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Downtown Salt Lake City has 30 buildings over 200 feet. We already explored 18 of them on my first attempt. Today, since it was another kind of gross rainy day I decided we should try to complete the list!
Last time we did the north end, today we will mostly focus on the area south of 200 South. With the weather today we kind of did a couple wonky loops and stops. But we did complete the list!
Quick Details:
Length: We ended up doing about 3 miles in 2 walks, and 2 quick sees.
Trail Type: Loop + out and back + 2 stops. Better loop options if you plan it better.
Difficulty: DR2. Its paved and easy going.
Elevation Gain: Not much.
Restroom: Not that I found.
Dogs? Dogs are allowed on city sidewalks, but it probably wouldn’t be fun for them.
Other Info:
To Get Here:
We ended up starting at about 200 South and 300 East. But I mean, wherever you find a spot.
Gross rainy day (Passenger Seat Photography (PSP)).
I love when you can see the canyons under the clouds like this (PSP).
Again (PSP).
Downtown (PSP).
Getting closer (PSP).
The Orin G Hatch United States Courthouse (PSP). We will come back to this one.
The Worthington (PSP). We will come back to that one too.
The Trail:
Quick refresher on the map I found on Wikipedia (outside link)
I had planned on starting on the west end, but we did not have much luck finding parking so rather than wander around I decided we will start on the east end today.
Cute little courtyard in the Smith Apartments. I only know that because it says it at the top.
The Salt Lake City Public Safety Building. This is not on the list either.
Another big building that isn’t on the list.
The 250 Tower. At 16 floors and 233 feet tall it is #23 on my list. This office tower was built in 1984. It is formerly known as the CenturyLink Building and Qwest Building. This is the furthest east building on the list.
Various local college flags.
Looking up.
The sign.
The doors.
Looking up again on the northwest side.
This one is a little bit off to the side so my original plan was to se this one, and go back to the car and find somewhere else to park but… you know… I squirrel easily.
Neat old church.
Nice little row of bars.
Back to the church.
Doorway. Oh, there is a historical marker there.
First Methodist Episcopal Church. Built in 1905.
The tower.
Again.
Well, the rain kind of let up, so we decided to keep walking west. Maybe not the best decision of the day.
Second & Second. That is a neat looking building. Not on the list though.
The Walker Center Tower which is #25, The Astra Tower #1 (The Tallest Building in SLC) and Liberty Sky #22. Plus the Maverik Base Camp (not on the list). All covered last time.
Liberty Sky, Key Bank Tower #7, 95 State at City Creek #4 (covered last time). Plus, this fun Bar, bar, bar, bar, taqueria. Hah! I think we might need to spend a random night going right to left here sometime.
Light pole with Indian figures.
Fun art on Gallenson’s.
And a mural above.
Cute rainbow walkway.
Oh, that mural comes down below the previous building.
More art. I like the kitty, I don’t care for the rest of it. The rest of it just looks like graffiti.
Better view of the buildings to the northwest.
The bars again.
The Walker Center Tower, Forecasting more rain.
Buildings again.
Neat building with a neat octopus mural. We should check them out sometime.
The Walker Center Tower again.
Fun neon at Gallivan Plaza. Even if it is not lit up at the moment.
The largest mural in SLC on the Tallest Building in SLC the Astra Tower.
The Walker Center Tower again.
Again.
The Astra Tower again.
The Walker Center Tower again. I never realized until recently that there is a shorter part. I don’t find myself in this part of downtown often.
Art. I found it is called Asteroid Landed Softly by artist Kazuo Matsubiyashi. It is 30 feet tall. and is also a functioning sundial. Well dang if I knew that I would have gotten closer! Well, I guess next time. It’s too cloudy to see it in use anyway.
Our legislature needs to be reminded of this.
One Utah Center. 24 stories, 350 feet high it is #8. I covered this last time, but we’re closer today. This office building was completed in 1991.
Fun light poles.
