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Exploring downtown Salt Lake City's tallest building. Or, just exploring downtown, since I did get distracted by all sorts of other things. This will be the first part: North, or South Temple to 3rd West.
I love tall buildings. I don’t know why, but I do. I have been wanting to do a little tour of Downtown Salt Lake City and find all of the tallest buildings for a while now. Today was super blustery so I decided it was not a good day to be on the side of a mountain so today we started my random quest! As I suspected might happen, we did not make it through the entire list today, but we can always come back.
Quick Details:
Length: We did a little over 2 miles today.
Trail Type: It ended up being a random meander.
Difficulty: DR2. Paved sidewalks.
Elevation Gain: NA
Restroom: I am not sure about any random public ones, we found one when we stopped for dinner, otherwise I guess plan on finding a gas station.
Dogs? Dogs are allowed on city sidewalks, paved. However, I can’t imagine they would enjoy this one, so I would leave them home.
Other Info:
To Get Here:
Head downtown! Find somewhere to park. We parked at about South Temple and West Temple. The parking meters do not run on Sunday so that made parking a lot easier today.
We made a quick stop at the Rio Grande.
The Trail:
So, I used this Wikipedia article (outside link) which lists the 30 tallest buildings in SLC *as of April 2026*. I have seen the list change at least once so here it is right now.
Someone even added a nice interactive map! Unfortunately was not as interactive on mobile, which kind of put a little wrinkle in my plans. But, I made due.
Approaching our first stop (PSP). 99 West on South Temple.
One of the City Creek light posts. They cant be that old, but they look old. Like something out of a futuristic movie from the 20’s or so. Like, Metropolis. Maybe it is Science Fiction Noire? I donno, I am not a film buff, or architectural expert. I just see things I like.
Abravanel Hall across to the west.
Back to 99 West on South Temple. A residential tower in the City Creek Center complex at 99 West Temple. It is #6 tallest on the list at 30 stories and 375 feet. Completed in 2011.
From right underneath it.
The front.
It looks like it is a certified green building. Nice.
More neat light posts as we make our way east.
Closer.
Nice little ponds.
The Salt Lake Temple falls at #24 on the list. It is 4 stories and 222 feet high. This religious building was completed in 1893 which makes it the oldest building on the list. I don’t have good feelings towards the cult that runs it, so, that is all I am gonna say here. But, it is a pretty building, I will give them that. It is also nice to see the scaffolding around it has finally been removed since the upgrade process started a few years ago.
Gateway Tower West. #10 at 335 feet tall and 20 stories. This office tower was completed in 1998. Now apparently named Beneficial Financial Group Tower.
A historical marker here seems to indicate it replaced an old Deseret News Building.
The Joseph Smith Memorial Building (Originally Hotel Utah) did not make the list. It is pretty big though.
The Zions Bank Building. Built in 1962, it is 18 floors and 267 feet high. #19 and is an office building.
The
Quick diversion to the north to see #3
The temple again.
Little fountain.
Back to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.
With some fun lions.
The temple again. Again, I don’t have any nice feelings about it so… moving on.
The Church Office Building lands on #3 at 28 stories and 420 feet tall. An office building completed in 1973. It was the tallest building between 1973 and 1998.
Pretty flowers.
Turkey vulture soaring above. These guys are pretty easy to identify.
Back to the Zions Bank Building.
The Joseph Smith Memorial Building again.
Zions Bank again.
The Joseph Smith Memorial Building again. Sorry… squirreling a bit today.
City Creek again.
Wandering in a smidge, we found a neat street clock.
Not the most exiting street clock, but still nice.
Mountain goat tracks.
The clock again.
Branded as City Creek, so it can’t be so old. But, then again, I learned that historical groups do like to restore these neat old clocks.
"City Creek". They decided to only culturally day light it, it is a reproduction using culinary water, instead of fully daylighting it. You can see the actual creek just a bit above at City Creek Park.
Neat light post again.
Base.
World Trade Center at City Creek. At 22 stories and 320 feet it falls on #15 built in 1986 it is an office building.
Original golden eagle archway.
Looking up.
It replaced the Federal Reserve Bank.
The Church Office Building again.
