City Creek Center
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Church investing in downtown?
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is committed to the development of downtown Salt Lake City as the home of its international headquarters. The Church is in a unique position to act as a major contributor, along with many others, to a vibrant, high quality downtown that will continue to be a regional destination.
What is the cost of the project? Are city or public funds paying for it?
The project is a private development which will not require any public funding. And no tithing dollars will be used from the Church. Some costs of the project will be recouped from sales of residential units and leasing revenues generated from retail and office space.
Does the Church have other partners in the project?
In addition to Taubman Centers Inc., City Creek Reserve, Inc. (CCRI) a property development affiliate of the Church, will be working with two additional partners at this time: Cowboy Partners, a Utah-based residential development and management company, and Harmons Grocery Stores, another Utah company which will own and operate the full-service grocery store on Social Hall Avenue.
What is the name of the new shopping center?
City Creek Center is the working name for the entire redevelopment project.
When will City Creek Center be completed?
The initial phase, demolition and excavation of the underground parking facilities, is expected to take about a year. Additional milestones and timeframes will be announced as work progresses. Projected completion is mid-2011.
Why can't we see what the finished development will look like?
Simply put, we are not sure yet what the final project will look like. Architectural plans will not be completed until early 2008.
Does City Creek Center have the backing of the Mayor and the Salt Lake City Council?
We have listened carefully to the comments of the Mayor and City Council and will continue to work closely with them throughout the construction period to see that City Creek Center meets as many of the needs expressed by the city as possible in a privately funded, mixed-use development such as this. We feel the project has been much improved by the considerable public input we have been receiving.
What are some basic elements of the plan?
Physically it will be more open to the street and the city, with attractive landscaping and water features in expanded open spaces. Construction will be completed with high-grade finishes. Both blocks will be integrated as a whole - above and below grade. The retail mix will be unique to the market.
When can we look for additional announcements?
Future announcements will be made available on the Downtown Rising website and to the media as they become available.
How will construction affect travel and parking in downtown Salt Lake City?
City Creek Reserve, Inc. is working with office tenants to provide alternate parking for employees and clients during construction. Information on traffic and public parking will be provided by the project managers on www.downtownrising.com (go to "Traffic, Parking, Business & Construction Updates"), on a toll-free hotline at 1-866-554-5588, and by W.A. Knowles Company, the construction impact mitigator hired by Salt Lake City and the Salt Lake Chamber to assist with all downtown construction projects.
How do we anticipate that the project will affect the rest of downtown SLC and the Gateway project?
We are confident in the future of downtown Salt Lake City and in the future of Utah. We expect that all projects in the city will work to the benefit of each other and to the people of our state.
How much parking will it have versus the current offering? Will there be a cost?
There will be more parking spaces - over 5,000 spaces in total. Market rates will be charged for parking as determined at time of opening.
Will the project be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified?
Sustainable principles are being applied in the design, construction and plans for operation of City Creek Center. For example, more than 50% of demolition debris is being recycled.
City Creek Center is a LEED for Neighborhood Development (LEED ND) pilot project. It is one of 60 pilot projects in the country selected to participate in a focus group that is helping the U.S. Green Building Council finalize its new LEED ND certification process.
In addition, we are hopeful that our residential towers will qualify for some level of LEED NC (New Construction) certification.
What contractors are handling demolition and construction?
Okland Construction and Big-D Construction are the general contractors for the demolition and excavation phase. Local architects and contractors will be used on the project. General contractors, in consultation with City Creek Reserve, Inc., are responsible for the selection of qualified subcontractors and suppliers.
Is the proposed route of City Creek an historical one?
The water features proposed for the project are representations of City Creek. Some historical descriptions indicate the south fork of City Creek may have run through the blocks occupied by the project.
Can the public make comments on the project?
The public is welcome to make comments on the project by using the email comment form found on the Downtown Rising website.
How do I contact those responsible for residential, office and retail space sales and leasing?
Please see the City Creek Center contact information page on the Downtown Rising website to reach the project team.
Who will be the retail anchors?
Nordstrom and Macy's will anchor the retail development. Both department stores are closed for construction and will re-open upon completion in mid-2011.
What will be the mix of the retail stores? Will it be moderate or upscale?
It will feature unique point-of-difference retailers (Taubman typically strives for 30 - 40%), in the upper moderate to better range, covering all categories of merchandise and focusing on apparel and lifestyle concepts.
How many stores will there be in the retail portion? How big will the retail portion be?
