Becker proposes new site for public-safety complex

The possibility of building a public-safety complex on Library Square gone, Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker is taking his $125 million plan across the street.

In a formal recommendation to the City Council on Thursday, Becker proposed placing a bond issue on the November ballot to build an emergency-operations center and police and fire headquarters on the Barnes Bank block — the area bordered by 300 East, Blair Street, 400 South and 500 South.

The site was one of two options Becker originally had presented for the location of the complex in May, but an intense public outcry caused Salt Lake leaders to reexamine about 10 other site locations in the downtown area.

David H. Hart, the architect of the Utah Capitol renovation project, reviewed all of the public input and data on those locations before recommending the Barnes Bank block, city leaders said in a news release Thursday.

"Among the sites that were reviewed, this location meets the site criteria, provides the best combination of advantages, fewest disadvantages and continues the development of the civic campus," Hart said in the release. "The city will need to complete further work to define which portion of the block best meets the overall needs and desires of public-safety officials and the community."

After helping lead the fight to keep the complex from being built on Library Square, former City Councilwoman Deeda Seed and former Salt Lake City Library director Nancy Tessman said they would support Becker's choice for the site.

"We've known for years as a city that we need a new building, and we need one sooner rather than later," Seed said. "With sensitivity to the need for more mixed-use development in the downtown area, this could be a good thing for that block."

While the administration and the public got off to a rough start with the project, Tessman said the city showed an interest in public comment as time went on.

"The devil is always in the details, but I really believe there are ways that this can work," she said. "There has been an increased sensitivity to ensuring that if the complex goes on that 300 East block, it's really done with a careful attention to the impact on the west side of the street."

A $192 million bond for a public-safety complex was narrowly defeated in 2007. The administration has proposed a streamlined bond issue for November, slashing the price tag to $125 million by constructing two buildings instead of five.

The Salt Lake Chamber, meanwhile, encouraged city leaders to pursue the possibility of teaming up with the state on the venture. That would save taxpayers between $5 million and $10 million, according to the chamber. The matter now goes to the City Council for consideration. A public hearing on the matter is scheduled for Tuesday night's meeting.

E-mail: afalk@desnews.com