, residents living near the Ohio 82-Prospect corner expressed concerns about how the development might increase traffic, worsen flooding and affect the environment, according to a meeting transcript.

David Cassel, who lives on Windsor Castle Lane just south of the proposed development, asked whether the Ohio EPA has determined how the townhome construction would impact the area environmentally. He also asked how much greenery the developer would remove.

We have some very nice, large trees behind us and across the way, and aesthetically its nice, Cassell said. It keeps our property value where it is and its one of the reasons why I moved in.

Cassell asked how many traffic lights would be added to the Ohio 82-Prospect area due to the development.

We have troubles with traffic here in Strongsville just to begin with -- rush hour in the morning and then in the afternoon, Cassell said. We have a lot of trouble on Prospect Road sometimes.

Shirley Colbert, who lives on Prospect across from the proposed townhome site, asked city officials if they would widen the street due to the development and take some of her property to do so.

Are we going to have a sewer and water problem? Colbert asked. Are you going to put in new pipes for us, or how is that going to work?

Gregory Golonka of Regency Drive, which is south of Ohio 82-Prospect, asked why anyone even had to develop the 32 acres.

I ... can probably live with it if there wasnt 144 units going into this small spot, Golonka said. I think if it was toned down ... a third or something like that, maybe its livable.

Patricia Basalla of Windsor Castle said her back yard is within 100 feet of the proposed development. She expressed concern about Baker Creek, which runs between the site targeted for rezoning and existing homes to the south.

This creek ... is a wetland and it does more than provide for wildlife, Basalla said. It prevents flooding. Now, the flooding wont affect me personally, because I live up on a hill, but if you go further down, if the wetland is destroyed, the possibility of flooding definitely exists.

Regarding traffic, Basalla said the development would add at least 100 cars traveling through the Ohio 82-Prospect area.

Im very concerned about the traffic, Basalla said.

Bernice Piazza of Prospect said she didnt understand why Catanzarites plan showed two new driveways into the development off Prospect -- a two-lane road -- and only one off Ohio 82, a four-lane highway.

Quite a few neighbors are really upset about this, Piazza said.

Council President Matt Schonhut said the Strongsville Planning Commission would address all of these questions, but only after voters decide whether to rezone the land.

If it does pass the city and ward, then, at that point, the city engineers, planners (and) Building Department will sit down and address all those issues and concerns about traffic, flooding, sewers (and whether) the road (will) be widened, Schonhut said.

Clubhouse, patios, walking paths

Cameron-Allie would build more than 30 townhome buildings, each with four living units, and a single commercial building fronting the corner of Ohio 82 and Prospect.

The site now consists of 12 lots, all zoned for single-family homes. According to the Cuyahoga County Fiscal Office website, four of the lots are vacant and eight contain homes -- including three Cape Cods, two ranches, one bungalow, one colonial and one split-level.

By acreage, however, most of the land is vacant. About 20 of the 32 acres are undeveloped.

Nick Catanzarite told cleveland.com that Cameron-Allie has all the parcels under contract. To make the land deals, Cameron-Allie formed a limited liability company called Royalton Acquisition LLC, which, according to the Ohio Secretary of States website, was formed in March.

Catanzarite said most of the eight existing homes are rentals, but he didnt say how many if any of the homes are occupied.

Catanzarite said his firm has not yet signed a tenant for the commercial building, which would take up 2.5 acres at the very corner of Ohio 82 and Prospect, but some businesses have expressed strong interest in the site.

Catanzarite told cleveland.com that Camden Woods would consist of 140 luxury townhomes, both ranch and two-story, within more than 30 buildings. The townhomes would take up about 23 acres.

About 7 acres would be preserved and used as a natural landscape buffer for the existing Sterling Point and Crystal Creek subdivisions to the south and east, respectively.

Catanzarite said the townhomes would include open floor plans, tall ceilings, attached garages, high-end finishes, patios, landscaping and a clubhouse that will be second to none, featuring a pool, fitness center, shared work space, golf simulator and other amenities.

