Demolition work underway for large North Temple apartment project
A long-underutilized block that serves as a gateway to downtown is about to be redeveloped. Demolition work has started on the former North Temple Inn, at the northwest corner of the 300 West and North Temple intersection, to make way for a large multifamily development.
The project will be six stories, with four floors of residential units above a two-story parking podium. The project will have 240 market-rate units with a unit mix of 29 studios, 127 one bedroom and 84 two-bedroom apartments.
The development won’t be mixed-use but 13 ground floor units on both 300 West and North Temple separating the parking structure from the sidewalk. Because of the ground floor units, the project will have a 10-foot landscaped setback from the property line to provide rear patio and small garden space for the ground floor units. The ground floor units will face away from the street level with interior entrances and the rear patios fronting the sidewalk level.
A reception area, two offices and a conference room will occupy the southeast corner of the building at the intersection of North Temple and 300 West. According to the project’s architect, Guillaume Belgique of Architecture Belgique, amenities include a clubroom, fitness center, an entertainment lounge, two interior courtyards and a 9,000 square-foot rooftop plaza.
The two interior courtyards will be at the second podium level with all four floors of interior residential units looking out to the courtyard. The rooftop plaza will overlook North Temple.
The project was one of the several projects in the Transit Statio Area (TSA) zone to receive a development review score during a six-month moratorium on approving new projects in the TSA zone. Under the TSA development review process, developers may bypass Planning Commission approval if their project receives at least 100 points on a development score sheet that awards points for transit and pedestrian friendly design features.
The Salt Lake City Council voted to update the TSA process last year after several projects were approved that had little or poor street engagement.
The 300 West North Temple project earned 131 points under the original development score review. The project earned the bulk of its points for structured parking and residential density, at 50 and 20 points respectively. The project earned 10 points each for replacing a nonconforming structure (a suburban-style motel), external materials and having design variation to emphasize the building’s corner at the 300 West and North Temple intersection.
The project will have 265 parking stalls, with a 1:1 parking ratio and with 10 electric car charging stations. The development is a block from two TRAX stations, the Arena Station on South Temple near 300 West and Guadalupe Station on the North Temple viaduct.
According to Belgique, the original color renderings don’t reflect the project’s updated design. Instead of the lighter brown brick in the renderings, the final design will use dark gray brick with white stucco, and light gray siding.
Construction should begin after the demolition is completed. According to city records, the developers have received their needed building permits.
