While Anderson remained leery, others were heartened by Pastore's comments and left feeling less concerned that the project will resemble a suburban mall.

"We're all fairly encouraged by that talk. I am, anyway," said the University of Utah's dean of the College of Architecture, Brenda Case Scheer, who helped organize the symposium.

Pastore and the LDS Church's development team were also backed by several others who said property owners, who invest big dollars, should ultimately be able to develop what they want, as long as it conforms to city zoning rules. Calls for public scrutiny at this stage are unfair, they said.

"We want to get it right before we unveil it," said Bruce Bingham, whose Hamilton Partners is developing a new $100 million office building on Main near 200 South. "Quite frankly, it's my money. As a result of it being my money, I'm going to take the risk. We appreciate comments, but when it comes right down to it, I'm the guy who has to say this is right."

And in the end, the LDS Church should be able to build what it wants on its properties: While it may hear some input at public symposiums, decisions are ultimately up to property owners, Bingham said.

Public participation

Pastore and Mark Gibbons, who heads up PRI — the church's real estate development company — echoed Bingham's comments, saying they will unveil their designs once they have concrete plans. Those designs have changed for the better since the church made its last conceptual unveiling in 2003, Pastore said. Planners are currently consulting — in private — top engineers and retail designers to develop the best plan for the property, Pastore said.

Once more concrete designs are known, then it will be a better time for public critique, Pastore and Gibbons said.

But Anderson challenged the private nature of the planning process, maintaining downtown development is critical to many citizens, and it's in the public interest to make sure it is done right.

"The time is way past where this community should be involved in a very public process," Anderson said. "This community deserves to know at least where we're headed."

The mayor cited several city plans that call for downtown to be more pedestrian friendly and rely less on enclosed mall-like spaces.

The mayor once again criticized a potential sky bridge connecting the Crossroads and ZCMI blocks across Main Street. Pastore said there have been no decisions on whether such a sky bridge will be sought.

Anderson was buoyed by a story related by one of the symposium's downtown experts.