SALT LAKE CITY — The Ken Garff Building, 405 S. Main, was renamed the Washington Federal Bank Building during a ceremony Tuesday. The newly renamed building will be home to the bank’s regional headquarters as well as one of its branches.
“The renaming of the Ken Garff Tower is a reflection of Washington Federal’s commitment to Salt Lake City and our intent as a bank, and local business, to being an active member of this community,” Brent Beardall, Washington Federal’s president and CEO said in a statement.
Beardall was on hand Tuesday night when new, LED signage on the building was lit for the first time. The signage, created by local firm YESCO, was designed to align with the historic feel of the 1950s-era building, the company said. The 12-story building is recognized by historians as the first "international-style" skyscraper built west of the Mississippi River.
In 2005, Wasatch Property Management spent more than $12.5 million to restore and renovate the building.
Washington Federal, which was founded in Ballard, Washington, celebrated its 100th anniversary in April. The bank has 10 locations in Utah, including seven in the Salt Lake area.