The South Temple Tower. We will come back to that in just a moment, I got distracted by other things.
The Eagle Gate. We will come back to this.
Currently this is an O.C Tanner Jewelry store. But it was where the old Hansen Planetarium was housed. We will come back to that.
Damn it I knew I was going to forget what some of these are.
Google map for the win, as suspected, this is the side of the World Trade Center Utah. Phew, crisis averted.
95 State. We will come back to that too. This intersection is particularly exciting and distracting haha.
The Key Bank tower next to the World Trade Center.
The South Temple Tower. This one is #18. It is 274 feet tall with 24 stories built in 1966 as an office building.
Well, this is the last one on South Temple.
Lights and archway.
The Alta Club. It is a private gentlemen’s club.
Closer. This did not make the list, of tallest buildings, it is just a neat old building.
Pretty arches in front of the entrance. I have heard it is haunted.
According to my book; The Ghostly Tales of Salt Lake City, an older drunk man fell asleep with a cigar and burned his room down, everybody but him escaped the fire. He wanders the upper floors checking rooms to make sure nobody else falls asleep with a cigar. Sighting in the main library, chairs rocking on their own, and random smells of lilac.
Some hostile architecture.
The Eagle Gate again. I figured that since we were here we might as well go see what the plaque says.
Closer look.
“Eagle Gate, 1859.
The Eagle Gate marked the entrance to the homestead of Brigham Young during the early settlement of the valley, Brigham Young was allotted the land lying athwart the mouth of City Creek Canyon. His New England heritage prompted him to desire the privacy given by a high wall around his property as well as for the protection it afforded.
Erected in 1859, the gate has through the years become the symbol of the man who built it. The original eagle and the supporting beehive were carved from five laminated wooden blocks and rested upon wooden arches having their anchor on the cobble-stone wall surrounding the estate, large wooden gates closed the twenty-two foot opening at night securing behind them the Beehive House, the Lion House, and the private office between them.The beautiful flower garden, the private school, and the barns, sheds, granaries, silkworm cocooneries, orchards, and vegetable gardens.
In 1891 the gates were removed and the entrance widened into a street that time the eagle was sent east, electroplated with copper and raised on new supports resting on cut stone pillars. In 1960m when the street was again widened, the wood under the copper plating had deteriorated and the eagle could not be remounted.
This bronze gateway, its eagle, a scale enlargement of the original has been erected as a tribute to the pioneers who founded this common wealth.”
Oh. I didn’t know it was a reproduction, I thought it was original. I wonder where the original eagle is now.
The eagle again.
The beehive house. It is currently being restored as well.
The marker for the now removed private school house.
“ A private Schoolhouse
Built by Brigham Young for his own children stood on this corner lot 1860-1903
This early school was directed by Eli B. Kelsey, who in soliciting additional students announced in the Deseret News, December 12, 1860, as follows:
“President Young not only intends it to be used for the education of his own family during the day, but proposes it to be thoroughly devoted to further educational purposes in the evenings, including the teaching of vocal music.
“Mr. David O. Calder will open therein two classes for young persons of both sexes, in order that a competent number may be thoroughly taught this simple and beautiful science, so that a uniform system of teaching may be adopted throughout all the schools of the territory, the produce of the valley will be taken in payment for tuition.”
Now it is the Eagle Gate Apartments.
Approximate 4/10ths of a mile north is the Utah State Capitol. We have been there a few times, so we opted to skip it today. But it is #17 on the list. 5 stories and 285 feet. It was completed in 1916. Which makes it the 4th oldest on the list. You can go inside that one.
Here we decided to continue our adventure by heading south on State Street.
The South Temple Tower, Alta Club, and 95 State at City Creek again.
95 State at City Creek, The Astra Tower (we’ll be there soon) The Key Bank Tower, and the World Trade Center.
The Key Bank Tower and World Trade Center.
The Alta Club again. Man is that a cool old building.
Guest Entrance on the State Street side.
Balcony above.