At the June 21 hearing, Catanzarite said the townhomes would measure between 1,100 and 1,600 square feet and would have two or three bedrooms, attached garages and patios. The development would include walking paths.

Catanzarite said several commercial projects have been proposed for the Ohio 82-Prospect corner over the years. These have included a Discount Drug Mart about five to six years ago, but voters rejected a rezoning in that case. Other proposals have included grocery stores, and a hotel was once rumored.

We spent a lot of time with (city Planner) George (Smerigan) and the administration trying to decide what is the best use for this property, Catanzarite said. Is it commercial or residential? We came to the conclusion, with the support of the city, that a residential use is the best use for this property.

Catanzarite said the townhome development would allow people who cant afford a single-family home in Strongsville to move here.

Lets give people what they want, Catanzarite said. Lets add a product type that doesnt exist in the city.

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Strongsville voters to determine future of townhomes-retail project at Ohio 82 and Prospect Road - cleveland.com

The ground floor of Homes For Goods downtown affordable housing project Market District Commons is almost literally the ground. The wide-open space still has gravel on it.

Standing above are four stories of wood-framed housing, a form of housing generally referred to as podium housing, though five over one is often used when its five stories over a concrete ground floor. The Market Districts Commons ground floor wont be completely finished until a business moves in, leaving the interior construction for the future occupant, whether its a restaurant or retail store.

These buildings all have very similar characteristics. They have an open concrete ground floor for retail, parking or resident amenities. Built above are several floors of blocky wood-framed housing, which ranges from a colorful yellow hue like the Market District Commons, to dark olive and brick Gordon Lofts. Color aside, the buildings are distinguished by their lack of distinguishing characteristics they are basically rectangles with windows, though some add in balconies or other external decor. Still, once you have seen one, you have seen them all.

Podium buildings come in various price tags for tenants. Just a block away from Homes For Goods affordable housing project is the Gordon Lofts, marketed on its website as luxurious living. Developing podium buildings is a way to have a high yield of housing units, using a small amount of land. Its becoming more popular as housing for young professionals who dont need a lot of living space, and a way to build housing in commercial zoning that could address the citys housing shortage.

But it does have its faults.

Although the wood frame is a relatively inexpensive construction cost, podium buildings may not be the best solution for Homes For Goods affordable housing projects because of the often retail component thats found on the ground floor. And, says University of Oregon Department of Architecture Associate Professor Peter Keyes, podium buildings may not be the answer for the type of housing that would be appealing for the citys older demographic who are looking to downsize their living space.

Eugene may not have as many podium buildings as cities such as Seattle or Portland, but you start to notice the blocky character around town: Lane Community Colleges downtown campus, Arena District Apartments near the University of Oregon, the 35 Club near the Eugene Police Department, the Midtown Apartments on 16th and Pearl the list is growing.

Podium housings roots begin in the Pacific Northwest, Keyes says. Oregon was in an economic depression during the 1990s, and housing developers couldnt make money from building concrete buildings because there was a low demand for apartments.

The city of Portland told developers that they could build five stories of wood over a concrete podium. The style of housing is more cost-effective than building with concrete or steel and can withstand an earthquake better, Keyes says.

Since the 1990s, podium buildings have been growing in popularity. Keyes says he recently talked with a Boston architect, and he said theres been an increase of podium buildings in Bostons working class neighborhoods.

Its a response to a young single demographic who need a small, affordable place, Keyes says. In other words, yuppies, Keyes says.

In Eugene, podium buildings emerged as a way to provide housing for college students, who have normally piled into houses near campus, he says. As housing prices began to rise in Eugene, and the UO was redirecting recruitment toward out-of-state students to compensate for dwindling financial support from the state of Oregon, podium buildings were constructed as a way to house students, who may be from more urban areas of California, he adds.

