The Hogar Hotel
126 South 200 West, Salt Lake City, 84101
Salt Lake
1877
Details
National Register?
Yes, 1977
Architect
Unknown
Year Built
1877
Accessible?
There are “No trespassing” signs on the building.
Current Threats
The Hogar Hotel faces an imminent threat due to large-scale redevelopment plans in downtown Salt Lake City. As part of the new entertainment district spearheaded by the Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) and their partners, The Ritchie Group (TRG), the entire block surrounding the Hogar Hotel (except the Buddhist Temple that is still privately owned by the Buddhist community and they are not planning on selling it)—known as Block 67—is being sold and cleared to make way for new infrastructure, including a parking garage and housing. TRG has indicated that the Hogar Hotel “cannot stay where it is” because it obstructs planned construction.
While Dustin Holt of dbUrban recently purchased the building and is actively seeking to relocate and preserve it, its future remains uncertain. Relocation options include moving it to City or County-owned land or possibly integrating it into the SEG corridor, though Holt has noted that the building's historic scale would be overwhelmed by surrounding high-rises. Although there is no official deadline for its removal yet, the redevelopment momentum places the Hogar Hotel at serious risk of demolition or being lost in relocation delays.
History
The Hogar Hotel is a rare surviving testament to Salt Lake City’s rich and layered immigrant history. Built in 1877 as a residence for a banker, the simple Queen Anne Victorian with an asymmetrical facade--bay windows on the left and a lacy woodwork porch on the right, eventually was sold and in 1928 became the Hogar Hotel, a boarding house and cultural center for the Basque community. These Basque immigrants lived in the center of a bustling westside immigrant community, right next to Japantown to the north, and the Italian Bertolini Block to the south.
The Hogar Hotel continued as a Basque boarding house, restaurant, and informal cultural center for decades. It was run by John and Claudia Landa, immigrants from the Basque province of Bizkaia (Biscay), Spain, who are fondly remembered as beloved community figures and “grandparents to all” within Utah’s Basque population. The Landas welcomed generations of Basque immigrants arriving by train to Salt Lake City to work on sheep ranches across Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. For many, the Hogar Hotel was the first stop in a new land, offering shelter and a familiar language, cuisine, and cultural traditions.
Beyond its practical role as a boarding house, the Hogar Hotel functioned as a vital social hub. Local Basque families gathered there for meals, conversation, and community events. It was a place to preserve language and heritage while navigating a new life in the American West.
The building’s location—within a dense, multicultural immigrant district—enhanced its role as a symbol of cooperation and coexistence. Situated near the Buddhist Temple in Japantown, the Bertolini Block frequented by Italian immigrants, and the heart of Greek Town, the Hogar Hotel helps tell the broader story of Salt Lake City’s west side as a place where diverse immigrant groups lived, worked, and thrived side by side.
The hotel closed in the early 1970s and has since been home to an antiques shop, but its legacy endures. The Hogar Hotel remains one of the most visible and meaningful physical reminders of Utah’s Basque heritage and the shared experiences of the city’s immigrant communities.
What can be done?
To help save the Hogar Hotel, community members can take several steps. One of the most effective actions is to contact Salt Lake City leaders—including the City Council and Mayor’s Office—to express support for preserving and relocating the building. Advocates can urge the City or County to offer publicly owned land as a new site for the Hogar Hotel and assist with its relocation logistics. Additionally, reaching out to the Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) and The Ritchie Group (TRG) can help encourage them to incorporate the historic structure into their entertainment district plans as a preserved cultural landmark. Public awareness is also key—writing letters to the editor, posting on social media using hashtags like #SaveHogarHotel, and sharing the story of the building’s role in Salt Lake City’s immigrant history can build momentum. Attending city planning and council meetings to support preservation can influence decision-making as development plans progress. Financial support may also be critical; donating or pledging to a preservation fund can help cover relocation and restoration costs. Every voice and action helps ensure this vital piece of Salt Lake City’s cultural history is not lost.