The parking lot and weed-covered incline that three years ago were the primary features of the north side of South Temple at 200 East have been replaced with a residential apartment complex that not only adds beauty to the area but badly needed downtown living space.
That was the message President Gordon B. Hinckley of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had Wednesday for those who helped create the new Brigham Apartments and for some 165 new tenants who now live in the facility that he assured "will become a significant landmark in this city."President Hinckley spoke at the dedication of the new 337-unit, $35 million project that is located on property once owned by Brigham Young and was known as the Brigham Enclosure. Brigham Young's gravesite is located just northwest of the apartments.
Also attending the dedication were President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency of the church, and other general authorities, civic and business leaders.
Despite the historic nature of the property, three years ago President Hinckley termed it an "ugly scarp" in a letter to Zions Securities Corp. president W. Kent Money, asking him to work out a plan to upgrade the site.
Zions Securities set to work and the result was the Brigham Apartments. Zions Securities is the commercial real estate arm of the church.
Following a tour of the structure, President Hinckley spoke to a packed house at the dedication in one of the Brigham's social rooms, where he unveiled a bronze bust of Brigham Young created by Utah artist and former Zions Securities employee Shermin Payne. The bust, and another like it, will grace the South Temple and First Avenue entrances of the Brigham.
Mayor Deedee Corradini told the gathering that the downtown area is a great place to live, and she praised the Brigham for both its beauty and for helping alleviate the city's 2 percent housing vacancy rate that has made finding living quarters close to town very difficult. She said the Brigham's design fits in well with others in the South Temple historic district.
Zions worked closely with the city's Historic Landmarks Committee in designing the complex.
Money agreed that the project worked out better than the developers could have hoped, and he praised architects Babcock Design Group and general contractor Okland Construction for a "superb job" on a difficult building site that rises 75 feet from south to north.
The Brigham has been constructed in two segments. The main, eight-story building at 201 E. South Temple faces south overlooking the valley. A smaller, six-story structure at 150 E. First Avenue faces north. Walkway bridges connect the two buildings.
The project includes one-, two- and three-bedroom units with rents ranging from $675 to $1,497 per month. Amenities include two social rooms, an indoor pool, whirlpool spa, exercise room, computer center and conference room.
About half of the apartments are now occupied, said Gary Chaston, director of Residential Properties for Zions Securities.
Two levels of underground parking have been constructed below each building with one space assigned to each unit for a monthly fee of $30.