Although there are podium buildings near campus, Keyes says he doesnt think Eugene has the young urban professional demographic in town to support the buildings in the urban core.

But that could change.

In past years, young professional architects would move to Seattle or San Francisco after graduating from the UO, but now theres a trend of them staying in Eugene. Were always predicting these periods of growth in Eugene, Keyes says. If we see this growth of yuppie population in Eugene, I could see us getting more of the building types that they can live in.

In the 1990s, Portland prepared for its population growth by building higher density on major arteries. Now you go down that stretch on Belmont [Street]; it is solid five-over-one, he says. If theres an increase of the yuppie demographic in Eugene, 20 years from now, Keyes says, the city could develop even more podium buildings like Portland did.

But would an increase of podium buildings destroy Eugenes architectural character? Keyes says no because the citys character isnt as unique as podium building critics may think. Eugenes neighborhoods have similarities to other cities from Sacramento to Omaha, he adds.

And new buildings destroying Eugenes character isnt a new conversation.

When Thom Mayne held discussions with Eugene residents about the Wayne Morse Federal Courthouse, the 2005 Pritzker Architecture Prize winning architect had to break the news about the citys character, Keyes remembers. Thom went on to say that, Ive gotta tell you, Ive been all around this country. Ive built stuff everywhere. Eugene doesnt look that different to me than anywhere else, Keyes recalls. And I think thats absolutely true.

Homes For Goods Market District Commons is in the heart of Eugenes downtown area. Located at the 5th Street Public Market Expansion, its near social services, grocery stores and possible employment that includes restaurants. But future affordable housing podium buildings may need the help of the citys real estate developers.

People who live in affordable housing have somewhere they can work, somewhere to buy groceries, says Homes For Good spokesperson Ela Kubok. Neighborhood-friendly increases the walkability.

The Market District Commons is a podium building and it is the first time in years the housing agency has developed affordable housing in downtown Eugene, Kubok adds.

Its a recent example of affordable housing developed in a podium building, but its success is tied to the benevolence of a real estate developer, Obie Companies, which bought and manages the commercial ground floor.

The Market District Commons has 50 residential units, 42 one-bedroom and eight two-bedroom, with prices ranging from $720 to $840, though many residents receive subsidies to pay for rent, Kubok says.

Whats common with other higher-end podium buildings, Kubok says, is granite counters and luxury light fixtures. Installing that in 50-plus units drives costs up, she adds, so the housing agency didnt go that route to keep rent low.

Homes For Good decided to have a podium building downtown because the agencys board of directors, which includes Lane County commissioners, wanted to have an active commercial space on the ground floor, says Homes For Goods Real Estate Development Director Steve Ochs.

Ochs says the city also wanted commercial space at the ground floor of Market District Commons to allow the building to engage with the area and avoid the controversy that occurred with the 13th & Olive student housing building, aka Capstone, which has residential units at the ground floor of a pedestrian-heavy area.

Homes For Good says there are plans for a healthy grocer in the retail space on the ground floor. But the retail ground floor, which satisfied the boards request for commercial space, is part of what would prevent the organization from investing in future podium buildings.

Theres risk involved with owning retail space, Ochs says. The agency would have been responsible for finding tenants for the commercial space. I dont even know if the bank would have financed us, he says.

Because Obie Companies bought the retail ground floor space, Homes For Good was able to construct the Market Commons, Ochs adds. And with that support from Obie Companies, which owns Fifth Street Public Market, the four stories of wood was more affordable, compared to building steel or concrete construction.

Whether Homes For Good would pursue another podium building depends whether the agency were to partner with an investor like Obie who can pay for the commercial space, Ochs says. Homes For Good would consider investing in another podium building for affordable housing, and there would also have to be some push from the city, he adds.

Podium buildings are a unique approach to build housing in areas where city codes are slated for commercial zones, says John Rowell, an associate professor at the UOs Department of Architecture and the founder of Rowell Brokaw Architects.