I guess they are changing the name to 201 Tower.
Looking up again.
222 Main on the left, and Hotel Monaco on the right.
222 Main is an office building that is 22 stories and 315 feet high making it #16. Hotel Monaco, we covered last time but just a refresher it is 214 feet tall and 13 stories and #26.
The bottom.
Random art tiles.
222 Main again.
Again.
Gallivan Plaza art. This looks like the Olympic torch, but I thought that was over by Rice Eccles Stadium? Did we have 2? Well, I don’t know what it is, just art I guess. Some of the Olympic activity did happen here, so a tribute I suppose? I probably should have gone in to see if there was more information but... I squirreled. Again.
Street clock.
Some neat building in front, and the American Towers behind them. We will come back to those shortly.
The American Towers. The rain picked up a little bit again and we started to regret wandering this far from the car.
Neat buildings again. We will come back to those, even though they are not on the list.
The street clock again. Hey! Look at this, it has the correct time!
This one only has 2 faces.
Electric Time Medfield, Mass.
The base has the same Indian head that we saw on a light post earlier. Plus Main, cause we’re on Main Street.
The back.
The face. It says Salt Lake City above it.
Neat old buildings again.
The Karrick Building. Erected 1887 according to the banner in the middle.
The Lollin. 1894.
The Wells Fargo Center. This is our 2nd tallest building at 422 feet and 26 floors. This office building was the tallest building in SLC and Utah when it was completed in 1998 until 2024 when the Astra tower was completed.
This particular angle makes it appear to be a tall skinny thing. It is triangular though.
The front.
This building houses Channel 2 News.
I hope my tourist looking ass was not on the news tonight LOL.
Looking up. Oh boy that is a tall building.
Artsy awning. Similar to the one we saw on the Hyatt.
Address.
Under the awning.
Building across the street. Not on the list.
Looking back, If I would do it again I probably would have made a quick detour to the west here on 300 South to see the American Towers… but I squirreled. Again.
The J.C. Penney Building.
At 209 feet tall and 15 floors this office tower falls at #27 on the list. It was completed in 1973.
I actually worked in this building a very, very long time ago. I kind of miss working downtown.
It is also known as the Zions Bank Broadway Office.
Or 310 South Main.
Looking up.
Again.
Neat building across the street.
The Boston Building (just going by that sign) drew us a little further south than we anticipated. It is not on my list either. Just a pretty building. I can’t quite make out what is says below it.
The Felt Building is also pretty.
Both of them.
Fun art.
The Boston Building is a part of a pair of twin towers.
The Felt Building again.
There is a bar in the bottom of the Felt Building. We might need to check that out sometime.
Looking up. There is some nice detail above.
Oh, a tour stop sign. It is a Richard K. A. Kletting building! Nice. It was completed in 1910. Mr. Kletting is a big deal in SLC, designing buildings such as oh you know, the Utah State Capitol among others. I have been planning a tour of his buildings. We uh, hit quite a few of them today by chance. So I guess when we do that it will be a little easier.
Fun gargoyle. We do not have many gargoyles that I know of anyway.
On to the Boston Building.
Well… that sounds super fancy. I’m not even sure how to pronounce it.
Looking up.
Fancy bronze doors on the south building.
Between the twin buildings, looking up.
The bronze doors again. Since we could see no sign, I joked that we do not make enough money to know what it is. But, I am not sure how far off that is.
There is/was a night depository.
Looking up.
I love the bison detail.
Continuing south. There is a random Apollo Burger here. Nice.
No ICE in this café.
Fun old motorcycle.
The WaFd Bank seems like it should have made the cut, but did not.
Well, we decided we should REALLY head back towards the car. So, another left on 400 South. Ooph. Again, looking back, if we had just scooted a little to the west we could have saved a future stop.
Trax.
More fun art.
Weird old tower thingy.
Fun tiles embedded in the cement.
