Planning Commission approves height for proposed Regent Street Hotel
Downtown Salt Lake City is closer to getting its second boutique hotel. The Salt Lake City Planning Commission unanimously approved the design and height variance for the proposed Regent Street Hotel during Wednesday’s commission meeting.
The 22-story boutique hotel will replace the blighted, former Eat-a-Burger site at the northeast corner of the intersection at 200 South and Regent Street. Form Development, the developers of the project, requested a height variation of 230 feet over the limit allowed under current zoning for mid-block buildings downtown. The developers plan to build a 330-foot tower consisting of a 20-story, 298-foot main building under a 13.5-foot rooftop pavilion and 18.5-foot mechanical penthouse.
The project will have no onsite parking but instead will lease spaces from adjacent parking structures. The building’s first three levels would include a lobby, restaurant, formal meeting spaces and other amenities like a gym and spa that will be available for both hotel guests and residents. The next nine floors will be reserved for hotel guests with 190 rooms available. Floors 13-20 will be private residences. Units of floors 15-20 will have private balconies.
Developers submitted an updated design to the Planning Commission after receiving criticism that the original design of the balconies made the building feel top heavy. The original design showed the balconies on floors 15-20 extended out from the units. The new design shows the balconies even with the general sight lines of the building.
According to Salt Lake Planning Division staff, “The building, despite being tall, is designed with a ground level that is transparent and visually engaging with a public lobby and restaurant in a double-height space, quality materials that lend a stately appearance, and an overall classic modern aesthetic that positively contributes to downtown’s image.”
The 251,810 square foot building will front both the Regent Street and 200 South. The project will maximize lot space with the building occupying 11,739 square feet of the 12,117 square foot lot.
Unlike most new construction projects in the City, the majority of the Regent Street Hotel will have a brick exterior, instead of the quintessential stucco. The first two floors will be clad with stone, the next 12 floors will be clad with brick while the remaining six floors will be clad with metal panels.
“The proposed Regent Street Hotel development will transform downtown’s skyline, adding high-quality hotel rooms and residential units to our urban center,” wrote Jason Mathis, the executive director of the Downtown Alliance, in a letter of support to planning staff. “The development will bolster significant public and private investments made along the Regent Street corridor… Additionally, this project will complement our cultural core.”
The development will be in close proximity to several prominent downtown spaces. The building will be within a block of the Gallivan Center, City Creek Center, Eccles Theater, 111 Main and two TRAX stations.
The project will be incorporated into the revitalization efforts planned for Regent Street. The project will be the southern anchor and gateway to the pedestrian-focused, 100 South block of Regent Street.
In June, The Salt Lake City Council acting as the Board of Directors for the Redevelopment Agency approved an Option to Purchase Agreement for three RDA-owned parcels on the 100 South Block of Regent Street. The agreement allowed the developer to purchase the RDA parcels directly north of the Eat-a-Burger site.
The developer plans to finalize property agreements by fall 2015, with construction expected to start spring 2016 and last 12 months.
