Rowland Hall Middle and Upper School (Roosevelt Junior High)

843 S. Lincoln Street, Salt Lake City, UT 84102

Endangered

2026

Photo Credit

Preservation Utah Staff

County

Salt Lake

Year Built

1921, with additions in 1925 and the 1950s

Architect

Francis D. Rutherford (original 1921 building); Raymond Ashton (1925 addition)

National Register?

Yes; contributing property in the East Side Historic District, listed September 2, 2003

Status

Endangered

Status Explanation

Rowland Hall sold its Lincoln Street campus in December 2024, and the new owners are marketing it for redevelopment, inviting developers to consider rezoning. The school will remain in the building through a leaseback agreement until the end of 2026, after which students will move to the new Sunnyside Avenue campus. Once the building is empty, development pressure is likely to rise quickly. As of May 2026, no buyer has been named, and no rezoning application has been submitted. The main preservation concern is not rezoning or residential development. Preservation Utah supports housing on this site, but the possible demolition of the 1921 Jacobethan Revival building during redevelopment. Even though this building is part of the East Side Historic District, it does not have local demolition protections. This means a demolition permit could be filed at any time without a public process. Now is the time to push for adaptive reuse, before a buyer is chosen and development plans are set.

About the Threat

The 4.62-acre property, sold by Rowland Hall in December 2024, is being actively marketed as a redevelopment opportunity. The listing specifically invites developers to "reimagine its potential" through rezoning. Presently, the site is zoned Institutional (I), which allows only school and institutional uses. Any residential or mixed-use redevelopment would require a comprehensive zoning map amendment through Salt Lake City's public planning process.

Preservation Utah supports rezoning the property to permit housing, recognizing the significant need for residential development in the 9th & 9th neighborhood. Nearly five acres of underutilized institutional land in a highly walkable area present an appropriate opportunity for such development. The primary concern is not rezoning or residential construction, but rather the potential demolition of the historic 1921 building during redevelopment. Demolishing the existing structure would eliminate over a century of architectural and civic history, even if housing goals are met. Adaptive reuse offers a means to achieve housing objectives while preserving the character of both the building and the surrounding neighborhood.

Although the building is a contributing property within a National Register historic district, it lacks local demolition protections. Consequently, a demolition permit could be filed at any time, independent of and prior to any rezoning application, without a required public process. If a developer is selected and opts for ground-up development, demolition could occur before any public engagement.

Access

Yes, currently occupied by Rowland Hall through the end of 2026.

History

Constructed in 1921 as Roosevelt Junior High School by the Salt Lake City Board of Education, the building was designed by architect Francis D. Rutherford in the Jacobethan Revival style. This Period Revival tradition blends Jacobean and Elizabethan architectural elements, contributing to the building's prominent civic presence on Lincoln Street. Notable features include a flat roof, a brick exterior composed of regular and multi-colored brick, a battlemented parapet at the corners, two polygonal entrance bays with compound Tudor-arched doorways and windows, large window sections framed with molded concrete, and a concrete foundation. The original structure comprised ten classrooms on the lower floor and twelve on the upper floor.

In 1925, architect Raymond Ashton designed a substantial addition of approximately equal size, which included eight additional classrooms, a small gymnasium, a finished basement with a cafeteria, locker rooms, a teachers' lounge, and a two-story rectangular structure at the north end containing an auditorium with a proscenium stage. Further expansions in the 1950s enlarged the gymnasium and added music rooms, a library, and art studios, demonstrating the building's ongoing adaptation to the evolving needs of the community.

Following a shift in the city school district's population base due to suburban growth, the building remained vacant until Rowland Hall, Utah's oldest independent school (founded in 1867), acquired the Lincoln Street campus in 1984 for its middle and high school students. At that time, a Salt Lake Tribune columnist observed that a faculty member described the building as one where "they don't build 'em this way anymore," and highlighted a cautionary parallel to the recent demolition of the nearby Lincoln School and the prolonged vacancy of Irving Junior High in Sugar House. This comparison remains relevant today. A 1981 survey found the building to be in excellent, unaltered condition, significant for both its architecture and educational role. It was subsequently recognized as a contributing property in the East Side Historic District and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 2, 2003.

The building is a defining architectural asset of the 9th & 9th neighborhood and has contributed to the character of one of Salt Lake City's most walkable and historically intact areas for over a century. The county assessor values the property at $35.1 million, with $7 million attributed to the land and $28 million to the building, highlighting both the economic pressures on the site and the substantial value of the existing structure.

What can be done? What was learned?

Preservation Utah advocates for rezoning the property to permit housing and encourages residents to participate in the rezoning process as proponents of adaptive reuse rather than opponents of development. Salt Lake City's rezoning includes a community council presentation, a 45-day public comment period, a Planning Commission public hearing, and a City Council decision. At each stage, residents may advocate for conditions of adaptive reuse to be attached to any rezoning approval, ensuring the 1921 building is incorporated into future development. The East Central Community Council, representing the 9th & 9th area, will be notified early in the process and serves as a key forum for organized community response. Residents may sign up for Salt Lake City Planning Division notifications at slc.gov/planning to receive alerts regarding any application filed for this property.

As a contributing property within the East Side Historic District, listed on the National Register, the building qualifies for federal and state historic tax credits for any income-producing rehabilitation project. This strengthens the financial case for adaptive reuse over ground-up development. The listing broker has publicly stated a preference for preserving and renovating the existing building.

What is the timeline?

Rowland Hall will occupy the building through the end of 2026 under a leaseback agreement, after which students will relocate to the new Richard R. Steiner Campus on Sunnyside Avenue. Once the building is vacated, development pressure is expected to increase substantially. As of May 2026, no rezoning application has been submitted. The bid process remains ongoing, and no buyer has been publicly identified. Should rezoning be pursued after a buyer is selected, the process would likely take 18 to 24 months from application to City Council decision.

What has been the public discussion?

The Salt Lake Tribune reported the sale of the Lincoln Street campus in November 2025. Building Salt Lake first reported the planned sale in December 2023, raising early concerns about the building's architectural significance and demolition risk. No Planning Commission or City Council applications have been filed as of May 2026. The East Central Community Council has not yet been formally notified of any development proposal.