“Alta Club Building
This building has housed the Alta Club for over 100 years. Prominent Utah business men founded the exclusive club in 1883. The original members were all non-Mormons and most were involved in the mining industry. The Alta Club’s official exclusion of Mormons reflects the deep division between Mormons and non-Mormons in late 19th century Utah. After the turn of the century, the club gradually began to admit Mormons and helped promote accommodation between the two communities. The Alta Club now welcomes women as members also. Salt Lake City architect Frederick A. Hale designed the Alta Club in the Italian Renaissance style which was popular for men’s clubs.”
1883? That makes it older than the temple.
The back of the Alta Club.
The O.C. Tanner Jewelry store (again, formerly the Hansen Planetarium, and before that is was the 2nd location of the Salt Lake City Library, built in 1904.
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Panoramic to zoom out a bit.
The Key Bank Tower. It is #7 at 351 feet and 27 stories. The office tower was completed in 1976 and was retained through the City Creek Center overhaul.
Cute décor on the side of this building.
A particularly large raven. Hello friend.
An Imperial locust. I don’t know if there are many more labeled trees in the area, but this one was.
The Belvedere another neat old building. Not on todays list.
95 State at City Creek. This is #4 at 393 feet and 25 stories. It is an office tower completed in 2021.
City Creek.
Aveya? I feel like this building has been around for as long as I can remember, but I am not sure.
Under 95 State.
There is a giant wrap around TV in the lobby.
The front.
Looking up again.
More building to the east on 100 South.
My original plan was to head back west via 100 South… but I squirreled.
I decided the Astra Tower was more exciting.
111 Main. We will come back to that one.
Liberty Sky and the Astra Tower.
Workbox. Again, not on the list, but I do love the neat old building.
With a neat statue of Venus on top. It is 12 feet tall.
Ah, I found this is The Orpheum originally built in 1905 and renovated in 2003. It was originally the Orpheum Theater, and is now a 3 floor office building. That explains why it is so fancy looking, they retained the original theater façade. Source (outside link).
It makes me a little sad that 2 historic theaters were removed for City Creek, but at least they kept the façade of this one. I really like old theaters.
Liberty Sky. #22 it is 24 stories and 250 feet. This residential tower was completed in 2021.
Looking back north towards the Key Bank Tower, and 95 State.
Liberty Sky again.
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Vertical panoramic to get the whole thing.
From below.
Quick glimpse of the weather tower at the top of the Walker Center Tower. We will see that one soonly.
The Maverik Base Camp. I feel like this should have made the cut. I can’t find how tall it is, but it is 13 floors.
There is a Maverik convenience store on the bottom floor. Which does not appear to be open today. Oh yep, closed on Sundays. We both thought that was a little odd, all of the other ones are open on Sundays.
Underneath.
The sign.
Here we decided to head west on 200 South back towards where we parked.
The Astra Tower. Currently #1 on the list; the Tallest building in SLC (and Utah) at 40 stories and 449 feet. The residential tower was completed in 2024. Making it the newest one at the moment.
It replaced a Carl’s Jr restaurant.
It is crowned with an Air Quality Beacon which uses real time air monitoring to display LED lighting to provide a real time visualization of the air quality in the area.
I love it.
A couple more buildings.
The Astra Tower again.
Nice lobby.
The Wells Fargo Tower on the left, which is #2 on the list. I am not sure if I should include it in todays list, since it is a little further south, but what the hell. It is 422 feet tall over 22 stories. The office building was completed in 1998. It was the tallest building in SLC (and Utah) from 1998 to 2024.
The building on the right is One Utah Center. We’ll come back to this.
Fun neon sign.
On the west end of the Astra Tower is the largest mural in SLC. It is 14,000 square feet, about the size of 3 basketball courts side by side. By artists Miles Toland and Joseph Toney. It is called Echoes of Eternity. Source (outside link).
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Panoramic. Man this thing is huge! The largest mural in SLC on the tallest building in SLC.
I think this is a peregrine falcon.
An awesome owl mural on the next building over. I definitely wanted to get closer to that.
Aww, it’s super cute!
Little bicycle mural on this door.
The Walker Center weather tower again.
The Wells Fargo Center and the One Utah Center again.
Regent Street.
Neat art at Gallivan Plaza. Has that always been there? Well, I guess I just never noticed it before, google maps goes back to 2007 and it is there then.