Newhouse Realty Building. Circa 1913-1914, Leadlund & Kent
You know we both have tried and just have not been able to find where a map or more information for this tour is.
It is only 1 story.
‘N’ engraved in the molding.
These are cool. Oh, we found Xmission.
I wonder if this building is historic.
Neat gold lions.
The front.
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Panoramic.
Hotel Plandome. Federation of Labor Hall 1903, Richard K. A. Kletting. Dang another one!
This one is oddly not on the list of Kletting buildings I have. I wonder why.
Fun lionheads.
Again. Stupid rain.
The Salt Lake City and County Building. It is 5 stories and 256 feet tall putting it at #21. It was the tallest building in SLC and Utah from 1894 when it was completed until 1916 when the Utah State Capitol was completed. It was built by freemasons to hold offices for the city and county. We have explored it a little bit closer wandering around Washington Square, so we didn’t wander over to it today. I still want to explore inside sometime though.
East side of the building.
We can just make out the old sign on the back. We decided to cross the road to see if we could see it better.
The City and County Building again.
The back of the Boston Building.
The Ken Garff Tower. We’ll come back to that.
Looking back towards the Hotel Plandome. Other than the tree we can see the rest of the sign now. Maybe next time I am down here in winter I will try again.
The Astra Tower ahead.
The Wells Fargo Building and Utah One.
We popped into a gift shop that had a bunch of really neat rocks and stuff, cause you know, I don’t already have enough rocks and stuff.
Wells Fargo again.
The Astra Tower again.
The Ken Garff Tower. At 14 floors and 205 feet this is the last one on the list #30. Built in 1992 formerly known as the Broadway Centre until 2017 when Ken Garff headquarters moved here from the Ken Garff Building. It is an office building.
Front doors.
Looking up.
The south side. As we turn right to head east on 300 South.
Broadway Centre Cinemas. I had never heard of this before.
The southeast side of the Ken Garff Tower.
Fun eyeball art.
Dancing fish.
The Worthington. More on this in a minute.
The City and County Building again.
The Worthington. At 31 floors 335 feet it is #9. It is a residential tower completed in 2024.
It was nicknamed the whistler while it was still being built because when it was windy it would produce a really high pitched whistle that was driving neighbors crazy. Luckily after a few weeks and many, many complaints the construction company eventually solved the problem.
Here is a KUTV story about it (outside link).
Portrait shot.
Wasp art.
The corner.
Looking up.
It has 359 units, and exactly 359 parking stalls. So you know, fuck you if you have a 2nd car, or want to entertain guests. I get that downtown you shouldn't need a car but still. I hate that SLC is allowing this kind of nonsense.
South side. This building pushed out The Tavernacle which was a fun piano bar we liked going to a few years ago. Luckily, they found a new spot a little to the west.
Another tall building that didn’t make the cut.
I wonder how long until someone turns this into a high rise. I do like the neon sign though.
Looking west.
More art.
Oh, I have been meaning to check out this store for a minute. Too bad they are closed today.
Fun rocks outside. I guess they are big enough that someone isn’t going to try to walk away with one of them.
Barber shop with an old barber pole.
Another neat building.
Bird art. Another left on 300 East back towards where we parked
The back of the Worthington.
Of course now that we are almost back to the car the rain let up. Oh well, that is how it goes sometimes.
Neat old house.
Then we drove over to the next destination.
The Orin G. Hatch United States Courthouse.
At 10 floors and 207 feet tall it comes in at #29. This government building was completed in 2014.
Front steps.
Trees in a small courtyard out front.
We, not so affectionately call it The Borg Cube. I thought that was just me and my friends, but its common enough to make the Wikipedia article LOL. I guess everybody calls it the Borg Cube.
This ugly building displaced a neat old bar called Port O’ Call.
The trees again.
The weird rectangle archway above the doors sure doesn’t help with the Borg image.
The west face.
Alternate doors.
Looking up again.
