Intermountain Health is proposing a 221-foot primary medical facility with 280 beds and a 146-foot office building as part of a new “urban hospital” near downtown Salt Lake City. The project, which involves relocating LDS Hospital from the Avenues to a 9-acre site near 754 S. State, faces disputes with the Salt Lake City Planning Commission over ground-floor transparency and community integration.
Sears Block Plan Includes Medical Facility and Parking
The proposed complex at the old Sears Block includes a 10-story medical facility equipped with a helipad and a seven-story office building. To manage vehicle volume, the plan calls for two parking structures: a six-story on-site garage with over 500 stalls and a seven-story offsite structure adding more than 600 stalls. A skybridge over Main Street would connect the offsite parking to the office building.
Eric Meub, vice president and design principal for HDR Architects, stated the offsite parking became necessary because the lot’s water table made below-ground features unfeasible. The project also includes a “welcome plaza,” a sculpture garden, a food truck court, a retail pharmacy, and one acre of public open space.
Did you know? The hospital’s primary medical tower is planned to reach 221 feet, making it a vertical addition to the downtown skyline.
SLC Planning Commission had an interesting meeting with Intermountain Health over the new LDS Hospital design downtown tonight.Just a work session, but it basically sounds like there's a battle of streetscape vs. security right now. We'll see how that plays out
Security Needs vs. Street Activation
A central conflict has emerged regarding the development agreement’s requirement for “active ground floor uses.” City urban designer Amanda Roman noted the agreement requires transparent glass and uses such as cafes, salons, or restaurants abutting the public right-of-way. Intermountain Health is requesting modifications to the city’s blank wall standards, which typically limit uninterrupted walls to 20 feet.
Meub argued that hospital safety requires a “secure zone” with limited entrances and metal detectors to prevent weapons from entering the facility. He stated that “no amount of retail” is worth the risk of security breaches. Consequently, the current plan moves the 190 feet of retail space to the parking structure rather than the hospital’s main footprint.
Planning Commissioner Richard Leverett expressed concern that the design could resemble a “correctional facility” in a vital city area. Commissioner Landon Kracsek questioned if the plan meets the spirit of the development agreement, suggesting a compromise where retail exists next to the hospital without direct interior attachment to maintain security.
Regulatory Hurdles and Material Disputes
While city leaders approved a rezone for the project in 2024, the proposal still requires final clearance from the planning commission and city leadership. Certain elements, including the skybridge and the offsite parking agreement, require amendments to the city’s Downtown Plan.
Planning Commissioner Aimee Burrows raised objections to the use of exterior insulation and finish system (EIFS) for construction, noting the material lacks a strong track record of durability. Roman indicated that some of these requested changes might necessitate a renegotiation of the original development agreement.
Project Timeline: Intermountain officials expressed hope in September to break ground by the end of the year, with a projected completion window of three to five years.
LDS Hospital Relocation Questions
Will the new site replace all LDS Hospital services?
Intermountain Health plans to relocate LDS Hospital, including many of its existing inpatient and outpatient services, from the Avenues to the new 9-acre site.
How will the hospital handle security and public access?
All entrances are planned to have security and metal detectors. The developers are seeking to limit ground-floor entrances to maintain a secure zone, which has led to disputes over the city’s requirements for walkable, active street fronts.
What is the status of the project’s approval?
The project has received a rezone approval as of 2024 but still requires a conditional use permit and design review application approval from the planning commission and city leaders.
The current proposal follows a period of nearly five years during which Intermountain Health held the land at the Sears Block site.