The Park Hotel is significant for its association with the early 20th century development of Salt Lake City’s transportation and industrial district. Built immediately after completion of the nearby Rio Grande and Union Pacific railroad stations (both built in 1909-10), the Park Hotel provided housing and services for blue collar workers, many of them ethnic immigrants, employed in local transportation, manufacturing, commercial, and construction enterprises. Designed by Ware and Treganza, one of Utah’s most prominent architectural firms, and constructed in 1911, the Park Hotel was the first hotel erected near the Rio Grande Depot.
With shops and café on the first level and residential rooms on the second level, the Park Hotel was modest in size and design, yet it was one of the first one a soon-popular building type. Over the next few years, several other hotels were constructed to the east along 300 South, producing something of a “hotel row.” Following World War II the name was changed to the Rio Grande Hotel. It continues it s historic function as a single room occupancy hotel.
Originally built by Thomas and Electa Hunt in the 1860s, the VanFleet Hotel was probably first used as a residence. Located next to a Wells Fargo stagecoach stop and county courthouse on what was once the highway connecting Salt Lake City and Ogden, it was at the center of commerce and government in the city and county. This location made the building well suited for a public function and it was apparently used as a hotel after the 1870s.
Hyrum VanFleet purchased the hotel in 1908 during an era when the city was enjoying a period of wealth and expansion fostered by the Farmington Commercial Club. After a fire in January 1913 nearly destroyed the structure, VanFleet undertook a major renovation which resulted in the doubling of its size. The hotel became known as the “Honeymoon Hotel” because many couples who married in the courthouse would spend their honeymoon here. The VanFleet family lived in and operated the hotel for more than four decades until 1953 when they converted the building into apartment space. In 1995, after years of vacancy, the building was rehabilitated by Drs. P. Berrett Packer and Scott W. Corry for dental offices.
Built c. 1880 of native rock, it served as a hotel for many skilled workers on the Manti Temple. It was acquired in 1897 by John D. T. McAllister, prominent Utah pioneer and churchman.
When first constructed in 1906, the New York Hotel provided luxurious accommodations for travelers. The building offered steam heat and electric lights in every room while advertisements assured all guests of excellent service.
The hotel features an attractive entrance canopy supported by cast iron columns on high sandstone bases. Also note the curvilinear gable where the building’s name appears in large block letters. In the mid-1970s, the New York Hotel was renovated to house restaurants and office space. The pioneering project was one of the first in Salt Lake City to adapt an historic building for a new use. Its success brought new life to an historic building and a declining area of downtown.
The Hotel Albert is significant because as one of a number of hotels built in SLC’s business district about 1910, it reflects the impact of the railroad on the city. It is also significant because of its architectural integrity.
This four-story brick hotel and store was built for Albert Fisher in 1909 at an estimated cost of $100,000. The hotel operated as the Albert Hotel until 1912 when it became the Hotel Shelton. It remained the Shelton through the mid-1920’s; by the mid-1930’s it was the Whitehouse Hotel and accommodated Ruths beauty parlor as well. By the mid-1940’s the Reid Hotel and the Capri Italian Restaurant occupied the building.
Fisher was born in Germany in 1852. Then emigrated to Utah in the early 1870’s according to his brief obituary. Nevertheless he does not appear in a Salt Lake directory until 1883 as a foreman for the Salt Lake Brewing Company. In 1884 he established his own brewery. He later established himself in real estate and other local businesses. He died in 1917. The brewery was sold to Lucky Lager Brewing Co., now General Brewing Co., in 1957. He married Alma Youngberg January 29, 1882. She was born at Malmo, Sweden, May 17, 1861 to Andrew S. and Olivia Youngberg. She was in active businesswoman, owner of Alma Fisher Property and “well-known in club circles.” She died in 1940.
This photo below shows the location where the hotel previously stood:
2020
Architecturally, the Hotel Albert is a three-story brick structure with a stone facade and metal cornice. Its style is most closely related to the Second Renaissance Revival period. The deep relief of the masonry joints, shaping of the stonework in voussoirs and interlocking pieces, the proportions of the window bays (which decrease in size as they appear higher in the facade), and classical capital and cornice details reflect Renaissance influences. The Hotel Albert has been restored in a tasteful manner, including a contemporary but skillful treatment of the fenestration in the south wall. The building’s metal cornices, hanging canopy and carved stonework are particularly interesting.
Built in 1910, the Marion Hotel is a three-story brick “E” or double hotel court, a hotel type with a continuous main level typically reserved for commercial or common hotel functions and two open light courts above, resulting in three wings of hotel rooms. Also known historically as the Milner Hotel, it is modestly suggestive of early Prairie School architectural style, although it has a traditionally bracketed sheet metal cornice and frieze. The building retains a high degree of historic materials, features, and configuration on both the interior and exterior. All elevations maintain their architectural integrity.
