Built 1909-1911 Closed August 1987 Area 4,000 m² Added to NRHP 3 January 1978 | NRHP Reference # 78002673 Opened 9 June 1911 Architectural style Neoclassical architecture | |
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Similar Beehive House, Temple Square, Salt Lake Assembly Hall, Lion House, Church Office Building | ||
Originally the Hotel Utah, the Joseph Smith Memorial Building was later named in honor of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. It is located on the corner of Main Street and South Temple in Salt Lake City. It is now a social center with three restaurants: The Roof Restaurant, The Garden Restaurant and The Nauvoo Cafe. It is also a venue for events complete with 13 banquet rooms, catering services, event coordinators and a full-service floral department - Flowers Squared. Several levels of the building also serve as administrative offices for LDS Church departments such as FamilySearch. On January 3, 1978, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places as the Hotel Utah.
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Joseph smith memorial building aerial video
History
The corner of Main Street and South Temple has long been important in Utah history. Prior to construction of the Hotel Utah in 1909-11, the general tithing office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), a bishop's storehouse, and the Deseret News printing plant all were located on the site.
Work on the Second Renaissance Revival style hotel, designed by the Los Angeles architectural firm of Parkinson and Bergstrom, began in June 1909. Two years later, on June 9, 1911, the Hotel Utah opened for business. While the LDS Church was the primary stockholder, many Mormon and non-Mormon community and business leaders also purchased stock in the effort to provide the city with a first-class hotel.
"The largest and finest bar in the West [was built] in the basement of the Hotel" to pay off a $2M construction loan. The financing was secured by Presiding Bishop Charles W. Nibley, from New York financier Charles Baruch. But the scheme obviously required the sales of hard liquor.
The ten-story building has a concrete and steel structure and is covered with white glazed terra cotta and brick. Various additions and remodelings have occurred throughout the years, including a substantial expansion to the north and modifications to the roof-top dining facilities.
It was featured in the 1973 film "Harry in Your Pocket" starring James Coburn.
The building ceased operations as a hotel in August 1987. A major remodeling and adaptive reuse project to accommodate both community and church functions was completed in 1993. Church leader Gordon B. Hinckley chose the name when he observed that there were many monuments to pioneer leader and Utah founder Brigham Young, but none to Joseph Smith.
2011 marked the celebration of 100 years since initial construction was completed on the Hotel Utah.
Current use
The LDS Church now uses this building as follows: