From Deseret News archives:
Sugar House crater must be filled
Developer of residential, retail, office project has until Oct. 31
Craig Mecham has been given until Oct. 31 to backfill the hole at the Sugar House site of his proposed 4 1/2 -acre residential, retail and office development. Mecham also must submit to the city a detailed development schedule by Oct. 20, allowing city officials to monitor the project's progress.
"If in fact there's going to be a substantial delay, which we believe is the case, then he needs to get the hole filled in," said Frank Gray, Salt Lake City's director of community and economic development.
Gray sent a letter to Mecham on Wednesday to inform him of the deadlines. The requirement that backfill be completed by the end of the month is an extension from Sept. 26 the latest in a series of construction deadlines Mecham has failed to meet.
With winter on its way, city officials are worried about having a pit that does not drain in the middle of an undeveloped area.
In a letter to Mayor Ralph Becker dated Oct. 2, Mecham said backfilling the hole would cost about $80,000 on top of the $50,000-plus he spent in June to landscape the perimeter of the site.
Mecham did not return phone calls seeking comment. The Deseret News obtained copies of the letters through the Government Records Access and Management Act.
In the letter, Mecham also heaps blame on city officials including the Planning Commission for not moving the project through the approval process quickly enough.
The Planning Commission approved the project at its Aug. 13 meeting nearly a year after Mecham first pitched the idea to commissioners.
Since that time, there have been "dramatic changes in the credit markets," he wrote, "and as of now, many of the financial institutions which expressed initial interest no longer are or can provide the necessary financing."
Mecham is working to obtain financing, according to the letter, but "I am not currently in a financial position to proceed without a financial commitment."
The developer also contends in the letter that he's being "singled out" by the city, saying he's aware of "other projects that have not been required to incur such unusual additional expenses."
Gray said the city is simply holding Mecham to the commitments he made when he obtained a demolition permit.
Recent comments
The reason there is a big hole in the ground instead of a building is...
geedub (former VV6th) | Oct. 12, 2008 at 9:09 p.m.
Most here *knew* this would be the outcome, once the developer was...
Predicted Outcome | Oct. 12, 2008 at 9:24 a.m.
Your comments are spot on, Sugar House Resident. Mecham is just...
Stenar7 | Oct. 10, 2008 at 11:13 a.m.
- Schumer: Dems ready to go-it-alone 7:57 a.m.
- Dispute reveals Catholic divide 7:41 a.m.
- Stock futures point to higher opening 7:37 a.m.
- Sports on the air 1:21 a.m.
- 2009 MLS Cup recap 12:45 a.m.
- MLS Cup winners, MVPs 12:41 a.m.
- Real Salt Lake: Game at a glance 12:36 a.m.
- Paper circulation worse than it looks 12:28 a.m.
- RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks 12:22 a.m.
- Editorial: Cancer screening 12:15 a.m.
- Buttars wants to limit gay rights laws
206 - Glenn Beck to enter politics?
194 - Palin plans tour stop in Utah
178 - RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
144 - BYU records with win
130 - Palin's book shows she's unqualified
129 - Officer cleared in Cardall Taser case
103 - BYU cuts Women's Research Inst.
101 - Jazz finally win in San Antonio
99 - Utes knock off rival Aggies
93
A little after midnight Wednesday morning, about 21 hours ago as I write...
There's a lot of reason to leave your plastic home as you shop:
I think el guanaco has the list right. We take risk of losing either russell...
Such negativity. Sounds like she has good ideas & I know she is very...
So the fact that games are not played on Sunday is your reason for not...
wow just an awesome game.. Thank you RSL for the great postseason! Let's...
The article neglects to mention that UTOPIA's application has been challenged...
Neat! OU is the best victory a team in the state has ever had.
"But four losses, including bad ones to Colorado State....". They could have...
One drunk driver is too many. One child finding dads' gun in the house is...
Congratulations RSL! I'm not a soccer fan at all, but when you do something...
2000 plus made the trip to seattle. I couldn't even hear the LA fans!...

