Deseret News | 2 Sugar House projects vying for Salt Lake City's OK

Reader comments
2 Sugar House projects vying for Salt Lake City's OK

Bob G | 5:14 a.m. Dec. 5, 2007

Developers should be held to city master plans instead of trying to change them every time they wish. That's why we have master plans, to control and maintain developement to meet community standards. Just because SLC and many other communities don't abide by their own master plans does not give developers the right to take the city's to court. Developers blackmail cities to comply and citizens lose their voice in their own communities. Develpers are a curse and should have little choice in zoning and developement. Look at what they are doing in Orem and Provo, suing the city's to get zoneing laws changed to meet their greed. This is all wrong.

Get over it... | 7:31 a.m. Dec. 5, 2007

I have lived in the Sugarhouse area for over 30 years, and why anyone would want to save those awful buildings is beyond me. They are an eyesore and crumbling at their foundations. It is time to move on and let those atrocious buildings be torn down and replaced with new, attractive buildings that will make the area more enjoyable to walk through.

Sugarhouse Resident | 10:08 a.m. Dec. 5, 2007

I totally agree. I was so excited when a developer came in and wanted to clean up that building. The stores that have been in there are excited because they pay little to nothing for lease which is why it has attracted some of the worst stores I have ever been in. The 60's motif may be back in style, but this building is falling apart. If you walked through Granite furniture you could see and feel that the building was in bad shape. And a upgrade is not fiscally possible. Then to move Blue Boutique into a residential area is appalling too. I went in there and did not like anything around. They don't have to go out of business, but be in a commercial area with many stores. Simon Sorenson does not represent all Sugarhouse residents.

Comments continue below

Sugarhouse Resident | 11:04 a.m. Dec. 5, 2007

I live in Sugar House, am a Realtor and date a land developer and I still believe Sugarhouse needs to maintain its historical ambience. We have plenty of suburban strip malls and that is what it is starting to look like. Consider 9th and 9th, a very cool area, updated but maintaining the historical charm; even 15th and 15th, nestled into a neighborhood, great businesses and original structures intact albeit mixed with some new, both in scale. Development of the Sugarhouse area with great new restaurants and owner operated businesses that we can support while maintaining the identity would enhance the area. Leave the high rise development to the suburbs! I support Simon Sorenson's efforts.

Bill | 11:33 a.m. Dec. 5, 2007

Those buildings are decrepit and have no redeeming architectural or historical value. The mere fact that a building is old doesn't mean it has historical value or is worth preserving for its ugly architecture.

kay w | 1:11 p.m. Dec. 5, 2007

The Sugarhouse Development is beauitful. It will add so much to the Sugarhouse area. The old buildings are falling down. People who see the front of the buildings can not see this, all they see is half way nice buildings that someone wants to tear down, Let them see the back of the buildings and they will change their mined.The new development will add so much to the area and will bring people to Sugarhouse.

David | 1:15 p.m. Dec. 5, 2007

As a current resident and someone with ties to Sugarhouse going back seven generations, I find it laughable that the cry for historic preservation is coming from those that want to preserve the eclectic nature of the area. If you want the historic nature of Sugarhouse preserved, let's turn back the clock to before the relatively recent invasion of box retail, tattoo parlors, coffee shops, sexy clothing and erotic bakery. Let's bring back the Snelgrove class of business that made Sugarhouse a great place to live, raise a family and work.

Not likely. That's progress.

M. Sorensen | 1:21 p.m. Dec. 5, 2007

Some people just can not let go. I spent my entire woring career in the family business (South East Furniture Co.) I have walked the area behind the facade hundreds of times. Our company owned part of the area. I am surprised that this area even passes code, there is nothing to these small buildings. I am surprised they still stand. There are all these interests that want Sugar House to remain a non entiry as there were in my days there. Get on with it. Rebuild the area into something we can all be proud of...the master planners are correct in wanting something updated and new. Leaving it alone just invites people like the "Blue Boutique" and other questionable entities to come in and peddle their goods in a downgraded, low rent district. That is degrading the area, not perserving it's heritage.

M Sorensen again | 1:41 p.m. Dec. 5, 2007

I must restate that I agree with Mecham Investment and most of the posters to this article. Rebuild and demolish all those small junk buildings that still exist there. They would not even make suitable quarters for the homeless to reside in. Those buildings were old seventy years ago when our company (South East Furniture) purchased the old Marlo theatre and made a sales area out it. Downtown Salt Lake would have had it redone many years ago and replaced it with something worthwhile. Congratulations to Mecham Investment for hanging tough for progress in Sugar House.
Now get on with it Sugar House, don't let anyone stand in your way. The "Blue Botique" should be the first to go.

Laurie | 2:06 p.m. Dec. 5, 2007

In the early 80's I had to walk past the triple x movie theaters every day to get to work in downtown Salt Lake City. I was so happy to see it cleaned up and beautified. I am hoping for this same thing to happen to our beloved Sugarhouse area. It is a gem that has been temporarily uglied by the run down conditions and occupants that have called the corner of 21st and 11th home for awhile now. I applaud any developer that wants to bring back the beauty and livability of this neighborhood!

Stenar | 4:08 p.m. Dec. 5, 2007

7-story buildings are going to ruin the ambiance of that SugarHouse corner and the traffic will be unbelievable. Traffic is already bad there now, just wait until they add 7-story buildings to an area that now has only 1 and 2-story buildings. Why do people hate old things so much? Maybe we should tear down the SL Temple because it's old and build something new and tacky.

Sugarhouse Resident | 9:50 a.m. Dec. 11, 2007

I am confused, how did the debate turn to tattoo parlors vs new? Isn't the question how the new development will look in the end...seven story mall or Sugarhouse charm??? No one is saying keep the old buildings ugly...they are determining the nature of the development. I am surprised long time residents aren't more concerned with Sugarhouse turning into any other suburb. And the comment on the traffic is very valid.

Add your comment

Comments are monitored. Any comments found to be abusive, offensive, off-topic, misrepresentative, more than 200 words or containing URLs will not be posted.

Words Remaining

E-mail address: For internal use only. We may want to contact you to publish your comment (not your e-mail address) in the newspaper or for a separate story idea.

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Morning News

The building housing the Blue Boutique has been called the most significant commercial building still standing in Sugar House.

Gallery (2 photos)

Sugar House area map

Follow us on facebook

Follow us on Twitter

Reader comments
2 Sugar House projects vying for Salt Lake City's OK

Add your comment

Letters: Earth at center?

Jazz fall apart late at L.A.

Letters: Modest tax hike needed

Letters: Cut Mitchell's hair

I-15 expansion barreling south

Letters: Earth at center?

Letters: Reid sold his memory

Palin signs books, chats with fans

Letters: Professors and Beck

Residents protest Elk Ridge ordinance

Reader comments 2 Sugar House projects vying for Salt Lake City's OK

Add your comment

Reader comments
2 Sugar House projects vying for Salt Lake City's OK