County
Salt Lake
Year Built
1860–1930 (period of significance for contributing resources across the major districts)
Architect
Richard K.A. Kletting, Walter E. Ware, Taylor Woolley, Frederick Albert Hale, among many others
National Register?
Multiple districts. Avenues Historic District — listed 1978.
South Temple Historic District — listed 1982.
Capitol Hill Historic District — listed 1982.
Central City Historic District — listed 1984.
All locally designated districts in Salt Lake City are also listed on the National Register, but not all National Register districts are locally designated.
Status
Still Endangered
Status Explanation
The threats that led to the 2024 listing have not gone away; in fact, they have grown. Zoning changes made in 2025 have increased development opportunities throughout the city, putting more pressure on historic buildings in and near Salt Lake City's historic districts. It is still possible to remove a building's contributing status with little public input. There is also still a major difference between locally designated districts, which have real demolition protections, and National Register-only districts, which do not. On a positive note, the city improved adaptive reuse incentives in October 2025 and enacted a 25-year development ban on illegal demolitions in local historic districts following the Fifth Ward Meetinghouse incident. These steps help, but they do not address the growing pressure on Salt Lake City's historic neighborhoods.
About the Threat
Salt Lake City's historic districts are facing more and more threats because of policy changes made between 2024 and 2026.
The biggest change was the City Council's decision in July 2025 to combine 26 commercial, form-based, and mixed-use zones into six new Mixed-Use (MU) districts, which took effect in October 2025. This move standardized building height and size rules and allowed more flexible land use on many properties. As a result, there is now more potential for redevelopment in and around historic districts. Properties that once had stricter rules can now be used for bigger or more intense projects, which makes it more tempting to tear down older historic buildings instead of fixing them up.
Changes to housing density rules have made the risk even greater. In December 2025, the city combined the RMF-35 and RMF-45 zones and made it easier to build multifamily housing. That same month, new rules for middle housing reduced lot size and parking requirements, making it more profitable to redevelop older properties, many of which are in or near historic neighborhoods. Although there is a preservation bonus for projects that keep existing housing, the overall financial pressure on historic buildings has grown.
The process for changing a building's contributing status is still a weak point. It is possible to remove this status through a quick administrative process instead of a full public hearing, which makes it harder for preservation advocates to respond before demolition protections are lost. Since 1991, Salt Lake City has allowed 51 contributing historic buildings to be demolished in the Central City Historic District alone.
The difference between locally designated districts and National Register-only districts is still very important. Locally designated districts in Salt Lake City have design review protections. Any changes to the outside of buildings or plans to demolish contributing structures need a certificate of appropriateness, and demolitions require a public hearing by the Historic Landmark Commission. National Register-only districts do not have these protections. In those areas, a property owner can tear down a contributing building without any preservation review.
There have been some positive changes. In October 2025, the city updated its Adaptive Reuse and Building Preservation Incentives to allow a one-year extension of preliminary approval for zoning incentives. This is a small but helpful improvement for preservation projects that take a long time to plan. After the illegal demolition of the Fifth Ward Meetinghouse in March 2024, the city also made enforcement stricter by creating a 25-year development ban for anyone who illegally demolishes a building in a historic district without permits, unless they rebuild the historic structure. People who illegally damage property are also not allowed to apply for an economic hardship waiver. These changes offer real improvements to local protection.
Access
Salt Lake City's local historic districts are still intact, active, and open to the public. The Avenues, Capitol Hill, Central City, and South Temple districts are among the city's most walkable and unique neighborhoods.
History
Salt Lake City's local historic districts are still intact, active, and open to the public. The Avenues, Capitol Hill, Central City, and South Temple districts are among the city's most walkable and unique neighborhoods.
What can be done? What was learned?
To protect Salt Lake City's historic districts, it is important to pay close attention to when decisions are being made. Zoning changes, changes to contributing status, demolition requests, and community plan updates all go through public processes. Preservation advocates are most effective when they participate in hearings and comment periods before decisions are final. Community members should review the agendas of the City Council, Planning Commission, and Historic Landmark Commission, sign up for city updates, and submit written comments before the deadlines. These are the times when the official record is created and when officials are most aware of public support for preservation.
Getting involved at the neighborhood level is also very effective. Community councils and neighborhood groups often get updates before citywide announcements and help organize responses to development proposals. The Central City Neighborhood Council and similar groups in historic neighborhoods are important places for this kind of work.
Supporting local historic district designation in areas that only have National Register protection is one of the most effective actions people can take. Local designation is the only way to get enforceable demolition protection. The process includes several public meetings, notification to owners, and a final vote by property owners before the City Council makes its decision.
It is important to keep track of changes to the city's zoning code, such as any new MU-15 zone proposals, the Rio Grande upzoning, and future housing reforms. Getting involved in these processes and focusing on how they affect historic neighborhood boundaries and contributing buildings is key to influencing decisions before they are final.
What is the timeline?
There are ongoing changes. The city's zoning code is changing quickly. In December 2025, Building Salt Lake reported that a new MU-15 zone might be created in 2026, allowing buildings up to fifteen stories in certain areas. The Rio Grande district might also be upzoned to D-4, allowing buildings up to 600 feet tall. Updates to community plans, more changes to housing rules, and new design standards are expected throughout 2026. Each of these changes is a key moment for preservation advocates to get involved.
What has been the public discussion?
Building Salt Lake has covered threats to Salt Lake City's historic districts in detail throughout 2025 and into 2026, including zoning changes, housing reforms, and new design standards. The illegal demolition of the Fifth Ward Meetinghouse in March 2024 drew public attention and spurred community action and new City Council enforcement measures. In 2023, City Councilwoman Ana Valdemoros spoke at a council meeting about the ongoing loss of contributing buildings through small changes or neglect, saying, "we're losing them and losing the character." As of May 2026, this issue remains unresolved. The 2025 Most Endangered designation for the Chateau Normandie Apartments and other buildings in or near historic districts shows that simply being designated does not guarantee protection.
Links to more information and articles.
Salt Lake City Historic Preservation — local historic districts: https://www.slc.gov/historic-preservation/historic-districts-and-buildings/local-historic-districts/
Salt Lake City Historic Preservation — national historic districts: https://www.slc.gov/historic-preservation/historic-districts-and-buildings/national-historic-districts/
Salt Lake City Historic Preservation — applications and approvals: https://www.slc.gov/historic-preservation/applications-approvals/
Building Salt Lake, December 2025 — zoning code overhaul recap: https://buildingsaltlake.com/salt-lake-citys-zoning-code-overhaul-rolls-into-the-new-year/
Building Salt Lake — mixed-use zoning consolidation coverage: https://buildingsaltlake.com/salt-lake-city-council-approves-mixed-use-zoning-overhaul-but-not-without-a-hitch/
Planetizen, December 2025 — middle housing changes: https://www.planetizen.com/news/2025/12/136539-salt-lake-city-slashes-lot-size-parking-requirements-middle-housing-zones
KSL — city enforcement changes after Fifth Ward demolition: https://www.ksl.com/article/50969198/more-details-of-historic-salt-lake-building-demolition-emerge-city-seeks-changes