Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson said Tuesday that the city is "in the midst of a renaissance" and that it will continue to thrive despite recent headline-making challenges.
In his "state of the city" address before the Downtown Merchants Association, Anderson was upbeat and optimistic about the future of downtown Salt Lake City.
"Our downtown is in the midst of a renaissance — physically, culturally and socially," he said, pointing to the completion of the new library on 400 South, which he said will emerge as a trademark for the city and an attraction for residents and guests alike.
The city is on the brink of change, Anderson said. Not all the changes can be planned for or predicted. And they won't happen overnight.
"Lasting revitalization is a complex, long-term process, which is directly affected by a slowing economy and the resulting reluctance to invest until the economy recovers," Anderson said. "But even with those challenges, we are seeing some great positive developments throughout our downtown area.
One question mark is the future of the Crossroads Plaza mall, now owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Though the church has yet to release specific plans for the space, Anderson maintained it is the only owner with the motivation and the means to bring about the kind of renovation the mall needs.
Another question mark bears Nordstrom's name. The battle to keep the store has raised tensions between the retailer's current home and its suitor — Crossroads and The Gateway, respectively. Anderson advocated exploring all possibilities that would keep Nordstrom on Main but ultimately doing what is necessary to keep it from leaving the city altogether.
"Creating a complimentary downtown will not be easy and will require difficult decisions to adjust to the changed landscape," he said. "But these are changes and the form of an evolution that is all positive."
That evolution has manifested itself in higher office space occupancy rates, greater accessibility through public transportation and parking initiatives and more interest in providing housing alternatives.
"The climate of success for downtown businesses has improved dramatically," Anderson said. "But we need to address every piece of the puzzle."
David Wright, Downtown Merchants Association president and manager of the ZCMI Center mall, agreed the city is changing.
It is not true that downtown is dying, Wright said, contesting media reports suggesting otherwise. What is true is that the city is in transition.
"We're still in a transition period," he said. "We've gone through some interesting times in the past year. There's been several issues on the table (including the Main Street Plaza issue and the tug-of-war between Main Street and The Gateway for Nordstrom) that could sway the balance of what could happen in downtown Salt Lake City."
However, Wright said, downtown "is not going to die, and it's not going to go away. We're going to have a vibrant downtown, and we're well on our way to getting there."
E-mail: jnii@desnews.com