As ugly as I, and most people think it is, I guess it has some smart features like automatic blinds and such. But, it is ugly and named after an ugly douchebag. Huh, I guess that is fitting too.
The main doors to the right.
The front steps.
The ramp. That is a looong ramp.
The Hyatt (#12) and Hilton (not on the list).
Artsy lamp post.
This used to be a club… The Bay. Now it is a restaurant called Café Molise.
I swear this used to be the Electric Sign Company and I feel like I am taking crazy pills because I can’t find anything to back that up. Oi. It is possible the sign (which is what looks familiar to me) moved too.
But, wherever they are, now YESCO, they built the original sign on the Walker Center Tower, and Wendover Will, They helped update and restore The Ogden 25th Street Dragon, as well as the Sputnik in Sugarhouse.
The stairs again.
Just as I was finishing up and ready to head back to the car a security guard came walking by. All he did was say hello and kept going, but I am fairly certain he was there to investigate what we were up to, and when he realized we were leaving just let us be. I swear sir, I just wanted to see the Borg Cube closer!
Corner again. Resistance is futile.
I was surprised to see an empty lot across the street. I guess it is a paid parking lot.
If I knew what I was missing I would have suggested we just walk a block north… but I didn’t, so we decided to head over to the Grand America to enjoy the tulips.
The Grand America. It is the furthest south building. At 24 stories and 330 feet tall it is #11 on the list. This hotel was completed in 2001. It really seems older than that doesn’t it?
The Wells Fargo Building, the Boston Tower, and the WaFd Bank. We totally should have just kept coming this way earlier. But, you know, when it’s raining you make choices.
Redwood trees.
Little America across the street. This one used to be on the list a year ago, at 229 feet and 17 floors it was at #24. If it was still on the list it should be between #24 the Temple and #23 250 Tower. I am guessing they decided to lump it in with Grand America? The Ken Garff Tower is over 200 feet, but it would be bumped down to 31 if they put this back.
The Grand America again.
Main entrance.
Looking up.
Pretty flower beds.
Landis decided we should go see the gardens in the courtyard.
Pretty chandelier.
Okay, it is really pretty in here.
Super pretty.
I love the pyramid shaped bushes.
The back side of the hotel.
Flowers.
Little fountain.
Bigger fountain.
With the hotel.
Looking up.
Pretty purple tulips.
More.
Some have not faired our temperature swings so well, but many others have.
More pretty purple.
Fancy lamps.
Pool fountain.
The central fountain again.
We popped in to the bar to grab a drink and check my notes. The waitress said she would be right with us, but by the time I checked my notes and confirmed we had missed a few buildings, and then sitting there for a bit we decided we should take advantage of the rest of the light we had for the day so off to the next adventure. I am a little disappointed it took so long to order in a 4 star hotel. But, I probably would have waited a little longer if I hadn’t realized we missed a few and were running out of light. So, no hard feelings I guess. I did appreciate having a table to stop and check my notes.
Random work nook.
Little America again.
Driving down West temple (PSP). We can see the Peery Hotel, The Hyatt Regency #12, 99 West on South Temple #6, and the Hilton.
More random art… is that a butterfly?
Our next stop was the American Towers. Which is a set of twin towers.
American Tower South. This is listed at #14. But, gimme a second.
Both towers.
The corner.
Brave pigeon.
Entrance and sign.
Cute moose in a Utah sweater.
The back of the J.C. Penney Building.
Broadway Media I think this was the building to the west.
The American Tower South.
American Tower North. #13.
American Tower North and American Tower South. #13 and #14. They are the tallest twin towers in SLC. Both are 26 stories and 324 feet tall. Residential towers completed in 1982. Honestly, I feel like they should be 1 entry. Yeah, they are twin towers, but they are connected.
The bottom. See, they are connected. Also the Wells Fargo Center in the background.
The Hilton. Again, I feel like this should have made the list.
The American Towers again.
American Tower North.
The front courtyard.
