Phillips Congregation Church Lost August 2025
479 South 700 East, Salt Lake City 84102
Salt Lake
1905
Details
National Register?
Was a contributing property in the Salt Lake City East Side National Historic District
Architect
Unknown
Year Built
1905
Accessible?
Demolished August 2025
Current Threats
August 2025
Despite its architectural significance and deep historical ties to Salt Lake City’s religious diversity, the Phillips Congregational Church was razed. Without local landmark designation, no legal protections were in place to prevent the loss.
Announcement of Endangerment May 2025
The building faces serious risk of demolition, with a permit already filed by its owner. While the owner has said they are open to selling or leasing the property, financial pressures and redevelopment interests can drive plans to tear it down. Without urgent community action or intervention from a preservation-minded buyer, this historic church could be lost forever.
While the building holds significant historical and architectural value—being a Richardsonian Romanesque structure built in 1905 and the site of Salt Lake City's first non-Mormon sermon in 1865—it has not been formally recognized at the national or local level.
History
The historic Phillips Congregational Church, located at 479 South 700 East (also listed as 495 South 700 East due to parcel consolidation) near Trolley Square in Salt Lake City, faces demolition. Built in 1905 in the stunning Richardsonian Romanesque style, the church has anchored its prominent corner for over a century. It is a meaningful piece of Utah history, not only for its architecture but also for its role in introducing religious diversity to the region. The Congregational Church is notable for hosting the first non-Mormon sermon in Salt Lake City on January 22, 1865. After worshiping in a smaller 1886 building, the growing congregation built the current structure on the same site. The church served its community until 1950, when the congregation dissolved and many members joined other local churches. Since then, the building has housed various commercial tenants, while the adjacent parsonage (now X-Wife’s Place bar) was separated and sold.
Today, the church is owned by Robot Butcher Shop LLC, which is affiliated with Overland West, Inc. in Ogden. A demolition permit has been filed with Salt Lake City, with plans to raze the building. Unfortunately, because the structure is not designated as a local historic landmark, there are no legal protections to prevent demolition. While the listing agent has stated that the owner is exploring all options, including the possibility of a sale or lease before demolition, the property is still under serious threat. Attempts to adaptively reuse the building, such as converting it into a brewery, have so far been hindered by parking and zoning challenges.
What can be done?
Though the building is gone, its story continues as a reminder of the importance of preservation advocacy and legal protections for historic properties. Its loss underscores how quickly irreplaceable heritage can disappear without timely intervention.