Construction of a three-level underground parking structure will shut down the intersection of Main Street and South Temple for up to 10 months next year.
Zions Securities Corp. plans to build the parking structure to serve a new 18-story office building on the southwest corner of the intersection. The firm will begin demolition of the existing building on the corner in August.It also will begin moving utility lines under South Temple this summer, forcing temporary closure of sections of the streets. The intersection will close Jan. 6, 1996 as work on the underground parking structure and basement of the new building gets under way.
The intersection is scheduled to reopen Nov. 1, 1996.
"This is obviously an important location in downtown Salt Lake City, and we have carefully planned a project that will properly utilize this valuable property and enhance the downtown area," said W. Kent Money, Zions Securities president.
Salt Lake City sold Zions Securities, the property management division of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 84,000 square feet under the intersection in March. The city also sold the church a section of Richards Street, which runs under Crossroads Plaza.
The LDS Church paid the city $2.3 million for the properties and agreed to build the Brigham Young Historic Park at Second Avenue and State Street.
The building and parking garage project will require the longest closure of a major intersection ever, said Tim Harpst, city transportation engineer. The intersection will be closed from the crosswalk at the south gate of Temple Square, east to the crosswalk by the ZCMI Center food court, and from the crosswalk between Crossroads and ZCMI Center north to the Brigham Young Monument.
"We've agreed in principle it can be done," Harpst said.
The city is requiring Zions Securities to devise a plan that shows how traffic, including UTA buses that serve Main Street, can be rerouted. It also will come up with a way to give pedestrians access through the area during construction, Harpst said.
The 450-stall parking garage will be located under the intersection, portions of the streets and the new office building. Access to the parking structure will be in the middle of South Temple between Main and State streets.
The project also includes renovation of the facade of the Kennecott Building, located on the southeast corner of the intersection.
"They will look similar, almost like twin towers," said David Jensen, Zions Securities senior vice president.
The building that will be demolished, known as the Union Pacific Annex, is largely vacant; three remaining tenants will be out by July.
The new building will be ready for occupancy in November 1997. The main floor of the building will be leased to retail businesses. The rest of the 340,000 square feet building will be leased office space.