American Tower South again.
Angry clouds.
From here I had a little brain fart as to if we saw 222 Main and I knew we needed to get closer to The Regent. After a bit of debate we decided we could do it on foot. So a little bit east back to Main Street and then north. I did not do the best with our adventure today, I blame the rain. But, this did allow us to get some different views.
The United States Courthouse again. Resistance is futile.
The J.C. Penney Building again.
Again.
The moon.
The Lollin Block another Richard K. A. Kletting building. Built in 1894.
The Karrick Block, also a Richard K. A. Kletting. Completed in 1887. It is the oldest existing work of Kletting.
The front.
Karrick block again.
222 Main. 22 Stories, 315 feet high this office tower was completed in 2009. #16
Looking up.
We decided to keep going on foot the one additional block north towards The Regent. Again… I totally could have planned better.
The Walker Center Tower again.
The One Utah Center again.
Again.
111 Main to the north #5. I covered that one last time.
The Walker Center Tower again.
Closer shot of the weather station. Again, forecasting rain.
Looking back toward the One Utah Center and Wells Fargo Building.
The Herald Building. 1905, John C. Craig.
With the random tour stop marker.
I mentioned I couldn't find the source of these right? Well, I did finally find someone else who was as curious as I was. He reached out to the Salt Lake City and they told him it does not exist anymore. What a shame, and waste. But, I guess at least they provide some fun history so maybe not a complete waste. Source: Jacob Barlow (outside link) We seem to have pretty similar interests and I run across his blog fairly often.
First National Bank Building. 1872 - 1873, Thomas J. Johnson. Cast Iron Façade by Richard M. Upjohn.
McKay Diamonds. Fun neon sign.
Hope Gallery and Museum of Fine Art. It doesn’t exist anymore. I wonder when it closed.
Meh, not truly indicative, but the website is still active and has a copyright of 2007 - 2021. I suspect another victim of Covid.
Alley.
Neat old sign.
Site of a Pony Express Station 1860 - 1861.
Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Salt Lake Tribune.
Another Pony Express sign.
The alley again. We didn’t explore it, but now that I am looking at my photo I would like to know more.
Looking up. I love the old brickwork.
Neumont University. Also not on the list.
The Eccles Theater.
Upcoming shows. Also, judging by the crowd inside it must be intermission.
They are currently showing Phantom of the Opera. It Was. Phenomenal! I would suggest going to see it, but today was the last day. Still, just WOW!.
They are doing some sort of work in the lobby of 111 Main.
We covered this last time but it is #5 at 25 floors and 387 feet. It is attached to the Eccles Theater.
Main door.
First Security Building on the left. I feel like it should be on the list as well. Considering it’s comparison to The Regent on the right. But you know, perspective. My skyline shot at the end shows it is actually quite a bit shorter than it looks here.
The Regent.
The west face of The Old Clock (yes that appears to be what it is called). We got closer to that last time.
The north side of 111 Main.
The First Security Building.
Old Brownstone. We’ll come back to that.
The Regent. At 23 floors and 265 feet tall it is #20. This mixed use building was completed in 2011.
The front.
Looking up again.
The Astra Tower to the southeast.
111 Main to the southwest.
The brownstone again.
Regent Street.
One of the fancy retro light posts.
Phantom of the Opera poster on the other side of 100 South.
Their tour bus. I did mention today was the last day right? The Eccles Stage Door is back there somewhere. I imagine as soon as the show is done tonight they will start hauling the stage out to this.
The brownstone.
Utah Commercial and Savings Bank Building designed by Richard K. A. Kletting in 1888. For some reason it does not appear to have a historical marker or tour stop sign. But it is a neat Richardsonian Romanesque style building. It is also know as the Village Brownstone Building.
It is a really cool building!
There are some restaurants in the basement including Ahh Sushi! Which we thought was quite good the few times we went a few years ago.
Portrait mode.
The north side of 111 Main again.
