Golden oldie — Restored building designed to add character to downtown

Ben Logue had a vision when he was renovating the Stratford Building: to keep its historical character while giving it a complete face lift.

After a $4 million yearlong renovation, the building on the corner of 200 South and 200 East, known as Second and Second, opened its doors as a mixed-use residential and commercial building with most of its original facade restored.

"We've been doing this kind of stuff renovating old buildings for a long time," Logue said. "We believe it enhances the character of the city to keep old buildings rather than put up glass buildings. It builds character and keeps character."

The top two floors of the Stratford Building provide 46 units for low-income residents, while the bottom floor will be rented out as commercial space. Each studio apartment has its own kitchenette and bathroom and rents for $309 per month. To rent an apartment, residents must make no more than 35 percent of the median average income. For a single person, that means making less than $17,000 per year.

Logue says he has a couple of offers he is considering for the office space, but no decisions have been made yet.

"We would like somebody to take the entire space," he said. "It's a beautiful old building."

Kimberly Srisa-ad, project manager for the Stratford Building, said it was in terrible shape when renovation started. A fire had gutted the building in June 2005 and left it without a roof. Two businesses located there, the Brushworks Gallery and Star of India restaurant, had to move.

With painstaking attention to detail, the renovation began. Logue said they contacted the Utah Historical Society to obtain pictures of the building when it was new so it could be re-created as closely as possible to the original. It was built in 1909 as a Studebaker Garage. A large lift on the interior hauled cars up and down from the basement.

The Stratford Building was updated with a new sprinkler system, electrical wiring, heating and cooling system, plumbing system and roof. The building's footings, foundation and structural walls were repaired. Insulation was redone. The addition of an elevator, so the building is now ADA accessible, is reminiscent of the original lift for cars. A canopy on the front of the building and pieces of molding discovered in the basement were re-created.

Salt Lake City Councilwoman Nancy Saxton, whose district includes Second and Second, said she is impressed with the attention Logue paid even to small details on the building's restoration.