Joseph Smith Memorial Building

Hotel Utah
View from the South.
Location S. Temple and Main St., Salt Lake City, Utah
Coordinates 40°46′11″N 111°53′26″W / 40.76972°N 111.89056°WCoordinates: 40°46′11″N 111°53′26″W / 40.76972°N 111.89056°W
Area 1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built 1909-1911
Architect Parkinson & Bergstrom
Architectural style Classical Revival, Modern Italian Renaissance
Governing body Private
NRHP Reference # 78002673[1]
Added to NRHP January 3, 1978

Originally the Hotel Utah, the Joseph Smith Memorial Building was later named in honor of Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. It is located on the corner of Main Street and South Temple in Salt Lake City. It is now a social center with three restaurants: The Roof Restaurant, The Garden Restaurant and The Nauvoo Cafe. It is also a venue for events complete with 13 banquet rooms, catering services, event coordinators and a full-service floral department - Flowers Squared. Several levels of the building also serve as administrative offices for LDS Church departments such as FamilySearch. On January 3, 1978, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Hotel Utah.[1]

History

Hotel Utah, 1925.

The corner of Main Street and South Temple has long been important in Utah history. Prior to construction of the Hotel Utah in 1909-11, the general tithing office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), a bishop's storehouse, and the Deseret News printing plant all were located on the site.

Work on the Second Renaissance Revival style hotel, designed by the Los Angeles architectural firm of Parkinson and Bergstrom, began in June 1909. Two years later, on June 9, 1911, the Hotel Utah opened for business. While the LDS Church was the primary stockholder, many Mormon and non-Mormon community and business leaders also purchased stock in the effort to provide the city with a first-class hotel.[2]

"The largest and finest bar in the West [was built] in the basement of the Hotel" to pay off a $2M construction loan. The financing was secured by Presiding Bishop Charles W. Nibley, from New York financier Charles Baruch. But the scheme obviously required the sales of hard liquor.

The ten-story building has a concrete and steel structure and is covered with white glazed terra cotta and brick. Various additions and remodelings have occurred throughout the years, including a substantial expansion to the north and modifications to the roof-top dining facilities.

It was featured in the 1973 film "Harry in Your Pocket" starring James Coburn.

The building ceased operations as a hotel in August 1987. A major remodeling and adaptive reuse project to accommodate both community and church functions was completed in 1993.[3] Church leader Gordon B. Hinckley chose the name when he observed that there were many monuments to pioneer leader and Utah founder Brigham Young, but none to Joseph Smith.

2011 marked the celebration of 100 years since initial construction was completed on the Hotel Utah.[4]

Current use

The chapel in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.
A view of the foyer, from the upper level. The statue is of Joseph Smith, Jr. and is nine feet five inches tall, weighing 3,950 pounds.

The LDS Church now uses this building as follows:

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13.
  2. ↑ http://db3-sql.staff.library.utah.edu/lucene/Manuscripts/null/Ms0469.xml/complete
  3. ↑ http://www.lds.org/placestovisit/location/0,10634,1872-1-1-1,00.html
  4. ↑ http://www.hotelutah100.com/
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://www.lds.org/placestovisit/location/0,10634,1870-1-1-1,00.html
  6. ↑ http://www.lds.org/placestovisit/location/0,10634,6434-1-1-1,00.html
  7. ↑ http://wildlife.utah.gov/peregrine

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Joseph Smith Memorial Building.
Preceded by
Boston Building		 Tallest Building in Salt Lake City
1911 - 1912
56m 		Succeeded by
Walker Center