Saxton said church officials seemed amenable and suggested renovation of the South Temple blocks could happen concurrently with its redesign of the Crossroads Plaza and ZCMI Center malls.

"They seemed to intimate that there was the possibility that they could go on simultaneously," Saxton said.

Council member Van Turner agreed.

"I think the church realized that since (50 years) is so far in the future that maybe it's time to use the property to connect The Gateway and Main Street," Turner said.

Saxton and Christensen said the link might not be retail but rather institutional or educational. In the meetings, church and city leaders have kicked around the idea of expanding Brigham Young University's continuing education programs on the two South Temple blocks or relocating the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers Museum there from its current site on Capitol Hill.

In meetings with Bishop Burton, council members say they were asked to support the church's position that Nordstrom not be allowed to relocate to The Gateway.

---

Contributing: Josh Loftin

E-mail: bsnyder@desnews.com