Musings on SLC
I has been 2 years and 3 months since we made the move from sunny CA to not quite as sunny UT. Living in SLC has been quite a different experience from what I envisioned it would be. First, a quick fact: the Salt Lake metro area is now projected to be the size of San Diego by about the year 2030. They say 75% of that growth will be from our children and their children, but I have a feeling more than they think will be coming in from out of state.
In fact, I'm wondering if that growth might be reached in the next 10 years. I am very excited to see it, even though it does come with extra congestion and pollution. There is a big push to implement a comprehensive public transportation system, including expanding the light rail system from about 30 stations to 300 stations. They envision the rail station having an impact on every town in the valley (Murray, South Salt Lake, Holladay, Layton, etc.) - a work/live/mixed use town center cropping up around every train station. So you could conceivably get off at Layton, and there would be coffee shops, apartments or lofts, and shopping right there. Imagine lofts in Layton!
The only roadblock I see to this are the inbred cultural assumptions that are associated with housing here in Utah. I don't know that anyone would buy a loft or apartment in a mixed use situation at a busy transportation hub in Layton or Farmington. But the architects of this idea (www.envisionutah.org) have it all figured out - they propose those units be affordable housing, so homeownership would be the goal for those who can't afford the expenses of a car, and would benefit from such closeness to the trains.
The one thing that hasn't been happening here that is a sure sign of metropolitanization (is that a word?) is the complete lack of really good public art. All I can think of are the Chihuly glass sculpture in Abravanel Hall, and the Neil Hadlock sculptures around town, and the occasional high-modernist (read: early 60's) abstract things in front of the odd bank or business park downtown. There is also no good public landscape architecture to speak of - no high end landscaping anywhere in sight. Every time I think of what Salt Lake needs most to boost it's image, I think of that park in Bellevue, WA. The closest thing we have to really good lanscape architecture is the new public library, but really, it's not all that great because it is subservient to the architecture. And to top it off, it features, next to a very contemporary reflecting pool, the ubiquitous sculptures of children playing that drive me batty. Not that they shouldn't exist. But those things are everywhere!
Culturally, there is diversity and then some to this city. Economically, there is amazing wealth and high end living here. But visually, I'm not too happy with it, other than, of course, the incomparable mountains!
In fact, I'm wondering if that growth might be reached in the next 10 years. I am very excited to see it, even though it does come with extra congestion and pollution. There is a big push to implement a comprehensive public transportation system, including expanding the light rail system from about 30 stations to 300 stations. They envision the rail station having an impact on every town in the valley (Murray, South Salt Lake, Holladay, Layton, etc.) - a work/live/mixed use town center cropping up around every train station. So you could conceivably get off at Layton, and there would be coffee shops, apartments or lofts, and shopping right there. Imagine lofts in Layton!
The only roadblock I see to this are the inbred cultural assumptions that are associated with housing here in Utah. I don't know that anyone would buy a loft or apartment in a mixed use situation at a busy transportation hub in Layton or Farmington. But the architects of this idea (www.envisionutah.org) have it all figured out - they propose those units be affordable housing, so homeownership would be the goal for those who can't afford the expenses of a car, and would benefit from such closeness to the trains.
The one thing that hasn't been happening here that is a sure sign of metropolitanization (is that a word?) is the complete lack of really good public art. All I can think of are the Chihuly glass sculpture in Abravanel Hall, and the Neil Hadlock sculptures around town, and the occasional high-modernist (read: early 60's) abstract things in front of the odd bank or business park downtown. There is also no good public landscape architecture to speak of - no high end landscaping anywhere in sight. Every time I think of what Salt Lake needs most to boost it's image, I think of that park in Bellevue, WA. The closest thing we have to really good lanscape architecture is the new public library, but really, it's not all that great because it is subservient to the architecture. And to top it off, it features, next to a very contemporary reflecting pool, the ubiquitous sculptures of children playing that drive me batty. Not that they shouldn't exist. But those things are everywhere!