Rowell Brokaw designed the podium Amazon Corner, which has 117 units, ranging from 397 square feet studios to 1,103 two-bedroom two-bathroom units. The building is located in a commercial zone on 32nd and Hilyard, so the ground floor leases space for businesses.

When the project was first proposed, neighbors sent in comments during the application process, concerned about the consequences of the high-density project, its impact on traffic and its aesthetics on the skyview for property owners in the Amazon neighborhood. But environmental group 1,000 Friends of Oregon did commend the project for redeveloping commercial land for multi-family housing units.

Rowell says the community now welcomes the project, especially how the building encourages residents living there to walk or bike for transportation. And the retail space attracted Marchs Provisions South to open there.

The benefit of that is that when its done right, its vitality and a smaller footprint, he says, and you can get rid of your car.

Rowells firm is also working on a podium building at 1059 Willamette, to be called The Montgomery, for the city of Eugene, the location of the former Lane Community College downtown campus. His firm was the only submission to the citys request for proposals, which he says shows the health of the housing development market. If constructing housing were inexpensive, he adds, there would have been more firms sending in bids.

Building a podium that can withstand the weight of the five stories of wood framed housing is expensive, Rowell says. If you could do it without a podium, you would, he adds. Its something you have to do.

Retail ground floor is necessary at The Montgomery not only because of zoning matters but also because if there was a residential ground floor, it would be vulnerable to everyone walking downtown. Thats why cities dont have a residential ground level, he adds.

The Montgomerys unit rental price has received some negative feedback from residents, and even Eugene City Councilor Emily Semple said at a June 9 work session that she couldnt afford one of the units.

Although Homes For Goods Market Commons and St. Vincent de Pauls The Aurora are examples of affordable podium housing, Rowell says there arent a lot of tax credits for developers to construct more.

To lower the cost of housing, Keyes says there are two options: Housing units have to be smaller and at higher density, or the government has to step in to provide more tax subsidies.

A form of higher density units that could help lower the cost of housing may result from Oregons House Bill 2001, which encourages cities to build more housing on single family-zoned lots.

Podium apartments can be suitable for an older household wanting to downsize in exchange for a more walkable community, but building smaller houses in areas like south Eugene could have similar effect, while matching what attracts people to the city the outdoors.

In Eugene, its a small scale place and there really are these beautiful neighborhoods with trees, landscape and outdoor yards, Keyes says. I would not want to move out of my house, which has a beautiful yard and garden, and move into an elevator apartment building. I want to be able to walk outside and have a small outdoor space and a garden. I think thats the type of housing that Eugeneans would be happy to live in in higher density.

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Housing Takes the Podium Eugene Weekly - Eugene Weekly

Almost half a million square feet in new hotel and mixed-use spacedowntown was among a handful of hotel and residential projects that passed the Asheville Planning and Zoning Commission July 7.

Aside from that expansive addition to the Four Points Sheraton hotel on Woodfin Street, a new multiuse projecton Riverside Drive, a new apartment complex on Long Shoals Road and a new hotel on Biltmore Avenue near the Orange Peel downtown, all got the stamp of approval from the commission.

All but one, the development onBiltmore Avenue, will still have to go through Asheville City Council to be conditionally rezoned so work can move forward.

More than an hour of the five-hour meeting went to discussion and deliberation ofthe seven- to 11-story construction planned to wrap around the existing 150-room Four Points Sheraton hotel at 22 Woodfin Street.

Plans for the development submitted by 22 Woodfin St LLC, showresidential and hotel suites for new constructiontopping out at 470,000 square feet and just under 120 feet tall.

Public comments made at the commission's first in-person meeting in more than a year mainly opposed the building's scale. Commenter Kevan Frazier said everything on Woodfin Street save the Renaissance Hotel across the street is 75 feet or shorter.

Frazier said the building would become the largest in the central downtown, comparing it to the 269,000-sqaure-foot Grove Arcade and 201,000-sqaure-foot Kimpton Arras Hotel.