Front doors.
Here you can see the the lobby connects to the Eccles Theater lobby.
Looking northwest along Main. I think that is the Beneficial Life Tower. We covered that last time. It is #10.
Heading back south on Main. We probably should have chosen a different street to explore but… we were just wanting to get back to the car.
The west side of 111 Main.
Where it connects to the Eccles Theater.
Eccles Theater.
Again.
The Walker Center Tower and 170 S Main (US Bank) #28, we covered that last time, but this is a different angle.
Pony Express marker.
The signs we saw about that are just a little bit north. Weird.
222 Main and the Hotel Monaco #26.
One Utah Center again.
Looking up.
Front doors.
The Hotel Monaco again.
Looking up.
Detail.
Front.
Oh, it has a tour stop sign.
That is interesting. It wasn’t always a hotel.
“Hotel Monaco
Continental Bank Building
1923-1924, George W. Kelham and Frederick A. Hale
While 13 stories tall, the continental Bank Building’s Main Street Façade is only three bays wide. The building’s narrowness gives it a vertical emphasis. Its design combines Second Renaissance Revival elements on the first 2 floors and a plain treatment of the upper floors. Note the carved stone faces in the keystones above the large arched windows. This site was originally occupied by an early Salt Lake City hotel named The White House. Continental bank completed the present building in 1924. The building housed a series of banks before it was renovated as the Hotel Monaco Salt Lake City in 1999.“
Huh. Silly me, I thought it was always the Hotel Monaco.
The art thingy in Gallivan Plaza again.
222 Main again.
The Walker Center Tower again.
Keys on Main. It is another piano bar. We have never been to this one.
It looks like it is in the David Keith Building. Circa 1902, Frederick A. Hale.
Looking up.
The other side appears to be vacant.
Neat artistic benches.
Neat mural.
Another neat building. It also looks vacant.
The Clift Building.
Clift Building. 1919-1920 James L. Chesebro
Fun sign.
Pretty awning on the south side.
Looking up.
From across the street.
The front again. It is not on todays list, but it is a neat building.
Well, I think that is everything! Time for us to go find some food.
The Tavernacle’s new location on the main is floor of the Broadway Media Building (PSP).
Moody clouds (PSP).
We had dinner at Vertical Diner. They are a neat standard American diner, except everything is completely plant based. This is the 2nd time we have been there and have enjoyed it both times. Again, I am not vegan or vegetarian, but I enjoy the food occasionally. Particularly after a meat heavy couple of days, which this was.
Here is the skyline with all the buildings we saw today. Out of frame to the right is #21 City and County Building, and #11 Grand America. Hiding behind other buildings is the #23 250 Tower.
All of them numbered tallest rank. In addition to the missing ones I mentioned above it is missing #17 Utah State Capitol which is out of frame to the left and #22 Liberty Sky which is hidden behind other buildings.
Here is a list of the buildings we visited in order of us visiting. Newly seen today ones in purple, and the ones we saw last time (and may have seen again today) in blue.
The general path we took today. The first loop in green about 2 miles-ish, then the 2 stops at the Courthouse, and the Grand America in red. And our last little adventure in blue. Which would have been about a mile out and back.
Like I said, if it weren’t for the on and off rain, I would have made different choices haha. Looking back I probably would have done both trips slightly differently. For the first trip I would have made the slight detour on 100 South to see The regent. And then on the second trip the slight detour west on 300 South to see the American towers, then again on 400 South to see the courthouse.
In the end, I saw what I wanted to so, it worked out. We even learned some more history. As well as were able to get different angles of some of the cool buildings. Plus we saw like 5 or 6 Kletting buildings today, which I thought was super neat. So maybe I wouldn't change anything. 9 out of 10 squirrels again.
As for difficulty, it is paved and mostly flat DR2.
Dogs are technically allowed on all city sidewalks, but I can't imagine they would enjoy it. I would leave Fido home for this one.
