Land purchased for Unity project

Salt Lake City leaders say they have reached an agreement to purchase land near the proposed Unity Center in Glendale that will allow them to move forward with the project.

The agreement calls for the city to spend $320,000 to purchase land near 900 West and California Avenue where two homes currently rest. A private donor will then reimburse the city for the purchase price.

The land will be used to connect the existing Sorenson Multi-Cultural Center with the new Unity Center and a planned Guadalupe Schools campus.

"This is really the last puzzle piece," Public Services Director Rick Graham told the City Council on Tuesday.

The Unity Center was part of Mayor Rocky Anderson's solution to the Main Street Plaza controversy.

The center will be built with $4.5 million in donated funds from the Alliance for Unity. Graham said construction on the center should begin in July and be completed by winter 2005/2006. The center is planned to be a health and fitness mecca with educational and service components.