- Rocky Mountain Power broke ground on a new 10-story all-electric headquarters.
- The project is part of a larger redevelopment of the Power District area.
- Salt Lake City leaders anticipate the transformation will significantly impact the state.
SALT LAKE CITY — Harry Truman was still president and Disneyland was still a few years away from opening when Rocky Mountain Power began working out of its current headquarters on the west side of Salt Lake City.
It went through a remodel in the 1970s and another in the early '90s, but it's remained about the same since then, says Dick Garlish, President of Rocky Mountain Power. That's why he's excited for a new 10-story headquarters that's now under construction.
"It's exciting to be ... transitioning to a new (headquarters) that is an all-electric building, with modern tools and technology," he said, standing in front of several gold shovels planted in a line of dirt in front of what will be the home of the utility company's 3,000 employees.
However, it's more than just that. The new 300,000 square foot corporate campus signals the beginning of a massive overhaul of Rocky Mountain Power's 100-acre property that is set for redevelopment, especially after the Larry H. Miller Company acquired most of it.
State and local leaders joined Larry H. Miller Company and Rocky Mountain Power officials Monday morning, braving a cool drizzle to break ground on the project.
"It's been an incredible few years getting to this point," said Brad Holmes, president of Larry H. Miller Real Estate. "The Power District is set to expand downtown Salt Lake City. We're expanding it to the west with this incredible mixed-use development."
Rocky Mountain Power, he added, is a "fitting" starting point for the district.
The new facility, located on the parking lot west of the current headquarters along North Temple, will serve as the operations hub for the company that provides power to more than 1.2 million customers across Utah, Idaho and Wyoming. Officials say the 10-story building will be "inspired by the character" of the historic Gadsby Power Plant.
"Beyond that, it's a privilege to be part of the Power District and this larger thing that's happening here on North Temple," Garlish said.
The new building is expected to take two years to complete, setting up a possible opening in 2027, Holmes told KSL.com after the event. Construction of a new multifamily complex is projected to begin next year, as well, along with some early infrastructure work.
Monday's ceremony took place nearly a year after Salt Lake City leaders approved a rezone of 93 acres of land that the Miller Company acquired from Rocky Mountain Power. It allows for buildings up to 400 feet in height, as long as they're approved through a city review process and the Federal Aviation Administration, because of the district's proximity to Salt Lake City International Airport.
There's also space for a Major League Stadium, should Utah secure a team through league expansion.
At least 10% of future housing projects over the next 40 years will include some level of affordable housing, along with 20% of new housing units containing at least two or three bedrooms, per an agreement that the company reached with Salt Lake City. That agreement also included language that gives the Miller Company land use applications an "expedited review" to speed up redevelopment in the area, among other concessions.
"This is the first visible step of a massive vision that's going to transform not only the west side of Salt Lake City, but the state of Utah," Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said after the event. "It's just the first domino in a very long series of dominoes that's going to end up building this district into something phenomenal."
New renderings of the Power District and neighboring Utah State Fairpark area — also set for major redevelopment — were released on Monday, as anticipation grows for the area. The new developments will ultimately plug into Spark and TheYard, a pair of recently completed projects that add hundreds more units in the area.
Meanwhile, the Miller Company said it's in the middle of a $10 million investment toward infrastructure improvements, site clean-up and improvements to the Jordan River. The latter will include work to improve water quality and restore native vegetation and fish, while also adding new water-based recreational opportunities in the city.
"I'm grateful for the river's thoughtful inclusion in this project ... and the remediation work that is soon going to begin," the mayor added.
