SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake County Council approved plans Tuesday to build two new buildings for the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office.
The construction of the office buildings will cost an estimated $65 million, county officials announced. The site in downtown Salt Lake City, located on the northeast corner of 500 South and Main, will be used by the district's criminal and civil attorneys and their staff.
The smaller location in West Jordan will be built on county property in the same complex as the district courthouse, 8080 S. Redwood Road. Attorneys who work primarily in the West Jordan courthouse will have their offices there.
The County Council issued a $33 million bond for the new office space in 2010. However, the project endured a false start after the county purchased another downtown location but later decided parking in the area was inadequate. That location, 600 S. State, was later sold by the county.
Mayor Ben McAdams said the purchase of the new sites will cost less than leasing out office space, as the district attorney's office has been doing. He said the decision will save the county an estimated $19 million over 30 years.
“I appreciate the council’s leadership in scrutinizing past proposals and budgets in order to come up with a great outcome for our dedicated and hardworking employees, and for the taxpayers of Salt Lake County,” McAdams said in a prepared statement.
County Council Chairman Richard Snelgrove praised Tuesday's approval of the new buildings, saying their proximity to courthouses will save time for attorneys.
“These are both excellent locations, and the structures will serve the needs of county residents well for decades,” Snelgrove said in a statement.
A timeline for the buildings' completion won't be put together until contractors are selected for the two sites, said Alyson Heyrend, spokeswoman for the county mayor's office.
Email: blockhart@deseretnews.com
Twitter: benlockhartnews