From Deseret News archives:
Save First Security building?
History official wants LDS project to keep it intact
Officials with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints this week announced plans for the church's massive City Creek Center project downtown, where several buildings are slated for demolition.
The First Security building is already attracting attention of those in favor of preserving it.
"The style is such that it represents a certain phase, a certain period in time, a certain architectural trend," said Philip F. Notarianni, director of the Division of State History. He thinks the whole building, with its ornate exterior, should be saved. However, the Utah Heritage Foundation wants more facts before it pushes the issues of saving the facade or the entire First Security building or the Inn at Temple Square, which some also see as having historical value and signific- ance.
The foundation's board of trustees met Wednesday and talked about what kind of power and influence they would have in the matter of preserving all or part of either building.
"We have our constituency," said Kirk Huffacker, interim executive director for the foundation.
But board members want more answers on whether the LDS Church is following proper permitting procedures regarding the demolition of buildings for its project. They also want a cost comparison of making seismic upgrades to the existing First Security building versus tearing it down and starting new.
And the board, before its next scheduled meeting in December, may try to find partners in the fight if it becomes an issue of trying to save the bank building or at least its facade.
LDS Church officials have said this week they're looking into possibly saving the facade of the First Security building, which the church acquired in 2002. No one with the LDS Church, however, would comment Wednesday.
"That's not really saving the essence of the building it's just a facade," Notarianni said.
Notarianni hopes the LDS Church will at least take another look at the building's link to the history of commercial development downtown as well as its architectural significance.
Comments
- Tiger opens with a 66 in Australia 1:18 a.m.
- Crash kills Utah County man 1:12 a.m.
- UCAT cheaper education option 1:12 a.m.
- Post office to be named for Rex Lee 1:11 a.m.
- Police probe synagogue vandalism 1:09 a.m.
- New charges added in fraud case 1:09 a.m.
- Mom takes plea deal in girl's beating 1:08 a.m.
- Drug trafficking operation busted 1:07 a.m.
- News yule writing contest starting up 12:59 a.m.
- Alpine District school honored 12:59 a.m.
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
- Utah Jazz have a problem at point
- 'Love story' of crash victim ends
- BYU football recruit turning heads
- Alta's Ohai is Ms. Soccer 2009
- Prep football: Felt's Facts Week
- 12 Utes return to Texas
- Cougars' defensive hoops clinic
- Wyoming writer amazed by BYU
- Long days for BYU interns
- House passes health care bill
287 - SLC council OKs gay rights policies
246 - TCU showdown has big implications
193 - Senators want food tax restored
157 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
109 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
101 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
92
This week, I'm compiling my annual list of restaurants serving...
Beck, Hannity, and Limbaugh get the audience they deserve and vice versa. ...
I find the rule,very discriminitory. I am not gay, I don't understand what...
I understand we were outmanned last night. However, this effort was awful....
My advice to Jonathan is shoot it when they pass it to you as soon as you...
Maybe they should try drafting a shooting guard who can shoot from outside ....
The sad thing about it is that there are actually people out there that are...
Thank you TCU and BYU. Your wanting to beat Utah so bad has to drive you...
Play fes and koufos. Look to the future. It looks like we will have two...
Oh come on. Obama's a horrible president, but I couldn't care less which...
"We had the best soccer of any place in the state. There's no disputing...



You can be the first to comment on this story.