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John Daley ReportingOne big story in this year was about a major and much-awaited announcement. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints unveiled its billion dollar plans to redevelop the heart of Salt Lake City's downtown. It's number 5 on our top ten stories of 2006.
Before a packed room, the LDS Church unveiled its vision for the re-development of 20 downtown acres.
Bishop H. David Burton, LDS Church Presiding Bishop: "What we are talking about are design plans of how the project fits together, where the retail is going to be. How does it interface with the residential? Where are the office towers? How will the parking be available?"
The Crossroads and ZCMI Malls, the Key Bank Tower, Inn at Temple Square and First Security building would all be torn down. Plans called for 5600 underground parking stalls, Nordstrom, Macys and another store to be anchor tenants, a Main Street pedestrian bridge, six acres of open space, with streams and walkways.
The ZCMI facade will be saved and reinstalled later. There'll be new residential buildings, initially about 300 units and a Harmon's grocery.
The project is designed to compliment Temple Square, but will be a commercial venture. Overall, the plan drew a positive reaction from city leaders, with few concerns.
Soren Simonsen, Salt Lake City Council: "What happens with the rest of downtown is the biggest question mark that I have right now."
We traveled to Denver for lessons learned from its downtown, which saw a similar renaissance a decade ago. Leaders there advised Salt Lake to promote small businesses and save historic structures.
John Hickenlooper, Mayor of Denver: "You need to have people want to live, you can't force them. You've got to give them the social incentives to live in higher densities, to live in downtowns."
Many did raise red flags about the planned demolition of the First Security building.
Brenda Scheer, Dean, College of Architecture, Uni. of Utah: "It's just this one building we're tearing down. And then another and another and another."
The LDS Church later reversed course, saving it. The old Inn at Temple Square, however, will not survive and was the first of the existing structures to start coming down.
Demolition will really begin ramping up after the holiday season is over, moving west to east on the block that's currently home to the Crossroads Mall.
