Salt Lake City Union Pacific Depot

{{Short description|Historic building in Salt Lake City, Utah}} {{redirect|The Depot}} {{Use American English|date=February 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox station | style=Amtrak |style2=Amtrak old | name=Salt Lake City | type=Former Union Pacific Railroad and Amtrak station | image=Salt Lake Union Pacific Railroad Station, South Temple at 400 West, Central City West, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.jpg | image_caption= Union Pacific Depot in 2011 | address=South Temple at 400 West<br />Salt Lake City, Utah | country=United States | tracks=None remaining | structure=At-grade | opened=1908 | closed=1986 (for passenger rail service) | rebuilt= | accessible= | owned= |other_services_header=Former services | other_services= {{Adjacent stations |system1=Amtrak |line1=Desert Wind|left1=Delta|right1=Ogden |line2=Desert Wind|left2=Milford|right2=Ogden |line3=Pioneer|left3=Ogden |system4=Union Pacific Railroad |line4=Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad|left4=Sandy |line5=Butte-Salt Lake City|left5=North Salt Lake}} | nrhp= {{Infobox NRHP | embed = yes | name = Salt Lake Union Pacific Railroad Station | nrhp_type = | image = | caption = | location = | coordinates = {{coord|40|46|10|N|111|54|9|W|type:railwaystation_region:US-UT|display=inline,title}} | locmapin = Utah#USA | built = 1908 | architect = D. J. Patterson and John Dove Isaacs | architecture = Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, French Renaissance | added = July 9, 1975 | area = {{convert|1|acre}} | refnum = 75001818<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2009a}}</ref> }} }}

The '''Salt Lake City Union Pacific Depot''' is a building on the western edge of downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Built in 1908–09, it dates back to the more prosperous era in the history of American railroad travel. As '''Salt Lake Union Pacific Railroad Station''', it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2024 it was repurposed as a hotel, '''Asher Adams, Autograph Collection''', with the historic structure containing the hotel's lobby, restaurants, function rooms, and 13 luxury suites and a new building behind it containing 212 hotel rooms.

==History== Originally called the Union Station, it was jointly constructed by the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad and the Oregon Short Line, both later wholly owned by the Union Pacific, at an estimated cost of $450,000 (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|450000|1900|r=-4}}}} in {{inflation-year|US}} dollars{{Inflation-fn|US}}). The platforms behind the station ran north-to-south, parallel to the first main line built in the Salt Lake Valley, which predated the station building. South of 1300 South this is the route used by the UTA TRAX Blue Line and Salt Lake City Southern, while north of North Temple (100 North) it is used by the ''FrontRunner'' line and Union Pacific. Trains from the west used a line south of 900 South in Glendale to approach the north-to-south platforms. The Bamberger Railroad & Salt Lake and Utah Railroad Interurban lines also stopped at their own station nearby. When Amtrak was formed in 1971, it took over the remaining passenger services at the station, but after Rio Grande joined Amtrak all trains were moved to its station three blocks south.

===Amtrak=== From 1977 to 1986 the depot served as Salt Lake City's Amtrak station, but was then replaced by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Depot. It was served by the ''Desert Wind'', and ''Pioneer'' trains, both of which were discontinued in 1997; until its route was reconfigured in 1983, this station served as the ''Pioneer'''s terminus.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timetables.org/full.php?group=19861026&item=0009|title=Amtrak National Timetables |website=timetables.org|publisher=Amtrak|page=8|date=October 26, 1986|accessdate=January 9, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timetables.org/full.php?group=19990516n&item=0017|title=Amtrak National Timetable: Spring/Summer 1999|website=timetables.org|publisher=Amtrak|page=17|date=May 16, 1999|accessdate=January 9, 2014}}</ref> The ''Desert Wind'' ran daily from Chicago to Los Angeles and the ''Pioneer'' ran daily Chicago to Seattle. In 1999 Amtrak moved to the Salt Lake City Intermodal Hub.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.timetables.org/full.php?group=19991031n&item=0017 |title=Amtrak Timetable: Fall 1999/Winter 2000|website=timetables.org|publisher=Amtrak|page=17|date=October 31, 1999|accessdate=January 9, 2014}}</ref>

===Adaptive reuse=== In 1989, the State of Utah received the historical building as a donation.<ref name="Semerad2024">{{Cite news |last=Semerad |first=Tony |date=May 16, 2024 |title=New luxury hotel rises alongside SLC's Union Pacific Depot. Get an early peek inside. |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/2024/05/16/new-luxury-hotel-rises-alongside/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240516122442/https://www.sltrib.com/news/2024/05/16/new-luxury-hotel-rises-alongside/ |archive-date=May 16, 2024 |access-date=June 22, 2025 |work=The Salt Lake Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="FOX b428">{{cite web |last=Lerner |first=Shanti |date=December 10, 2024 |title=A historic Salt Lake City train station just opened as a hotel. Here's what's inside |url=https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/northern-utah/a-historic-salt-lake-city-train-station-just-opened-as-a-hotel-heres-whats-inside |access-date=June 25, 2025 |website=FOX 13 News Utah (KSTU)}}</ref> The main lobby, no longer used by Amtrak (which has relocated to the Rio Grande Depot and later the Salt Lake City Intermodal Hub), was acquired in 1999 by the developers of a nearby mall, The Gateway.<ref name="FOX b428" /> Most of the building was not used for its original purpose, but Union Pacific used some of the space for offices and training areas.

