Classic Salt Lake City.

[Comrade]

It makes it even worse that, for all these years, a parking lot has graced that corner.

[scottharding]

In that sense, I think it's probably the worse loss in downtown's history.

[Future Mayor]

I think it would be cool to recreate it, not necessarily copying the design, but paying homage to it in a modern twist. Imagine how different that corner would be if the Newhouse was still there. I did hear that it was demolished due to structural integrity, rather than an attitude of it's old.

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

I think it would be cool to recreate it, not necessarily copying the design, but paying homage to it in a modern twist. Imagine how different that corner would be if the Newhouse was still there. I did hear that it was demolished due to structural integrity, rather than an attitude of it's old.

It was in need of repair, but I don't think there was much effort to save it back then. That's not a surprise, of course, considering Salt Lake didn't exactly embrace preservation in that era.

But like I said, the loss of this building is more damning when you consider, for 30 years, that corner, really the Main Street entrance to downtown, continues to sit vacant and will probably remain vacant for another decade (if not another 30 more years). So freakin' sad.

[Comrade]

I think had something substantial been developed there in the last 30 years, a significant tower, we'd look at that block similarly to how we view the current Broadway Centre downtown. You know, that development took the place of Centre Theater, which was a pretty cool and historic theater downtown - and of course, the theater replaced the Knutsford Hotel, an amazing display of classic architecture.

This...



To this...



To finally this...



It makes it more 'acceptable' solely because there is something substantial on that site. Maybe it still doesn't make up for losing the Knutsford or the Centre, but it helped. We don't even get that with Newhouse.

[Orlando]

I saw Return of the Jedi in 1983 at the Centre Theater. It was the first movie to use THX sound system I believe. We also had to cross over flooded State Street on a bridge.

[Comrade]

[jedikermit]

Originally Posted by Orlando

I saw Return of the Jedi in 1983 at the Centre Theater. It was the first movie to use THX sound system I believe. We also had to cross over flooded State Street on a bridge.

I saw Star Wars (1977) there. Saw Jedi at some theatre up on the east side that doesn't exist anymore either. Empire Strikes Back...all I remember about seeing that in the theatre is that we took my grandma, who was angry/upset/vocal about not being able to understand anything Chewbacca was saying.

[brankrom]

Originally Posted by Comrade Reynolds

...


...

Look at how tall the Murray Smelter stacks were. I remember them but not being that tall...

Also its nice to see that the 1950s street lights were removed to put in the black ones that currently line the streets of downtown.

[DCRes]

I was having a discusson with someone last night and we were discussing when Mountain Fuel changed their name to Questar. After doing some research it looks like the change was made in 1998. I remember when I was younger I would go to my Dad's work, one South Temple between 200 and 300 East and I could see the large spinning sign that had the Mountain Fuel logo on it, it also displayed the time and temperature. I think the old logo was shaped like a trapizoid and had a flame in the middle. Does anybody else remember this? Does anybody know where the old Mountain Fuel offices were? Was it at the same location as the former Questar Building on 100 S and 200 E (now Boyer's 102 Tower)? Also, does anybody have pictures of the old sign?

[tygr]

Originally Posted by DCRes

I was having a discusson with someone last night and we were discussing when Mountain Fuel changed their name to Questar. After doing some research it looks like the change was made in 1998. I remember when I was younger I would go to my Dad's work, one South Temple between 200 and 300 East and I could see the large spinning sign that had the Mountain Fuel logo on it, it also displayed the time and temperature. I think the old logo was shaped like a trapizoid and had a flame in the middle. Does anybody else remember this? Does anybody know where the old Mountain Fuel offices were? Was it at the same location as the former Questar Building on 100 S and 200 E (now Boyer's 102 Tower)? Also, does anybody have pictures of the old sign?

Their logo looked something like this... if I recall correctly (I did a quick illustration from what I remember).

[Future Mayor]

I remember that old sign too, with the flickering flame on the sign. Yes Mountain Fuel was located in the former Questar building, now owned by Boyer.

[jedikermit]

I don't know if this building has already been included in this thread, but it's one that I really like, and wish it was still around...sort of.

It was built by an outside organization in the 1880s with the intent that all of the thousands of wives and children fleeing 19th Century Mormon polygamy would have a place to stay--sort of a YWCA. They built it, they opened the doors, and not as many people came as expected. Over the course of seven years they served the needs of 150 wives and children total, which wasn't enough to maintain operations. They closed it up and eventually demolished it. Except I just found this excerpt that gives more information:

" Fifth East Hotel, May 7, 1928. This imposing Victorian structure at 145 South 500 East was built as the Women’s Industrial Christian Home. Completed in 1889, with funds appropriated by Congress, the Home was intended to provide a shelter for women and children, especially those escaping Mormon polygamy. Few took advantage of this haven and the Home soon closed. The government sold the building, which eventually became the Fifth East Hotel and later the Ambassador Athletic Club. The club closed its doors in 1985 and the building was subsequently razed. " Taken from Seeing Salt Lake City from Signature Books: http://signaturebookslibrary.org/?p=19793

On 500 East between 100 and 200 South.

There was an article about it in UHQ: Gustive O. Larson, “An Industrial
Home for Polygamous Wives” Utah Historical Quarterly 38 (Summer 1970):
263-275.

[jedikermit]

....in a related vein, I particularly enjoyed Chad Farnes (he's a member here too) recent blog post on how the Beehive House and Lion House were preserved from destruction. It gives some insight into exactly how and why the LDS Church did a lot of the demolishing of historic architecture along the Wasatch Front, and "updated" many other buildings in the 1950s - 1970s. I wouldn't be surprised if this was the same mindset that tragically gutted many the pioneer-era temples (Logan, St George) to include acoustic tiling set into drop ceilings. http://utahspresenthistory.blogspot....ent+History%29

[jedikermit]

I was just digging around for something else, and found this: Signature Books has all of Alan Barnett's "Seeing Salt Lake City" online--great historic photographs of SLC buildings, many of which are gone. Loving this site: http://signaturebookslibrary.org/?p=19793

I like that he gives you enough information about the building, what it was, and what happened to it--although it is disheartening to read how many of those buildings are "now parking lots." Seriously.

Anyway. If you like old-timey buildings. Drooly-drool!!

[T-Mac]

I just found this picture on flickr and realized that I had just recently taken this same shot back on September 25th of this year.

Photo by Al_HikesAZ June 1951.

Al_HikesAZ

My photo September 25, 2013. A lot has changed in 62 years.

[ToysNoiz]

I'd say compared to other major western cities, Salt Lake's skyline has changed the most over the years. Great photo T-mac!

[Future Mayor]

While it has changed, I'm not sure we can even compete with this.






Images from skyscrapercity.com
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=426155

[Stenar]

Cool. I didn't know Alan Barnett had such a book. He's a friend of mine. We were in a fraternity together at the U.

Originally Posted by jedikermit

I was just digging around for something else, and found this: Signature Books has all of Alan Barnett's "Seeing Salt Lake City" online--great historic photographs of SLC buildings, many of which are gone. Loving this site: http://signaturebookslibrary.org/?p=19793

I like that he gives you enough information about the building, what it was, and what happened to it--although it is disheartening to read how many of those buildings are "now parking lots." Seriously.

Anyway. If you like old-timey buildings. Drooly-drool!!

[ToysNoiz]

I found this photo of temple square. Not sure what year. Main street still runs inbetween COB and the Temple, and the conference center is a parking lot.



http://www.panoramio.com/photo/31291837