"The building is just out of scale on the Woodfin side," he told the board. "I'm not against the project happening, it's just out of scale with what we have."

He said he thinks developers have done a good job with the project, including making a number of changes in response to public input.

Another neighbor, Stephen DeMay, shared concerns over traffic as well, but said "the building is just too large."

"Just because you can build it, doesn't mean you should," he said.

Attorney Derek Allen, representing the developers, said a better comparison would be to look at the size of the lot in comparison to development downtown,rather than lookat any single building.

The Grove Arcade is on 1.55 acres, about half the size of the lot at 22 Woodfin, and doubling the size of that building would "far exceed" what's proposed there he said.

"So I think a more accurate comparison is to compare it to 3.55 acres of downtown development and look at that square footage," he said.

Allen noted that it's designed to look like multiple buildings, and described it as a verydowntown-friendly, Asheville-friendly development.

Commissioner Joe Archibald noted that the building would roughly match the height of the Renaissance Hotel if the two were built on the same elevation, though the Renaissance sits on land about 20-30 feet higher.

The first time he came to Asheville he stayed at that hotel, Archibald said, adding that '"hopefully this will spur some other infill projects around town," larger, denser development with buildings that vary in height and with different forms.

But, the site is in the city's highest height limit area,said Principal Planner Shannon Tuch, allowing for up to 265-foot-tall buildings.

"This is a large building; it is a very large building," she said, noting several other large buildings on the north end of downtown, where she said the city might expect to see that type of development.

Addressing that and other concerns about viewsheds for neighbors, commission Chair Tony Hauser noted the almost nonexistent height restriction and said folks living in that area for better or worse shouldn't have the expectation of not having their views impacted.

Other comments that were emailed in which Hauser read through shared mainly "subjective aesthetic comments."

Inside the new seven to 11 stories would be six to eight additional standard hotel rooms, 49 extended-stay hotel suites and 106 residential units split between apartments and condos, according to the staff report.

Around 8,000 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor is set to include a 3,000-square-foot grocery store, apparently Earth Fare, according to Archibald.

The project is too large to be eligible for the recently updated hotel approval process that would let it bypass conditional rezoning if it provided enough benefits listed on a city table.

More: New hotel map, rules head to council as moratorium draws to a close

But, Archibald said, by donating $4,000 per room to the city's Housing Trust Fund, committing to a sustainable design and making other transportation and neighborhood benefits, it would've scored high enough to pass the 220-point threshold a development of this size would needto bypass City Council approval.

Here were taking an existing hotel and saying OK, what can we do to make this better? Allen said, mentioning the large parking lot and the site's position between downtown and Interstate 240.How do we enliven that? How do we put more density there? How do we bring it up to current standards in the city of Asheville?

The commission approved the rezoning unanimously, which will head to City Council for final approval August 24.

"Hopefully this will be seen by any other would-be hotel developers as what's going to need to come forward," Archibald said."I certainly appreciate the comments from the public, the concerns. I look at this building, and it's actually really exciting."

A five- to six-storymixed-use building with 134 residential units and 14,000 square feet of commercial space and 182 off-street parking spaces at 159 Riverside Drive is also moving forward with a unanimous vote.

The project website says commercial areas will be for artist studios, retail and restaurant space for a vibrant, public facing, neighborhood destination thats committed to walkability, open space, multi-modal transportation, and environmental stewardship.

Split between two parcels, all construction is planned for159 Riverside Drive, which includes the remains of the former Asheville Cotton Mill and its smokestack on 2.95 acres, now set for a new 70-foot tall, five-story building.

On the ground level will be a non-occupiable podium, according to project conditions included with the meeting materials, with the multistory mixed use above.

Across the street, 1.65 acres at 144 Riverside Drive has been removed from the rezoning application, Tuch said, but will still be included as part of the project, no longer housing parking, only new tree canopy to meet city requirements.