Over 100 stores are anticipated. In addition to the two anchors and food court, retail space will be approximately 500,000 square feet.
What will the new grocery store include?
The store will include a full-service delicatessen, large meat counter with fresh seafood and ready-to-cook entrees, a bakery, pharmacy, and a healthy living section. Owned and constructed by Harmons Grocery Stores, a Utah-based company, the new store will be located on the south side of Social Hall Avenue, east of State Street.
Will there be fine dining restaurants?
Yes.
Will any of the stores closed during the renovation be back for the mall opening?
Yes, but exactly which stores is still being determined. We will encourage stores compatible with the new retail format to re-join the project.
How long are anchor store leases?
Leasing terms are proprietary.
Will there be certain stores that won't be pursued due to the Church owning a portion of the Center? (i.e. Victoria's Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch, etc.).
Taubman will pursue prospective tenants consistent with the ones that make Taubman projects the hallmarks they are.
What will happen to the food court in the ZCMI Center?
A new food court will be built between the Eagle Gate and Key Bank Towers. The existing food court will remain open until the new one is completed.
Will Utah Woolen Mills be a part of City Creek Center?
Utah Woolen Mills, a family-owned Utah business that has been a part of downtown Salt Lake City for a very long time, is staying at their current location on South Temple Street. They will be open for business throughout construction.
Will there be a pedestrian bridge between the two blocks? Is it an essential element of the project?
The conceptual design calls for a pedestrian bridge, which is being considered through the normal city approval process.
The retail developer and the department stores will not go forward as planned without the bridge. It is critical to retail success that the pedestrian bridge creates continuity on the upper and lower levels. The design of the bridge will be sensitive to the aesthetics of downtown and the surrounding environment.
Because CCRI is an affiliate of the LDS Church, will the open space and pedestrian thoroughfares operate under the same rules as the Main Street Plaza?
Behavior standards for the Main Street Plaza are specific to Church ecclesiastical property. By contrast, guidelines for open areas in City Creek Center will conform to privately owned, commercial open space standards.
Will the retail portions of the project be closed on Sundays?
Yes. Sunday closing has been the policy at the ZCMI Center since it was constructed. Contractual agreements at Crossroads Plaza allowed some stores there to remain open on Sundays. On property owned by the Church in the new development, all retail stores will be open six days a week. On property not owned by the Church, individual owners will determine their business hours.
Will alcohol be available at any location in the project?
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has consistently made plain that in matters of public policy it is not opposed to responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages by informed adults.
Current state laws in Utah balance responsible consumption with measures to discourage alcohol abuse and underage drinking.
In City Creek Center, a limited number of high-quality restaurant tenants who will operate on land not owned by the Church may apply for licenses to serve alcoholic beverages in accordance with existing state regulations.
What will happen to the historic ZCMI facade?
It will be necessary to temporarily remove the facade which has been remodeled on a number of occasions in the past. Plans call for reassembling the facade in essentially the same location.
Why was the retail component reduced in size?
Planned retail space has been sized to allow the addition of residential buildings and to create a high-quality environment with a modified selection of stores in a setting that is unique to the market.
Will there be any cultural or entertainment attractions built into City Creek Center?
We foresee working with selected local artists for some of the permanent artwork. Theaters or live entertainment venues will not be included in the project.
City and county officials are discussing possible development of arts and entertainment facilities on nearby blocks.
Will office buildings remain open during construction?
Yes. Existing office buildings (except for 50 S. Main) will remain open throughout construction.
50 S. Main was imploded in August of 2007. Is KeyBank still a part of City Creek Center?
KeyBank offices moved to 36 S. State Street, which has been renamed the KeyBank Tower. Beneficial Financial Group moved to Gateway Tower West on the corner of South Temple and Main Street, which has been renamed the Beneficial Tower.
How much will the residential units cost? Will they be condominiums or just apartments for lease? When can we get more information about them?
Pricing has not been determined, but there will be a mix of for-sale and for-rent properties available. Anyone interested in residential properties can put their names on our interest list.
How many residential units will be built?
Approximately 750 units will be constructed.
What can you tell us about the new residential units to be constructed by Cowboy Partners?
Of the total residential units, Cowboy Partners, a Utah-based developer, will build approximately 100 condominiums and 110 rental units on the south side of Social Hall Avenue, east of State Street.
Will "affordable housing" be part of the City Creek Center project?
Housing will be market priced. Typically, requirements to provide affordable housing in a project stem from developer requests for government subsidies, tax incentives or zoning changes. No such subsidies, incentives or changes apply to this project.