It was a house of books. Then stars. Now jewelry?
The Hansen Planetarium Building in downtown Salt Lake City is for sale or lease - and jeweler O.C. Tanner Co.
is interested. The capital is looking for bidders for the historic 1905 structure at 15 S. State St.
If sold, the winner will have to spend millions - around 2 million to buy the property and at least another 5 million to renovate it. The ultimate owner, however, cannot tear it down. It is listed on the city and national historic registries, and the city requires preservation.
It also will forbid major additions. "The community has an attachment to the property. It was the city's first library," said John Spencer, the city's property manager.
O.C. Tanner wants to buy it and move its downtown retail store there from across the street.
"The board and management thought it would be just a beautiful place for a jewelry store. Turn it back into its old glory," said the company's general counsel, Brian Katz. Built in 1905 from sandstone out of Sanpete County, the beaux-arts classical structure replaced library space at the City-County Building.
The Ladies Literary Society convinced the "eccentric and retiring mining millionaire" John Q. Packard to donate land and money for the library, according to the nomination form
The structure has sat empty ever since, save for some movie-makers shooting scenes for the now-defunct "Touched by an Angel" TV show. The city considered seeking a property-tax hike in 2003 to renovate the old planetarium, but the project didn't make it onto the bond-election ballot. "It's not really doing the building or the community any good to have it sit empty," Spencer said.
The Alta Club stands to the north. Next door, to the south, the LDS Church is building housing and a grocery store as part of its City Creek Center. The Alta Club looked into buying the planetarium to expand its dining and sleeping rooms but decided it wasn't economical, according to General Manager William Shorter.
Spencer said the LDS Church - which likes to buy property next to its holdings - has not shown interest. Nonprofit organizations could try to buy or lease the building. But the city expects the new owner or renter to renovate, and Spencer said that could cost up to 5 million.
The building doesn't meet the Americans with Disabilities Act - the parking, main restrooms and many paths and doorways aren't accessible. It needs a new roof and parts of the roof, walls and floors contain asbestos. In addition, the new owner may have to upgrade it to withstand an earthquake, which a 2002 study said could cause "significant" structural damage.
The roof and walls could collapse. "Nonprofits don't have the financial means to do the renovations necessary," said Spencer.
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