Former plans showed a 41-space parking lot at the site, and agreenway on the site was set to remain in place. Parking will also be provided underneath the building on the ground level podium.

More: 5-story, 160-unit development proposed for former mill site on Riverside Drive

The only sticking point was a city requirement to have pedestrian pass-throughs in the various points along the building's width, which was waived in the unanimous approval by the commission.

Staff recommended approval of the rezoning with the condition that those pass-throughs be redesigned to comply with city form code.

Wyatt Stevens, attorney representing developer Brennan Smith, showed historical photos of the former cotton mill, which he said made uniforms during both world wars and sold products to Levi Strauss before it fell into disrepair and eventually burned in the 1990s.

The plan conforms with plans for the Wilma Dykeman Riverway and city plans for the area, he said, including preserving character buildings like the existing cotton mill smokestack, which will have a green roof and rainwater harvesting.

The smokestack will be shored up, Stevens said, and developers are still working on what to use the space for, with ideas like gatherings and local art.

Developers also plan to include 5%, or seven, affordable units, he said, restricted to 80% area median income, though it's not required.

"We think this hits every button that it should hit," Stevens said.

Tuch said the rezoning will go to City Council August 24.

A new mixed-use development set for 1/2 acre onBiltmore Avenue downtown, diagonally across the intersection from the Orange Peel, can now move forward with construction after clearing its ministerial review at the July 7 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.

Set for 120 Biltmore Ave., plans on file with the city show three levels of parking on the bottom of the building, with 40 extended stay hotel suites, three residential condos, and about 5,000 square feet of ground level restaurant and retail space with a covered outdoor dining area.

With the majority of hotel suites, Tuch called it "primarily a hospitality project."

The site plan review passed 5-1 with Commissioner Brenton Faircloth voting against, and will not need to go before City Council.

At 66 Long Shoals Road, near T.C. Roberson High School, a planfor 87 residential units on almost 3 acres got another unanimous vote, and will go before City Council for final approval July 27.

Indianapolis-based Millstone Management is seeking a conditional zoning permit for two four- to five-story buildings, one on Long Shoals Road and the other set back adjacent to the school with parking and garages between.

The project triggered the conditional zoning process, as its over 50 units, said Adrien Dannemiller with Millstone Management when plans were submitted in April, explaining the site will house 85-87 units in studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units.

More: New mixed-use site downtown, apartments on Long Shoals submitted to Asheville

He said at the time that developers hope to start construction late this year or early in 2022, with a completion date expected 18 months later.

The citys Technical Review Committee approved the application with conditions May 3, and city planning staff recommended approval of the zoning with conditions ahead of July 7s meeting, according to the staff report.

One of those is including 20%, or 17, affordable units at 80% of the area median income, set by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development at $48,100 for a two-person household.

Ultimately, City Council will have to approve rezoning the property from Institutional to Resident Expansion Conditional Zone, which includes a maximumdensity of 20 units per acre. Adding the affordable units, deed-restricted for 20 years, provides a density bonus of 50 units an acre.

At 87 units on 2.85 acres, the current unit-per-acre is just over 30.5.

Derek Lacey covers health care, growth and development for the Asheville Citizen Times. Reach him at DLacey@gannett.com or 828-417-4842 and find him on Twitter @DerekAVL.

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Hotel addition that could be downtown's new largest building passes Asheville planning board - Citizen Times

The fight over the future of the historic Utah Theater will reemerge in the public limelight this week, as the controversial deal between the city and private developers will likely lead to a glimmering new highrise on Downtown Salt Lake Citys Main Street.

A Planning Commission meeting on Wednesday will likely pit preservationists hoping to save the theater against city officials who have long held that the building is in such disrepair they gifted it to global real estate developers Hines two years ago.

The developers are seeking exception to D-1 zone height restrictions which otherwise prevent the construction of midblock buildings taller than 100 ft.

The Commission will have to decide on the quality of the 392 ft proposal, upon which the citys Redevelopment Agency, as owners of the theater property, has also placed conditions.