In January 2006, part of the Union Pacific Depot became a restaurant and music venue, known as The Depot.<ref name="Iwasaki r830">{{cite web |last=Iwasaki |first=Scott |date=January 27, 2006 |title=The Depot gives Salt Lake a shot in arm |url=https://www.deseret.com/2006/1/27/19934779/the-depot-gives-salt-lake-a-shot-in-arm/ |access-date=June 22, 2025 |website=Deseret News}}</ref> The venue, operated by Live Nation Entertainment, has 1,200 seats across two levels.<ref name="Cpulson w400">{{cite web |last=Coulson |first=Shay |date=July 1, 2021 |title=Salt Lake City's 2021 Venue Tour Series: The Depot |url=https://volumeutah.com/feature/the-depot-slc-venue-tour/ |access-date=June 22, 2025 |website=Volume}}</ref> In 2016, The Gateway was acquired by Oaktree Capital Management and Vestar,<ref>{{cite web |last=Drummer |first=Randyl |date=February 3, 2016 |title=Vestar-Led Partnership Acquires The Gateway Retail Center |url=https://www.costar.com/article/145018/vestar-led-partnership-acquires-the-gateway-retail-center |access-date=June 22, 2025 |website=CoStar |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Riddle |first=Isaac |date=February 2, 2016 |title=New owners hope to revive the Gateway |url=https://buildingsaltlake.com/new-owners-hope-to-revive-the-gateway/ |access-date=June 22, 2025 |website=Building Salt Lake}}</ref> which subsequently announced plans in 2018 to open a hotel in the Union Pacific Depot.<ref>{{cite web |last=Riddle |first=Isaac |date=August 21, 2018 |title=Historic Union Pacific Depot to become luxury hotel |url=https://buildingsaltlake.com/historic-union-pacific-depot-set-to-become-luxury-hotel/ |access-date=June 22, 2025 |website=Building Salt Lake}}</ref><ref name="Wood d976">{{cite web |last=Wood |first=Benjamin |date=August 23, 2018 |title=Here's what the planned Union Pacific Hotel at The Gateway will look like |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2018/08/23/heres-what-planned-union/ |access-date=June 22, 2025 |website=The Salt Lake Tribune}}</ref> The hotel, which was originally to have opened in 2021, was to have 225 rooms within a new eight-story annex. The Union Pacific Depot would become a main entrance for the hotel, with retail and eateries; the Depot performance venue would have continued to operate in the building's northern end.<ref name="Wood d976" /> Salt Lake City's City Council voted in May 2019 to give the hotel's developers a $7 million loan to help fund the hotel's construction.<ref name="Semerad2019">{{Cite news |last=Semerad |first=Tony |date=April 24, 2019 |title=Salt Lake City OKs loaning developer $7 million to help build a new hotel at The Gateway |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/2019/04/23/salt-lake-city-oks/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424012525/https://www.sltrib.com/news/2019/04/23/salt-lake-city-oks/ |archive-date=April 24, 2019 |access-date=June 22, 2025 |work=The Salt Lake Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Locklear |first=Michael |date=April 29, 2019 |title=New hotel, large development near the Gateway moves forward |url=https://kutv.com/news/local/new-hotel-large-development-near-the-gateway-move-forward?photo=1 |access-date=June 22, 2025 |website=KUTV}}</ref>

