The LDS University Ward building at 160 S. University Avenue is undergoing a conversion to residential use that we first reported on in May. It’s almost finished, and we were able to peek inside just this week.
The church dates from 1924, and sits at the foot of Presidents’ Circle, the historic, formal entrance to the University of Utah.
The project, called The Burton, has turned the chapel, the education and office wing, as well as the cultural hall (basketball court and stage) into 16 residential units: one Studio, three 1BR, six 2BR, and six 3BR for-rent apartments.
Developers chose to keep the existing footprint of the building, as well as leave the exterior of the building unaltered. No new windows were punched through the walls, so some bedrooms rely on cutouts above their doors.
Interiors in the former chapel and cultural hall areas. Photos by Devin Zander.
Chicago-based JAB Real Estate Opportunity Partners were able to build the 16-unit project with zero off-street parking due to a lucky stroke in code interpretation for its adaptive reuse.
If it were new construction, the project, which resides adjacent to the University commercial district, would have required more than one stall per unit (since most of the units are two- and three-bedroom).
That’s likely ~20 parking stalls that would have had to be built thanks to the city’s new “progressive” parking ordinance. The cost of building a structure and/or acquiring land just for parking in the east side University neighborhood would likely be enough to make the project financially impossible.
And demolition, like other historic churches in town, would have likely followed.
But would it find renters without dedicated parking?
No parking? No problem
Developers were confident in May when they told us that they could lease up the units without dedicated parking. So far, 14 of the 16 units are leased or pending, Sam Goldman of JAB told us.
More interior snaps of the former chapel. Photos by Devin Zander.
“Younger generations don’t care about parking,” Goldman said. “People either don’t have a car, or if they do they’re willing to leave it on the street for a week.”
Speaking to the potential for similar projects to be successful, Goldman stated “The rapidly declining reliance on cars and car-centric lifestyles marks neighborhoods such as University, Federal Heights and other parts of the East Bench as the kind of vibrant and exciting areas that are quickly becoming models for Salt Lake City’s future.”
Interiors of the former education and office wing. Photos by Devin Zander.
The building is in final inspections with the city, and expects to receive its Certificate of Occupancy within weeks.
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