Public outcry at losing the historic theater has been significant and included accusations of corruption for giving the theater away to a developer and an attempt to put a measure on the November ballot to landmark the site.

Chances for big waves at the July 14 Planning Commission meeting are slim, but opponents are likely to bring their boards hoping for surf. The nature of the public exactions from the developer for their requested increases in height and entrance setback will be determined.

Situated in a prominent gap of Downtowns skyline, the 31-story, 392 foot tower would join a wave of new highrises in SLC and would be among the citys tallest buildings. The project would add 400 new apartment units in the center of the downtown core with 40 being listed as affordable at 60%-80% AMI. In addition, it would create a new outdoor park space accessible to the public but managed and maintained by the developers, as well as a mid-block path for pedestrians.

While these features might sound appealing to urbanists under normal circumstances, particularly during the current housing shortage, the planning commission will likely face a strong wave of opposition to the project because it requires the demolition of the century-old theater.

The vaudeville-era theater, formerly known as the Pantages Theater, which sits hidden from Main Street in the middle of one of SLCs gargantuan city blocks and abuts the rear of the Capitol Theater, has been out of active use for nearly three decades.

With a stage and loading area too small for Broadway, the auditorium was heavily altered in the 1960s and used as a two-screen movie theater before closing its doors in 1988.

After purchasing the building in 2009 with the intent of supporting an eventual renovation, the Salt Lake City Redevelopment Agency (RDA) ultimately concluded that the costs were too high for such a project.

Figures of $60-$80 million for restoration, which would include seismic upgrades and extensive rebuilding of the auditorium itself, have been cited by the city but disputed by activists.

Ultimately, the citys Redevelopment Agency entered into negotiations with developers Hines and LaSalle and, in December of 2019, signed an agreement to transfer the theater property to the them for the sum of $0 under four conditions:

The first three of these requirements are addressed directly in the design review package that will be the subject of the design review meeting at the planning commission.

As part of the effort to satisfy the fourth requirement, the Utah Theater in its current state has been extensively documented and a 3D virtual reconstruction of the interior has been generated. The results are hosted online by the Marriott Library at the University of Utah. According to Hines, certain interior features of the theater will be saved and repurposed, including the Tiffany skylight.

Dwell Design Studio, an Atlanta-based group that opened a SLC office recently, described the project on its website in September 2020 (which has since been removed):

Ahhh Salt Lake Citybeautiful mountains, Winter Olympics, funky counter-culture, the city that made Bill Paxton less known for saying Game over man! in Aliens to saying Game On! in Big Love.well, get ready to add another beauty to the list baby! Dwells design of the Main Street Highrise for Hines is a glittering gem that will raise the architectural status of Salt Lake City on the national radar.

In some kind of mind-blowing fashion, Dwells design team strategically blended the lower half of the tower into the context of the surrounding architecture, then featured a sleek and elegantly modern upper half of the towerall the while creating a well-composed iconic building design.

SLC loves it!!

The proposal includes a parking structure with 262 stalls that would have vehicular and pedestrian access from 100 South and West Temple. The city requires 0.5 parking spaces per unit in this zone and out of the 262 total spaces, residents will be able to use 202 spaces with 60 being allocated to the neighboring Kearns Building.

Echoing the forthcoming Astra Tower at 200 South and State, the exterior of the tower showcases multiple faade materials that are intended to evoke other important architecture in Downtown such as the adjacent Kearns Building.

Plans of the first floor show an 8,400 sf retail space fronting Main Street with double-height windows as well as a leasing office and a large bike shop space. A Sky Lounge, split between the 21st and 22nd floors, is intended to offer unprecedented outdoor views of the downtown core and the mountains beyond.

This space, as well as a pool amenity space adjacent to the park, a gym, and a second-floor co-working space will ostensibly be exclusive to residents of the tower.