This building has functioned continuously for over 80 years as a hotel and SRO (single room occupancy hotel) with a variety of commercial ventures on the main level. It has played a steady role in the history of lower 25th Street in the twentieth century. Both architecturally and historically, the Marion Hotel contributes to the continuity and integrity of the Lower 25th Street Historic District.
The Marion Hotel, built in 1910, is the largest remaining hotel in the lower 25th Street Historic District. As part of the District, the hotel was placed on the National Register in 1976 and on the Local Register in 1981. Several of the original commercial businesses within the Marion Hotel included G.F. Vaught Jewelry, Ward Company Bakery, the F.L. Bradley Pool Hall and the Union Cigar Stores Company.
Many of the character defining features of the first floor include the fenestration of the storefronts with large display windows, expressive brick kick plates, recessed doorways, transom windows, and brick columns with a horizontal bar above the transom.
The second and third stories had double-hung windows with sandstone sills. There is some brick banding between the sections of the building. The cornice protrudes away from the building with unique spouts.
The renovation and conversion of the Marion Hotel into single room occupancy dwelling units began in May of 1992 and was completed in October 1993 by the new owner, Kier Corporation and T.K. of Lynns.
The slylight in the main lobby that has stained glass on the interior ceiling line was retained, restored and replaced. The original storefront signage has been repaired, cleaned and reinstalled. The interior bays remain intact as well. Renovations included upgrading and replacing the electrical wiring and plumbing through the building, and a complete seismic retrofit.
As the largest remaining hotel on lower 25th Street, the Marion Hotel building continues to provide lodging after an extensive refurbishment was completed in 2015. Today, it consists of 86 single-occupancy apartment units toward the goal of ending chronic homelessness in Utah. The main level along 25th Street offers commercial space for retail businesses, and on Lincoln Avenue there is space for nonprofit entities, both which contribute to the economic vibrancy of downtown.
The 2015 renovation was a second-generation effort after Jim and Norma Kier originally retrofitted and opened the property to low-income residents under a Federal housing program in 1993. On June 1, 2015 Kier daughters Bonnie Kier-Herrick and Kimi Kier-Noar brought together the investors and government assistance needed to purchase and add future decades of service to the building. In addition to a complete rehab of each unit, other amenities were added for resident use including: individual tenant storage and bike storage, an elevator, computer room, TV/game room, and community room. The exterior of the building was refurbished with replacement of windows, doors, painting, brick cleaning and new awnings, all in accordance with Federal and State Historical Societies and Ogden City’s Landmark Commission.
Upon re-opening, the name changed to the Sean Herrick Apartments to honor the late stepson of Bonnie Kier-Herrick, her husband Steve (father) and Cherie Herrick (mother). Sean Herrick grew up in the Ogden area and loved to serve Thanksgiving dinner each year to the residents here, an event hosted by the Kier family. Sean lived a short life but his story – as told on a memorial wall inside the building – is an inspiration to friends, family and the property’s residents.
A project of this magnitude must acknowledge many partners: Inbestor Goldman Sachs, the Utah Housing Corporation, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Ogden City including the Landmarks Commission, Federal and State Historical Societies, Joseph M. Queenan, Kier Development, LLC, Kier Girls, LLC, Kier Construction, Kier Property Management and the compassionate vision origionally set forth by Jim and Norma Kier.
George Heiner stated, “In 1890, my brother Daniel and I built a three story brick hotel…”
Charles Turner recorded in his journal, “1890, this year I have sold to the Heiner Company over One-thousand dollars worth of brick, line and rock for their new hotel.”
Thomas C. West from Round Valley plastered the interior of the hotel.
The hotel flourished and contributed to the economic growth and development of the community. It provided rest and comfort to many weary travelers.
Emma Staples Stuart, a renowned cook, operated the hotel for approxximately 20 years. During that time she hired many local young women to help.
Moroni and Harriet Clawson bought the hotel in 1912. The theater with a stage provided an excellent place for silent movies.
In May 1917 Clawson applied for a picture show license. Milton Fry ran the hand-operated movie projector.
In 1935 the hotel was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Stewart. The theater was modernized with comfortable air-inflated seats, and a modern sound system.
In 1937 Mabel Horsefield Welsh and Viola Porter Whitesides were contestants to rename the hotel. They submitted the name “Vallis” which means “Valley” and the name has remained until the present day.
Alva and Cecil Dearden leased the Vallis Theater in 1945 and showed movie pictures there until 1949.
The old Broadway Hotel (built in 1911) at Broadway and Date in Tooele, Utah (145 N Broadway Ave) stands majestic and abandoned for now, there has been talk over the years of restoring it but nothing happening yet. I love the big cool looking building.
With much of the city, much of the world shut down to help stop the spread of COVID-19 it is nice to see little happy things like this – several big hotels in downtown Salt Lake City have strategically turned on certain room lights at night to create a heart.
