Ivanhoe Apartments

The Ivanhoe apartment building, constructed in 1908 by the Finch, Rogers, and Mulvey investment firm for the cost of approximately $50,000, is one of many downtown area apartments built in Salt Lake City during the first three decades of the twentieth century, representing a period of unprecedented expansion, growth, and urbanization.

The 1908 Ivanhoe 19-unit apartment building boasted the newest flooring, tiling, lighting, and heating of the time.  Its exterior was constructed of light buff-pressed bricks with white sandstone trimming.  The Neo-Classical and Colonial Revival style featured stamped metal cornices with block modillions, brackets, classical porticoes at the entrances, bay windows, and horizontal brick banding on the first floor.  The primary feature of the building was a handsome court between the two wings of the building which opened onto the street.

The building was designed by local architect Bernard O. Mecklenburg, who worked on many prominent commercial, religious, and residential structures throughout Utah during the early 1900s, including the Broadway Hotel, Bank of Vernal (also known as “the Bank that was sent by Mail”), Maryland (Mecklenburg) Apartments, and Cathedral of the Madeleine (in collaboration with Carl M. Neuhausen).

See other historic apartment building in Salt Lake City here.

417 East 300 South in Salt Lake City, Utah

From the NRHP nomination form:
Constructed in 1908, the Ivanhoe Apartments is a U-shaped three-story brick building with a parapet roof, sandstone foundation and Neo-Classical/Colonial Revival styling. No significant alterations have been made to the building.

The Ivanhoe is a variant of the basic “walk-up” type apartment building. The basic walk-up contains six units, is three stories in height, one apartment deep and two units in width across the façade. It has a central entrance/stairway with two apartments opening off each landing. The Ivanhoe incorporates three basic walk-up units in its U-shaped plan one at the back and one each along the sides with a courtyard in the center. Unlike the basic walk-up, the Ivanhoe does not have projecting front porches, though it does have balconies over the entrances. Also unusual are the interior rear stairways on the side units; the rear units have external frame porches and stairways on the back of the building.

Neo-Classical and Colonial Revival features include the stamped metal cornice with block modilions, brackets, classical porticoes at the entrances, bay windows, horizontal brick banding on the first floor creating a quoin-like effect, and six-over-one double-hung windows.

Constructed in 1908, the Ivanhoe Apartments is one of over 180 “urban apartments” built in Salt Lake City during the first three decades of the twentieth century, a period of unprecedented expansion and urbanization. Over 60 percent of those buildings are either listed or eligible for listing in the National Register. Urban apartments are significant under Criterion C as a distinct and important type of residential building in the city. Apartments are remarkably consistent with one another in terms of building plan, height, roof type, materials, and stylistic features. These and other characteristics mark them as a new and distinct type of early twentieth century residential building. Under Criterion A, urban apartments are significant for their association with the rapid urbanization of Salt Lake City during the 1890s-1930 period. The growth that took place during those decades spurred the construction of two opposing types of housing in the city: urban apartments and suburban homes. Suburban homes represent a rejection of urban conditions. Apartments, on the other hand, document the accommodation of builders and residents to the realities of crowded living conditions and high land values. They were a significant new housing option that emerged in response to the growth that transformed Salt Lake City into an urban center during the early twentieth century.

The building permit for the Ivanhoe Apartments was issued on April 2, 1908, to Finch, Rogers and Mulvey, an investment firm. Estimated cost of the 19-unit building was $30,000. Harry L. Finch, Richard E. Rogers and Martin E. Mulvey were partners in the firm which had the apartments constructed. In August 1908 they transferred ownership of the building to their newly created corporation, Ivanhoe Investment Company. The building remained in Ivanhoe ownership until 1943, when it was purchased by Jedd L. and Mary E. Jensen.

Soon after the building permit for these apartments was issued, the following article describing the proposed building appeared in the Salt Lake Tribune.

Ground already has been broken for a new apartment building on Third South near the corner of Fourth East, to cost $65,000, and which promises to be unique for this sort of building in Salt Lake. The structure, which is being financed by the Finch-Rogers Mulvey company, will have a frontage on Third South of 100 feet, with a depth of 110 feet. The feature of the building will be the handsome court between the two wings of the building, opening on the street, and so arranged that all of the apartments will open on the court. There will be grass plots, a fountain and statuary in the court, which is expected to make the new building especially attractive as a summer residence.

There will be twenty apartments of five and six rooms. All of the interior finish will be of hardwood and the hallways and bathrooms will be tiled. Heating and lighting will be of the latest and most approved design. The exterior will be constructed of light buff pressed bricks, with white sandstone trimming. A garage for automobiles will be located at the rear of the building, with a driveway at the side. The foundation already has been completed, and it is expected that the building will be ready for occupancy by July 1. Plans were drawn by B.O. Mecklenburg, architect.

Bernard O. Mecklenburg was an accomplished local architect. He was born in Nebraska in 1878 and came to Salt Lake City in 1898. He practiced architecture here until 1919, when he moved to Los Angeles. His work includes completion of the Cathedral of the Madeleine, additions to Holy Cross Hospital, the Mecklenburg Apartments, and a number of substantial residences in the city.