In addition to the 40 affordable units, documents show the tower incorporates 75 studio, 176 one-bedroom, 104 two-bedroom, and 5 penthouse units at market rates for a total density of 332.5 units per acre.

The Gallivan and City Center TRAX stations are both within 700 ft to the north and south of the property respectively.

Pantages Park, a new .52 acre green space privately owned + open to the public to be built on top of the parking structure, would be accessible via a landscaped walkway from Main Street.

Recently revised plans show elevator access from Main Street as well as from the northwest corner of the park and from the tower itself. Signage visible from Main Street will lure pedestrians into the new park.

The developers have agreed to pay for the $2.5 million park as well as the estimated $69,000 annual cost of upkeep.

Following the announcement of the deal with Hines in 2019, a group devoted to saving and renovating the Utah Theater was born. The efforts of Save the Utah Pantages Theater have ramped up in the past few months with activists first offering to buy the property for $500,000 and later accusing the RDA of corruption.

In March, a petition to add a ballot measure in the November 2021 election, which would have officially classified the Utah Theater as well as the nearby Capitol Theater as historic landmarks, failed to reach the required number of signatures by a city-imposed deadline of April 15th.

Because the city did not confirm the legality of the petition until April 5th, petitioners argue that it only gave them a limited window to obtain the required 8,048 signatures. After the city denied a second petition on the grounds that it was identical or substantially similar to the previous one, the activists filed a still-pending lawsuit alleging that these requirements were convoluted and arbitrary.

In June, one theater supporter tied himself to the front doors of the theater and started a hunger strike in an attempt to call attention to its impending destruction. He ultimately untied himself later that day but has returned frequently to post flyers on the doors calling for the resignation and investigation of certain RDA members and Mayor Erin Mendenhall.

The city has largely been silent in return, with the RDA issuing only a short statement at a June meeting saying that the pending litigation has limited what they can publicly say concerning the issue.

The RDAs Amanda Greenland told us that The cost, along with the opportunity to address multiple community needs is why a sale of the theater was negotiated. The development will bring more housing units, more affordable housing units, and other public benefits including a publicly accessible green space in the heart of Downtown.

She also directed us to a discussion of the park space that took place at an RDA Board meeting in March, a recording of which can be found here.

Save the Utah Pantages Theater claims to have support from architects, designers, lawyers and Preservation Utah.

The group has its own vision to turn the Utah Theater into a grand movie palace and released its own ideas and renderings in a recent article. They argue that this better-fulfills a statement in the SLC Downtown Plan, adopted in 2016, which states that the city will Repurpose the Utah Theater as a cultural facility and activity generator.

In response, the city says it considers this statement to be an aspirational vision or initiative and that after investigation and analysis conducted by the RDA and the Administration, it was determined that restoration of the theater was not feasible given the deterioration and upgrades that would be needed to the structure.

The city also takes the position that the reuse of historical elements of the theater fits the use of the word repurpose and that the mid-block walkway and park, as well as the surge of new residents, will themselves be an activity generator.

The official design review packet for 150 S. Main, which can be accessed through the SLC planning departments website, shows many public comments in support of saving the theater and also a few in support of the redevelopment.

For the Utah Pantages Theater supporters, the July 14th design review meeting represents a chance to voice their concerns and to try to stop public approval of the project. However, the meeting is only officially concerned with the requested exception to the code for the height of the proposed building, as well as a request for an increased (10 ft) setback for an entrance at street level.

With a conditional recommendation from the planning staff in hand, the commission is unlikely to bar the project from moving forward at this meeting. Even if it did, the applicant could resubmit an alternate design proposal or simply build a structure up to 100 ft tall by right.

Interested in seeing where developers are proposing and building new apartments in Salt Lake, or just want to support a local source of news on whats happening in your neighborhood? Learn more aboutbecoming a member.

UPDATE: This story was updated to accurately reflect groups that support the effort to preserve the Utah Theater.

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Fight over Utah Theatre will likely flare up this week. How did we get here? - buildingsaltlake.com