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ZCMI Cast Iron Front

The ZCMI Cast Iron Front is a historic building façade, currently attached to City Creek Center facing Main Street in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The façade, built of cast iron and stamped sheet metal between 1876 and 1901 (with portions recreated in the 1970s), is a well-preserved example of a metal façade, and a reminder of the city's 19th-century commercial past. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.[1]

Z.C.M.I. Cast Iron Front
The façade in September 2023
ZCMI Cast Iron Front is located in Utah
ZCMI Cast Iron Front
ZCMI Cast Iron Front is located in the United States
ZCMI Cast Iron Front
Location15 South Main Street
Salt Lake City, Utah
United States
Coordinates40°46′07″N 111°53′27″W / 40.76868°N 111.89086°W / 40.76868; -111.89086
Built1876 (1876)
ArchitectFolsom, William H., et al.
NRHP reference No.70000632
Added to NRHPSeptember 22, 1970

First attached to the Zion's Co-operative Mercantile Institution (ZCMI) building, it was removed when that structure was razed in the 1970s, after which it was restored and attached to the ZCMI Center Mall. In the 2010s, it was then attached to City Creek Center when that development replaced the older mall.

Design

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The façade is three stories in height, and is divided into three sections, articulated by square columns between them and at the ends. Each section is about 50 feet (15 m) wide and each is composed of seven bays, separated by paneled columns with Corinthian capitals. Above the first two floors there are modillioned cornices separating the floors, with a deeper projecting cornice at the roof level. The roof cornice of the outer levels is further adorned with a layer of dentil work below the modillions, and has brackets above each of the columns. The middle section cornice includes a fully pedimented gable and is raised above a frieze panel with vine motifs around two circular panels with the dates 1868 and 1999, and a central panel bearing the legend ZCMI.[1]

History

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ZCMI was founded in October 1868, and is described as the first department store in the United States.[2] Its flagship store for many decades was opened in downtown Salt Lake City on April 1, 1876.[3] This 1876 building was designed by local architect William Folsom, and at first featured only the central portion of the façade, which was fashioned out of cast iron. During two building expansions, occurring in 1880 and 1901, the façade was extended, the first time also in cast iron, the second time in stamped sheet metal.[1]

In May 1969, ZCMI's owner, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), announced plans to develop a shopping mall to replace ZCMI's ageing downtown buildings. These plans called for maintaining the "spirit and semblance" of the historic façade, while demolishing the buildings behind it.[4] This included either saving and restoring the façade, or fabricating a new one made to look like the original. The possibly of a replacement rather than restoration caused a furor in the community.[5]

The owners brought in local architect, Steven T. Baird, who determined there was enough historic fabric remaining that the façade could be restored rather than replaced; a process he would oversee.[6] In October 1973, disassembly of the façade began. The pieces were inspected and multiple layers of paint removed. Since the northern section had been made of sheet metal, a cast iron replacement was created, which also afforded the opportunity to match it with the proportions of the other sections.[7] The restoration also required that the first story of the façade be recast, as it had largely been obliterated when the front was modernized with larger windows.[8] The façade was then reconstructed, in approximately its original location, on the face of the new ZCMI store at the ZCMI Center Mall, with the project completing in 1976.[9][10] The façade's placement on a steel frame, slightly away from the mall structure, created a loggia.

In October 2006, the church announced it would be tearing down the ZCMI Center Mall and replacing it with a new mixed-use development called City Creek Center.[11][12] While City Creek Center was built, the façade was dismantled and stored.[13] Following reconditioning by Historical Arts & Casting, Inc., it was reassembled from 2010 to 2011,[14][15] and City Creek Center opened in March 2012.[16][17] It is currently attached to the west face of Macy's department store, in the same general location as the original.

Visual evolution

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  •  
    Original façade, circa 1876
  •  
    After 1880 south addition
  •  
    After 1901 north addition
  •  
    After modernization of first story, as seen in 1967
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    Placement on the ZCMI Center Mall, as seen in 2006
  •  
    Placement on City Creek Center, as seen in 2024

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "NRHP nomination for ZCMI Cast Iron Front". National Park Service. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  2. ^ Bradley, Martha Sonntag (1991). ZCMI: America's First Department Store. Salt Lake City: ZCMI. ISBN 0-87579-482-3.
  3. ^ "The Grand Opening". Deseret Evening News. Salt Lake City. April 1, 1876. p. 3. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  4. ^ Woodward, Don C. (May 27, 1969). "Multi-Million-Dollar Project: ZCMI Plans Downtown Mall In Dramatic New Expansion". Deseret News. Salt Lake City. pp. A1, A5. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  5. ^ Beck, David (September 6, 1971). "Architectural Furor Surrounds Future of ZCMI Old Iron Facade". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City. p. 23. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  6. ^ Jones, Irene (August 8, 1972). "Architect to Save Unique ZCMI Iron Facade". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City. p. 15. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  7. ^ Martz, Maxine (October 15, 1973). "ZCMI facade comes down, to go back up next year". Deseret News. Salt Lake City. pp. B1, B15. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  8. ^ "ZCMI's 1901 facade is being restored". Deseret News. Salt Lake City. August 23, 1975. p. W7. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  9. ^ "ZCMI front, the crown of Main St". Deseret News. Salt Lake City. November 15, 1975. p. W1. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  10. ^ "A blending of old, new". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City. September 12, 1976. pp. M6, M8. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  11. ^ "Downtown Redevelopment Plans Announced" (Press release). Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. October 3, 2006. Archived from the original on October 18, 2006. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
  12. ^ Smeath, Doug (October 4, 2006). "Downtown rebound: LDS Church unveils plans for 20-acre development". Deseret Morning News. Salt Lake City. Archived from the original on October 7, 2006. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  13. ^ Page, Jared (October 5, 2007). "ZCMI Facade to be stored and reinstalled". Deseret Morning News. Salt Lake City. Archived from the original on October 8, 2007. Retrieved June 23, 2007.
  14. ^ Page, Jared (September 26, 2010). "Main Street mainstay starting to re-emerge". Deseret News. Salt Lake City. Archived from the original on September 29, 2010. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  15. ^ Lee, Jasen (August 25, 2011). "ZCMI facade back on Main Street". Deseret News. Salt Lake City. Archived from the original on August 27, 2011. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  16. ^ "City Creek Center Opens" (Press release). Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. March 22, 2012. Archived from the original on March 26, 2012. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  17. ^ Lee, Jasen (March 22, 2012). "City Creek Center opens amid fanfare and long lines". KSL. Salt Lake City. Archived from the original on March 24, 2012. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
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