Rising: Work progressing on construction projects that will add vibrancy to Salt Lake City area around Temple Square
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After months of demolition and excavating deep into the city blocks directly south of Temple Square and the Church Administration Building, downtown Salt Lake City is showing signs of rising. At the same time, the new Church History Library across Main Street east of the Conference Center is progressing toward completion in summer 2009.
The face of Utah's capital city and the headquarters of the Church is changing, with a promise of better things to come in open space as well as residential, retail and office facilities.
Downtown Rising is the tagline of Salt Lake City's efforts to upgrade, renovate and improve to remain a vibrant community. One of its projects is City Creek Center, a joint venture between the Church and Taubman Centers Inc., a retail properties developer.
"New construction at City Creek Center is well underway," reported Dale Bills, a spokesman for City Creek Reserve. "The first phase of residential buildings will be completed and ready for occupancy by early 2010.
"In mid-March, we switched from tearing down the old to building up the new when we poured the foundation for a 30-story residential tower on the corner of South Temple and West Temple. Since then, we've poured foundations for two other residential buildings on the Crossroads block and several levels of the underground parking garage.
"Excavation is progressing on the ZCMI block. Our new food court will open on that block early next year.
"On the Social Hall block, we will complete a new 700-stall parking garage in July, and site preparation is underway for the new Harmons grocery store.
"Additional residential buildings will be completed and offered for sale in 2011 and 2012 as market demand allows. The retail opening is also contemplated in the 2011-2012 timeframe."
Demolition began in 2006 on the Crossroads Mall block and then moved across to the ZCMI Center block.
The new City Creek Center, as described on its Web site, will be a "sustainably designed, walkable urban community of residences, offices and retail stores that will rise over the next four years on approximately 20 acres across three blocks in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City."
Open areas will include walkways, landscaping and water features with crosswalks and a sky bridge connecting the project across Main Street. There will be two anchor stores and several retail establishments.
The 230,000-square-foot Church History Library will replace the library located in the east wing of the Church Office Building. Ground was broken for the building by President Gordon B. Hinckley in October 2005.
E-mail to: ghill@desnews.com
