- The Tower Theatre in Salt Lake City will undergo partial facade deconstruction.
- This effort aims to restore its original 1928 design.
- The Salt Lake Film Society is still seeking donations for the renovation project.
SALT LAKE CITY — Work to dissect the facade of a historic Salt Lake theater is expected to begin this spring, but it's all in an effort to restore its original, nearly century-old design.
Salt Lake Film Society officials filed paperwork with Salt Lake City last week to begin "preliminary facade deconstruction" of the Tower Theatre as part of a phase to review the structural integrity of the current facade that dates back to the 1950s, and to better understand what's left of its original 1928 facade.
This phase, on track to begin in April and last into the summer, will ultimately help architects determine the next steps toward the organization's goal of bringing the building back to its former self, officials said. It marks the first step in the process of restoring the historic building, since the society submitted its plans to the city in November.
"The Tower Theatre is a beloved cultural landmark in our community and has been for nearly a century. This step allows us to better understand the original 1928 facade so we can thoughtfully plan what comes next," said Prescott Muir, owner of Muir Architecture and lead architect on the project. "Our goal is to honor the building's legacy and its operational eras while ensuring it can serve audiences for generations to come."
The Tower Theatre, 876 E. 900 South, is considered a staple within Salt Lake City's 9th and 9th District, but it has been closed since 2020. It wasn't until 2023 that the Salt Lake Film Society announced plans to renovate the building to preserve it for its next 100 years.
It unveiled "initial concept drawings" last year that call for a "digital replica" of its original east tower and other elements to make the building look more like it did when it first opened. The iconic Tower of London inspired the building's original design, but some of those elements were lost when the building's facade was drastically altered in the 1950s.
The renderings released last year may not be what the building ultimately looks like, said Tori Baker, president and CEO of the organization, at the time. A partial deconstruction of the facade will help architects understand what remains from the 1920s as they work to finalize their plans.
The alley next to Tower Theatre will be closed during work hours once the initial facade deconstruction begins in April. That's expected to be between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday, until the phase work is completed.
However, it's still unclear when the building will reopen. The nonprofit is still seeking philanthropic donations or support from the organization's Red Carpet Club.
Fundraising success, design development, and construction and manufacturing schedules" will ultimately determine when the building undergoes its major renovations and reopens, Salt Lake Film Society officials added in an email to patrons on Monday.