Progress on the hotel was delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic,<ref>{{cite web |last=Anderson |first=Taylor |date=November 2, 2020 |title=Delays approved for developers in rare COVID disruption to building boom |url=https://buildingsaltlake.com/as-covid-rages-on-a-proposed-hotel-and-social-club-ask-for-more-time-to-work-things-out/ |access-date=June 22, 2025 |website=Building Salt Lake}}</ref> and the hotel's developers were required to preserve the building as a publicly-accessible space due to an existing easement on the property.<ref name="FOX b428" /> The renovation included preserving existing historical features such as stained-glass windows, gold foil, and tiles, in addition to constructing amenity areas for the hotel.<ref name="Williams g408">{{cite web | last=Williams | first=Carter | title=What it's like inside the Asher Adams, a historic train station turned Salt Lake hotel | website=KSL.com | date=December 9, 2024 | url=https://www.ksl.com/article/51207420/what-its-like-inside-the-asher-adams-a-historic-train-station-turned-salt-lake-hotel | access-date=June 25, 2025}}</ref> The Asher Adams Hotel was named after cartographers John R. Asher and George H. Adams, who were the first to depict railroad routes.<ref name="Semerad2024" /><ref name="FOX b428" /><ref name="Williams g408" /> On October 31, 2024, the Union Pacific Depot reopened as the '''Asher Adams, Autograph Collection''' hotel,<ref name="The Salt Lake Tribune j212">{{cite web |last=Means |first=Sean P. |date=October 10, 2024 |title=Asher Adams boutique hotel by Marriott opens in October 2024 at Gateway in Salt Lake |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/2024/10/10/asher-adams-boutique-hotel-by/ |access-date=June 22, 2025 |website=The Salt Lake Tribune}}</ref> operated as part of Marriott International's Autograph Collection hotel brand.<ref name="Bojórquez s033">{{cite web |last=Bojórquez |first=Kim |date=November 21, 2024 |title=Asher Adams hotel opens inside Pacific Union Depot |url=https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2024/11/21/asher-adams-hotel-union-pacific-depot |access-date=June 22, 2025 |website=Axios}}</ref> The historic structure contains the hotel's lobby, restaurants, function rooms, and 13 luxury suites, and a new building behind it contains 212 hotel rooms.<ref name="hospitalitynet.org">{{Cite web |title=Asher Adams, Autograph Collection To Open In Salt Lake City On October 31, 2024 |url=https://www.hospitalitynet.org/announcement/41011654.html |access-date=June 22, 2025 |website=Hospitality Net |language=en-us}}</ref> The hotel also has two bars.<ref name="Bojórquez s033" />

==Architecture== According to ''The Railway Gazette'' (1907) the structure's plans came from the office of J.H. Wallace, Assistant Chief Engineer of the Southern Pacific, under the direction of D.J. Patterson, Architect for that company. It served the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake and the Oregon Short Line when it was completed in 1909 and became wholly owned by Union Pacific in the 1920s. Initially, both railroads' initials were prominently displayed on the front of the building, but the "Union Pacific" shield or related logo has graced the depot for most of its history.<ref name="Roberts, Allen 1975">{{cite web|url={{NRHP url|id=75001818}} |author=Roberts, Allen|title=Salt Lake Union Pacific Railroad Depot|work=National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form|publisher=National Park Service|year=1975|accessdate=May 7, 2009}}</ref>

thumb|left|The interior of the Union Pacific Depot after its renovation into the lobby of the Asher Adams, Autograph Collection

The sandstone building is in French Second Empire style, and includes a terrazzo floor and stained glass windows. One ceiling mural "Driving The Golden Spike" by San Francisco artist John MacQuarrie in 1909, depicts the driving of the Golden Spike north of Salt Lake City at "Promontory Summit" signifying the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869. Another mural, "Emigrants Entering Salt Lake Valley," by San Francisco artists John MacQuarrie & August C. Wocker in 1909, shows the 1847 arrival of Mormon pioneers to what is now Salt Lake City.

The building has a {{Convert|136|by|100|ft|adj=on}} grand hall with a vaulted ceiling.<ref name="FOX b428" /><ref name="Wadley d007">{{cite web | last=Wadley | first=Carma | title=All aboard! Union Pacific Depot turns 100 | website=Deseret News | date=September 22, 2009 | url=https://www.deseret.com/2009/9/22/20341858/all-aboard-union-pacific-depot-turns-100/ | access-date=June 25, 2025}}</ref> Several side rooms were originally used for separate male and female waiting areas. The depot once housed an emergency hospital, lunch room, baggage rooms, and offices for both of the original railroads.<ref name="Roberts, Allen 1975" /> Most of these features are gone now, but the building was extensively renovated in the 1970s to repair damage. Additionally, the original slate roof was replaced by copper plates due to leaking problems.<ref name="Roberts, Allen 1975" /> After the building became part of the Asher Adams hotel, the southern end of the depot was converted to 13 suites. Two conference rooms, named after the ''Desert Wind'' and ''Pioneer'' trains that used to stop at the station, were also added. Old gates from the depot were reused in the Wye and Rouser restaurant.<ref name="Williams g408"/>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Salt Lake City Union Pacific Depot}} * [https://www.asheradamshotel.com/ Asher Adams Hotel official website] * [http://www.depotslc.com/ The Depot: now a hip Salt Lake City concert venue] * [http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/saltlake.htm Salt Lake City Amtrak Station, with former Rio Grande & Union Pacific Stations (USA RailGuide – TrainWeb)] * {{HABS |survey=UT-88 |id=ut0058 |title=Union Passenger Station, Third West & South Temple, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, UT |photos=4 |color= |dwgs=5 |data=8 |cap=1}}

Category:Former railway stations in Salt Lake City Category:Railway stations on the National Register of Historic Places in Utah Category:Union stations in the United States Category:Former Union Pacific Railroad stations Category:Buildings and structures in Salt Lake City Category:Former Amtrak stations in Utah Category:Railway stations in the United States opened in 1909 Category:Historic American Buildings Survey in Utah Category:1909 establishments in Utah Category:National Register of Historic Places in Salt Lake City Category:Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad Category:Oregon Short Line Railroad Category:Railway stations in the United States closed in 1986

Salt Lake City Union Pacific Depot

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