This iconic Salt Lake City building now listed as historic place

The future of iconic Abravanel Hall appeared uncertain as plans for a massive makeover of downtown Salt Lake City initially unfolded earlier this year.
Among the efforts to bolster the case for keeping the home of the Utah Symphony and Utah Opera intact was an application to the National Park Service to list the building on the National Register of Historic Places. Last week, Preservation Utah posted on social media that the Park Service has accepted the nomination of Abravanel Hall.
“A building listed on the National Register of Historic Places represents a prestigious recognition of its historical, architectural, or cultural significance nationally. This designation highlights the building as a valuable part of our shared heritage, connecting it to the broader narrative of our country’s past. While this honor does not impose specific restrictions on property owners, it brings heightened awareness and protection by opening doors to tax incentives, grants, and resources for preservation efforts,” according to an Instagram post.
Adrienne White, founder and CEO of the historic home research service House Genealogy, wrote the nomination application for the hall. She highlighted the work of Cory Jensen, the national register and survey coordinator at the Utah State Historic Preservation Office, for his timely and supportive feedback on drafting the application. Without him, the process would have taken much longer, she said.
White called the designation a “significant milestone in the preservation of this acoustically remarkable venue. This recognition by the National Park Service underscores the hall’s importance as a landmark in Utah. It not only elevates the building’s status on a state level but also on a national stage, enhancing our collective appreciation and connection to its history.”
The concert hall’s acoustical design is the work of master acoustician Cyril Harris. FFKR Architects designed the building. White said its unique architectural style has no counterparts in the city or state. “The architects at FFKR chose to forgo decorative elements, embracing simplicity to highlight the building’s permanence and integrity,” she said in an email.
While being listed on the National Register of Historic Places does not legally prevent alterations or demolition, it significantly raises awareness and appreciation of the building’s historic value. The increased recognition can positively influence public opinion and bolster preservation efforts and opens up opportunities for funding programs aimed at maintaining and preserving historic sites, White said.
“This national designation helps show that Abravanel Hall is an important and historical part of our county’s cultural landscape,” Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said in a statement. “We are honored to continue our nearly 50-year stewardship of this historical venue for Salt Lake County residents.”
In the spring, Smith Entertainment Group, owner of the new Utah Hockey and Utah Jazz, announced plans to renovate the Delta Center to accommodate both sports and redevelop a three-block area east of the arena, which includes Abravanel Hall. The proposal stirred controversy because plans for the 45-year building were unclear. Many in the arts community and others feared it would be torn down.
But Wilson vowed in September that the hall would remain in place.
“We want the symphony to thrive for the next 50 years and beyond, and I’m committed, as I have been from day one, to keeping the hall as is where it is. We have a plan to do so,” she told the Revitalization Zone Committee, a newly established Utah legislative panel tasked with overseeing the downtown project.
At that meeting, the committee unanimously approved a participation agreement between Salt Lake City and SEG to develop a sports, entertainment, culture and convention district in the city center. It included a recommendation to preserve Abravanel Hall. SEG has said it’s committed to keeping the hall part of the district.
“We are deeply committed to making sure that symphony hall is on site, to making sure UMOCA (Utah Museum of Contemporary Art) is on site, that arts and culture are a central piece to this downtown district. Without those, it’s not what we’re looking for. It’s not what we need. It’s not what the region needs,” Mike Maughan, a SEG executive and project principal, told Deseret News in the summer.
In March, the Legislature, with Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County support, passed legislation allowing the creation of a downtown sports, entertainment, culture and convention district. Under the law, the city could raise its 7.75% sales tax rate one-half of a percent — pushing it to 8.25%. The council unanimously approved the tax increase last month, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2025.
The tax hike is anticipated to generate $1.2 billion over the 30-year life of the participation agreement, $900 million of which would go to SEG. The company estimates it will spend $525 million to remodel the 33-year-old Delta Center and $375 million on the other district improvements.
Abravanel Hall is not specifically part of the agreement between Salt Lake City and SEG because it is a county-operated venue. The county has estimated much-needed upgrades to the hall would cost at least $200 million.