LDS Business College is making the move to its new Salt Lake City campus, taking the first step toward creating an education hub in the downtown Triad Center.

The college will officially move into its new digs July 10 at 300 W. North Temple after 43 years at its current location at 411 E. South Temple.

The new building is part of the LDS Church's effort to revitalize downtown Salt Lake by bringing the college and the Brigham Young University extension center to the Triad Center.

"The main purpose was they were trying to infuse the downtown with more students and buyers, and just help the whole downtown area of Salt Lake City grow," said Bob Wiser, vice president of finance for LDS Business College.

The schools will share a library and bookstore. BYU's move is scheduled for 2007.

From the current 55,000 square feet to nearly 140,000, the new 10-story building will more than double space for the LDS Business College, a two-year school serving 1,300 students. The school won't need all that space immediately, Wiser noted, but hopes to gradually grow into the new building.

Two new housing complexes for men and women will serve the Triad campus, bringing an estimated 228 students downtown. A renovated Travelodge hotel will accommodate 96 male students and several floors of the Plaza hotel will house 132 females.

As part of the move, the college will be sponsoring a handcart trek from its old campus to the Triad Center on July 12. Residents and school officials can volunteer to pull the school's library materials down North Temple.

---

E-mail: estewart@desnews.com