From Deseret News archives:
Businesses applaud downtown plans
But some are sad about closures and 5-year wait
When it comes to the LDS Church's plans for downtown redevelopment, business and community leaders, as well as participating and neighboring retailers, say yes.
"It's the best iteration of this project we've looked at yet," said Brooke White, spokeswoman for Nordstrom. "It has all the elements: downtown living, a grocery store, potentially a great mix of retailers, office space. There's a lot there that will create synergy and energy and reason for people to come downtown. That's what we've been looking for all along."
The project, outlined Tuesday by Bishop H. David Burton, presiding bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to the Salt Lake City Council, spans 20 acres and is slated to be complete in mid-2011. It will begin with a year of demolition and site preparation, the church said, which will start in early November.
The cost of the project is said to exceed $1 billion, and it requires the leveling of the Crossroads Plaza and ZCMI Center malls and two office towers, excavation for a 5,600-stall underground parking structure and the construction of the new facilities.
No more.
"'Wow!' ... is the first and lasting impression that comes to my mind when seeing the church's plans for our downtown," said Lane Beattie, president of the Salt Lake Chamber. "We are so fortunate to live in a place where an entity is willing to make such a substantial financial commitment to our collective future."
Anchor tenants Nordstrom and Macy's said Tuesday they had mixed feelings both said they were excited about and confident in the project but grieved at the prospect of closing. As with all the remaining mall retailers, the two anchors will close their doors in January Nordstrom on Jan. 20, Macy's on a yet-to-be-announced date and plan to reopen in 2011. Both said they will try to relocate employees to other stores and will provide severance packages to those who do not find positions.
Nordstrom employs 180 people at its Crossroads Plaza store.
"It was a tough day," White said. "It is sad that we won't be able to keep everyone. We will work really hard to find positions for everyone who wants one, both at other stores in Utah and across the country.
Comments
- Aggies beat Spartans in snowy Logan 4:31 a.m.
- TCU 55, Utah 28 4:24 a.m.
- BYU 24, New Mexico 19 4:21 a.m.
- Jazz game at a glance 3:00 a.m.
- Real Salt Lake: Game at a glance 3:00 a.m.
- Stanford ends Y's soccer season 2:20 a.m.
- Jazz hope D-Will returns soon 2:19 a.m.
- Snow, SUU lose 2:18 a.m.
- Toone saves day for Wildcats 2:15 a.m.
- Win in New Mexico good for Y? 2:15 a.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
358 - BYU happy to escape with victory
200 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
200 - Will state consider gay rights law?
148 - TCU creams U.
146 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
130 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
129 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
106 - Celtics crush Jazz
104
If you are looking for a bird on the cheap, the following specials from...
How do you handle kids and contests? Our oldest daughter, 7, is of the...
Let me get this straight .... BYU has to play badly against a terrible team...
If BYU plays like this against AF, if will resemble the trouncing TCU put on...
Short term progress with no long term considerations and implications of...
Sounds like a great bad movie. No story, explosions galore, special effects...
The Davis person that keeps talking trash on Hunter just needs to get a...
exposed is an understatement hahahhahaha
In your opinion you state that the free market does not work in healthcare....
I do not find it hard to believe. Word gets around when an Apostle comes. I...
Are these donation limits per donation or the amount they can give? Are these...
Get some help, you sound depressed. When I moved her, I also had no friends....

You can be the first to comment on this story.