One Utah Center. It is #8. It is 350 feet over 24 stories. The office tower was completed in 1991.
The bottom.
More of it. It is another neat building.
The Walker Center Building reflecting off of it.
The Walker Center Building. We cannot see the iconic weather tower from this vantage. With the tower, this one comes in at 220 feet tall and 16 stories. making it #25. This office building was completed in 1912. That makes it the 3rd oldest on todays list.
Altabank on the bottom floor.
We skipped main street and continued west. I don’t remember why, but likely I squirreled.
170 South Main. At 209 feet tall and 15 floors it is #28. An office tower.
Hotel Monico, front and right. Behind and left is 222 Main. Again, not sure if I should include here, but again, what the heck. It is #16 at 315 feet and 22 stories high. The office tower was completed in 2009.
Back to the Hotel Monico. At 13 stories and 214 feet high it is #26. This hotel was completed in 1924. It is the 5th oldest on todays list.
Fun faces on the side.
I kind of want to stay here sometime.
The west side.
Oh! I was a little surprised that we came across The Capitol Theater. But I mean, it has been at LEAST 20 years since I saw a show here. Oddly enough, it was Phantom of the Opera, which we have tickets to see at the Eccles later this month. I do want to see another show here sometime though. It is a neat old theater.
The marquee.
At only 3 stories, it definitely did not make the list, but man is it a gorgeous building! It originally opened in 1913 and was known as The Orpheum… but wait, we already saw another Orpheum. Oh okay, it was renamed The Capitol Theater after the dissolution of the Orpheum Circuit, which just at a quick glance appears to have been a chain of theaters back in the day.
It was designed in an Italian Renaissance Revival style. After the Eccles Theater opened in 2016, a lot of the productions moved over there due to the larger stage and better sound system. However, The Capitol has remained active.
The marquee.
From the front. Wow, this is just absolutely stunning! I wish architects had this kind of flair these days. Newer buildings just seem so boxy and plain.
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Panoramic.
Looks like the current show is West Side Story. Neither of us are particularly interested in seeing that one at the moment.
It is also known as the Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre.
The Hotel Monico and 222 Main again.
The Hyatt Regency.
This hotel was completed in 2022. It is 25 stories, and 327 feet tall putting it at #12. It boasts 700 guest rooms.
There is a bar and restaurant on the main floor.
Underneath.
I feel like this Hilton should have made the list too, but I guess it didn’t.
The front of the Hyatt.
Underneath.
The awning again.
The Salt Palace.
111 Main again.
We decided to head back east along 100 South.
The Salt Palace tower.
I feel like The Marriott should have made the list as well, but it did not.
Why Kiki. A gay bar. We have not been to this one yet. All of our old gay bars that we haunted in our 20’s are gone.
An add for Phantom of the Opera.
111 Main.
Another building that I feel like should have made the list. The Kearns Building.
Fun mural.
Okay, come on! The First Security Building absolutely should have made the list, look how tall that sucker is!
The building behind it is The Regent. At 265 feet and 23 stories it is #20 on the list. This mixed use building was completed in 2011. I did fail on getting a better shot of this one, so I might have to come back to it when I come back for part 2.
First Security Building again. We decided to head south on Main Street.
Street clock. Now this is what I am talking about!
Look at this sexy thing!
“The Old Clock
Dedicated to Roy W. Simmons and I,J. “Izzi” Wagner February 2, 2007
Friends and business partners, Roy Simmons and I.J. “Izzi” Wagner spent more than half a century building businesses - Including Zions Bank - and improving their communities. The time they devoted to enhancing beauty, culture, and history in Salt Lake City continues to benefit the city and its citizens.
Among the historic landmarks in Salt Lake City, few have provided such continuous service to so many people as the “Old Zions Bank Clock”/ While no official account tell the story, tradition says the clock arrived in the 1870’s in a wagon pulled by oxen. The foundry mark on the base of the clock shows the Robert Wood & Co. in Philadelphia cast it in iron shortly after the end of the Civil War.
