On Salt Lake City’s Main Street, things are looking up — farther down.
Just south of the City Creek Center, four new businesses have sprouted, continuing what Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker calls downtown’s "renaissance." They are part of the Redevelopment Agency’s Utah Theater project near 150 S. Main. The four long-shuttered storefronts are now bright and inviting, Becker said, and will help bring new life to Main.
"What everybody wants is a vibrant city core that provides something for everybody," the mayor added. "We’re seeing a rebirth of downtown."
The city’s RDA bought the Utah Theater in 2009 for $5.5 million. There is no set plan for its future — although various scenarios are being discussed, including converting it into a film center.
In the meantime, the RDA spent $400,000 renovating the structure’s four storefronts. That effort, said City Councilman Kyle LaMalfa, who heads the RDA Board, fits the city’s larger plan to rejuvenate downtown. Salt Lake Tribune
