Photo credit: Gustavson, Dean L., 2nd Century Model, Utah State History If we put our minds (and pens) to it, AIA Utah can accomplish so much for our fair city. to increase from 14,500 in 2020 to 21,200 in 2025 and 27,000 in 2030, essentially doubling the downtown population in a decade. Of course, this explosive growth has come at a cost. The business owners at the heart of the Second Century Plan did not consult Japantown residents before decimating their neighborhood to build the Salt Palace. The destruction of the Weir-Cosgriff Mansion and other grand mansions along South Temple spurred the Utah Heritage Foundation (now Preservation Utah) into action. Rising housing costs have created a huge gap in wealth distribution and access to housing anywhere close to downtown. But the Second Century Plan — in all of its ambition and optimism — shows the power of our profession and our organization. If we put our minds (and pens) to it, AIA Utah can accomplish so much for our fair city. located downtown, emulating the Los Angeles Farmers’ Market. • LDS Church Improvements: Work on the east block of Temple Square was ongoing at the time, including closure of Main Street and construction of the Church Office Building. • City-County Government Center: The Metropolitan House of Justice (since demolished for the new Central Library), Main Library (now the Leonardo Museum) and Courts Building were under construction at the time. (The maps and renderings of these proposals are fantastic in their own right and available to view online through the Marriott Library Digital Collections at the University of Utah.) While only some of the projects were built immediately following the Second Century Plan, it is hard to not see the project as a smashing success. Not only was Downtown Planning Association Inc. created as a part of the efforts (now known as Downtown Alliance), but people did start coming back into the city center for commerce (City Creek Mall), entertainment (the Salt Palace then Delta Center), culture (Abravanel Hall, rejuvenated Capitol Theatre, Eccles Theater), government services (restored City and County Building), religion (revitalized Temple Square and Conference Center), and work (the continually rising skyline of Grade A offices). Even the midcentury flight to the suburbs is reversing, as evidenced by tower cranes building the Astra Tower, Liberty SKY and The Worthington. As outlined in the Downtown Alliance’s Downtown SLC Benchmark Report, residents in the downtown are projected 22 REFLEXION
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