Culturally, there is diversity and then some to this city. Economically, there is amazing wealth and high end living here. But visually, I'm not too happy with it, other than, of course, the incomparable mountains!
posted by mnlop at
7:42 AM
8 Comments:
Oooh, yes, good idea! People who don't have yards (like me, and like everyone who will be living in the lofts in Layton) will need somewhere within walking distance get a dose of 'safe' and interesting nature. Utah's just not prepared for us yardless folk.
there's actually a big urban renaissance going on in our ward- more people are moving downtown to raise their kids, and the percentage of homeowners in our ward has gone from 3 to 16 in the last year. people are starting to settle down where ever they can afford near the city instead of waiting for their dreamhouse an hour outside of the city in issaquah or somewhere similar. we actually just re-instituted our young womens/young mens program, it's been defunct for years due to lack of kids. interesting times in our ward! luckily our bishop has now turned 30 so he's adult enough to handle it. :)
Perhaps you need a big shiney bean to land in your city. ;)
Consider: http://www.millenniumpark.org/artandarchitecture/
The potential for SLC does sound exciting. Maybe public art can be your next gig. . .
I think the main thing missing from the Utah equation (and something that's been on my mind for years) is the lack of good jobs. Perhaps this is useful in the infancy of the boom; expanding too quickly can cause all sorts of problems, not to mention hasty choices are often remade. However, it will need to be addressed some day. If Salt Lake City were to support, say, 2 million people, what would they all do for a living? An influx of that kind of money will provide more funds for public art. I think the lack of it (aside from a lack of demand for it in the culture) is in part related to the lack of funds. Not to mention that higher wages are more likely to attract the sort of folks who'd appreciate it and organize to get it. Then again, maybe when the housing market crashes and all those folks with ARMs flee the newburbs (places like Temecula or Murietta or San Bernardino), they'll wind up in Utah (wouldn't it be funny if Saint George became the roost for all the displaced Californians? I always thought it was a geographically logical place for them to end up) or Phoenix or Las Vegas. Most of those folks are upwardly mobile and have exposure to better public places, so perhaps they'd be an influence for good change too. I guess that presents a sort of chicken/egg problem, tho. What does Utah need to jump-start its job situation -- more people with money to spend, or more companies to hire people? I tend to think the people have to come first, and they'd almost have to be forced into it (by, say, the changing economic climate in more populous surrounding states). That "displacement" may be enough to modify Salt Lake's culture to the point where a large number of outsiders would find it more hospitable. Once that happens companies could then relocate there without fearing that their employees are going to hate where they live. Whether real or preceived, I think there is a general bias against living in Utah. I could waste more space, but I'll quit here. Utah provides much to think about in terms of social development...
andrew you should have your own social/political talkshow. it can be called "the new american tree", a title I came up with from a friend who is living in the way-out suburbs in utah and said no tree is bigger than the width of a soupcan because they are so new. become famous so you can!
rats, I just wrote a great response, then accidentally deleted it. The gist of it was:
St. George IS the new California - the growth rate is off the charts and you can't get a home for under $300k. Cedar City is quickly following.
I've read reports that indicate one of the greatest turnoffs to relocation here by individuals is Utah's liquor laws. That said, our goverment is actively recruiting the high tech sector to bring their headquarters to Salt Lake. They currently are not actively distributing booze.
IKEA is a major social signifier (and you thought it was just a store, oh silly) of the massive cultural sea change that is in store for this place.
Coming SOON: photos of the good, the bad, and the ugly of Utah's public art. STAY TUNED!!
There USED to be a very cool dragon in the reflecting pool at the city library. It was there during one of the art festivals there. In fact, a handful of librarians saw it as such a vivid improvement on the place that they all pitched in money to buy it off the artist and keep it there. The money was raised rather quickly, but no word came as to whether or not the director would allow it to remain. And the dragon disappeared ... dead in the water, so to speak.
now THAT'S what I'm talkin about!
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