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SALT LAKE CITY -- Salt Lake City's plans for a new public safety building and new development along North Temple are moving forward. City council members took public comment on the two issues at Tuesday night's council meeting.
The corner of 300 East and 500 South will soon have a new look. Concept designs for the public safety building across from Library Square were presented at the council meeting.
"Clearly, the designers have put their creative hats on and come up with a building that seems to really fit well into this landscape, this urban landscape we have," said Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker.
Becker also wants it to be a net-zero energy building -- something that hasn't been done in Utah.
Salt Lake residents will have 30 days to submit online comments.
"Public safety is at the core of what we provide our residents and businesses and visitors, so we need this building to function well," Becker said.
Another important part of the city's infrastructure: transportation. Construction is already underway for the North Temple Airport TRAX line.
Some business owners along the corridor spoke out at Tuesday's city council meeting. They are hoping for a beautification rezoning plan, which property owners would help fund.
"If we don't rezone, all we'll have is a train running through a suburb," said Bill Koker, co-owner of Red Iguana restaurant. "It's not a grand boulevard; it's not the expectation that you all have for the project."
Other businesses are against it, but council members say their approval isn't necessary.
"There are three or four large-property owners that protested it. We could split that off, and they wouldn't have the improvements," said Councilman Van Turner.
Tuesday night's vote on the special improvement areas was pushed back to next week.
E-mail: ngonzales@ksl.com