Originally installed within 30 feet of this site, the clock continues to withstand the test of time. A diversion from City Creek, which ran down Main Street, originally drove a water wheel that operated the clock. Later, the clock kept time with springs and wet cell batteries. By 1912, the original gears had been replaced and the clock was connected to the new electricity system in the bank. In 2007, the clockworks was rewired and restructured. Old paint was sandblasted off the ironwork, and the surface was refinished.
The Old Zions Bank clock is listed in both the state and national historic registries.”
Absolutely fascinating! I love street clocks, and this is an exceptionally special one.
Sad. Currently the west face is missing.
The south face. It uh.. does not appear to show the correct time at the moment.
With the pedestal. They are also called post clocks.
Zions First National Bank to the west.
Eccles Theater to the east.
Which is attached to 111 Main. At 387 feet over 25 stories it is #5. This office building was completed in 2016.
Phantom of the Opera is currently playing. I am super excited to see it again later this month. Like I said, it has been over 20 years.
Another tower that I feel like should have made the cut, and the Walker Center Tower again.
The Eccles Theater again.
Or specifically the George and Dolores Dore Eccles Theater.
The Eccles have donated a lot of their fortune to the arts and more. Which is why you will see their name attached to a lot of things. I do appreciate seeing at least one wealthy family giving back to the community.
111 Main again.
Beerhive Pub. We’ve hung out here a couple of times with friends.
The Kearns Building. Another one I feel like should have made the list. Landis, who really likes the murder shows, likes this one because there was a famous murder here. November 10th, 1916 a woman shot and killed a man who wouldn't marry her here. There is more to it I found a longer story here (outside link).
Really pretty clock inside. Landis tried the door, but it was locked.
Nuemont University.
The Walker Center Tower again. We can see it has started to be lit up.. or it is getting dark enough to notice it is lit. Solid blue means expect clear skies. Blinking blue means cloudy. Solid red is rain and blinking red is snow. They also upgraded to LED a few years back so now in addition to the weather forecast, they can display any color they like for holidays and other special events.
Framed by trees,
Without trees. If you can’t tell, I am particularly fond of this building.
Most of it.
Other neat old buildings, including the Herald Building on the right (1905).
We decided to go around around the block again heading back to where the we had parked, so a couple repeats here.
The Hotel Monico again.
The Capitol Theater. I was hoping it had gotten dark enough to see it lit up, but sadly no.
I found this on google maps though.
On a total whim we decided to have dinner at the Blue Iguana. We have heard good things about them.
Fun neon sign.
Stained glass.
I decided to try their veggie platter. I was a little turned off of the taco at first since the “roasted vegetables” ended up being really mushroom heavy and I am not a fan of mushrooms. But, this may have turned that around for me, I ended up scarfing it down! I would order it again! And I am not even vegetarian. I just quite enjoy vegetarian food sometimes.
One of the neon signs when we were done.
Their cute patio. I mentioned it was blustery today right? No one was sitting outside in this.
The Hyatt.
111 Main and you can see the Astra Tower on the right.
The Salt Palace and the fun You Are Here art piece.
The Utah beehive symbol in the sidewalk.
The neat City Creek light poles.
Back to 99 West on South Temple, where we started.
Here is the downtown skyline from about a month ago heading north on i15.
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And, I numbered what we saw today in order of tallest. Missing #17 Utah State Capitol (out of frame) and #22 Liberty Sky (hidden behind other buildings).
Here is what we ended up doing today sorted by the order we saw them today. Green means we saw it today. Orange means we didn't see it today, but have explored it. Yellow means we saw it, but not up close.
We ended up doing just a bit over half, hooray! Only 12 to go and only 1 in this set of blocks that I need to come back to see closer.
That was a fun little adventure and scavenger hunt! You know it has been a while since I really wandered downtown. And well, totally acted like a tourist with my camera strapped around my neck and taking a lot of pictures of neat things I saw haha. So, obviously we missed a few as well, so we will be back with at least a part 2. But, I had a good time today. 9 out of 10 squirrels, only losing one because you have to be really careful trying to cross roads. People don’t look for pedestrians.
As for difficulty, it was flat, with road crossings. DR2.
Dogs are allowed on city sidewalks, but I can’t imagine they would enjoy it too much. I would leave them home.
(But not recommended)
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