County
Salt Lake
Year Built
1915 (original building); 1922 (main 1922 block, primary historic structure)
Architect
John Peter Fetzer and Lewis Telle Cannon
National Register?
No
Status
Endangered: Imminent
Status Explanation
Construction started on March 19, 2026, with a formal groundbreaking. Demolition of the athletic facilities began in spring 2026. Over the next eight years, new academic buildings will be built on the east side of the campus across 300 West. Once those are ready, students will move out of the current building, and the original 1922 structure will be taken down in stages. The historic main entrance facade along 300 West will stay, but most of the 1922 building, which is Utah's oldest continuously operating high school campus, will be removed. The full campus should be finished between 2031 and 2033. Since the decision to demolish is final, the focus now is on whether the transition can include meaningful use of salvaged materials, on-site historical interpretation, and design choices that respect the building's legacy.
About the Threat
The decision to demolish the 1922 structure is final and construction is underway. The threat is no longer just a possibility; it is now the permanent loss of the building's architecture happening over the next several years. The main preservation concerns that can still be addressed are: making sure salvageable materials like terracotta ornamentation, woodwork, ironwork, tile, and the school clock are carefully inventoried and saved instead of thrown away; ensuring the new campus design and public spaces include real historical interpretation, not just basic signage; and making sure the main entrance facade is kept as part of the new campus in a way that maintains its architectural context and visibility, rather than letting it become a disconnected piece surrounded by new construction.
According to Salt Lake City School District's website, decisions about artwork have not yet been made, and an inventory and evaluation process will occur later in the rebuild. Because the construction will take eight years and is likely to face budget and leadership changes, promises made during the design phase may not be kept. There is still time to influence how materials are salvaged and how history is interpreted, but that opportunity is shrinking.
Access
West High School is still open, with students in the 1922 building during the first phase of construction. The campus is closed to casual visitors, but you can see the exterior from 300 West and nearby streets. The historic main entrance facade will be kept in the final campus design.
History
West High School is still open, with students in the 1922 building during the first phase of construction. The campus is closed to casual visitors, but you can see the exterior from 300 West and nearby streets. The historic main entrance facade will be kept in the final campus design.
What can be done? What was learned?
The decision to demolish cannot be changed, but preservation advocates can still help shape how the loss is handled. The most important steps right now are:
Work with the district on saving materials. The district has said that decisions about artwork and materials are still to come, and an inventory and evaluation will happen later. Preservation Utah and community members should push for this process to start soon, be thorough, and be led by preservation experts, not just construction crews under time and budget pressure. Salvaged terracotta, woodwork, ironwork, and other important features should be reused in the new campus or donated to community groups.
Push for real historical interpretation. A simple plaque or lobby display is not enough for a building this important. The new campus should include meaningful ways to share West High's architectural history, its role in Salt Lake City's immigrant and working-class communities, and the stories of its students over the past century.
Stay involved throughout the eight-year construction. Big public projects often change as budgets and leadership shift. Community members and preservation advocates should keep an eye on board meetings, contract approvals, and design updates. Times when costs are cut, or plans change, are when preservation promises are most likely to be dropped.
What is the timeline?
Groundbreaking took place on March 19, 2026. For the first four years, construction will focus on new academic buildings on the east side of the campus across 300 West, while students stay in the 1922 building. After the new buildings are finished and students move in, demolition of the old structure will start. The campus should be fully completed between 2031 and 2033. The district has set up a construction update page.
What has been the public discussion?
People talked a lot about West High's future during the bond campaign and design process. In February 2023, the architecture firm gave four options, but only one kept the historic building as it is. In 2023 and 2024, community members, alumni, and preservation advocates said the main historic block could stay while still adding new STEM, arts, and music spaces. The November 2024 bond vote passed with support (61%) for the rebuild, but it did not directly decide whether to demolish the historic building. Preservation Utah's 2024 listing brought more attention to the importance of the 1922 structure. Since construction began in March 2026, the district's construction updates page has been the primary source of project news.
Links to more information and articles.
Salt Lake City School District West High construction updates: https://www.slcschools.org/154610_3
Salt Lake City School District bond and construction projects: https://www.slcschools.org/bond-and-construction-projects
Salt Lake Tribune, September 9, 2025 — design reveal: https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2025/09/09/west-high-school-redesign-see/
KSL, September 10, 2025 — plans unveiled: https://www.ksl.com/article/51372807/plans-unveiled-for-new-west-high-school-highland-high-school
KUTV — 8-year rebuild plan: https://kutv.com/news/education/salt-lake-district-reveals-8-year-plan-to-rebuild-two-of-utahs-oldest-high-schools
Fox 13, March 19, 2026 — groundbreaking: https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/salt-lake-city/utahs-oldest-high-school-reimagined-construction-begins-on-new-west-high-school
KSL — 2024 bond results: https://www.ksl.com/article/51317110/heres-how-school-district-bond-proposals-fared-across-the-beehive-state
Deseret News, 1996 — seismic retrofit: https://www.deseret.com/1996/6/20/19249865/west-high-retrofit-hits-19-7-million/