Today marks the launch of Salt Lake City’s participation in this year’s Partners in Preservation: Main Streets initiative, which was created by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express to engage the public in preserving and increasing awareness of America’s historic places and their role in sustaining local communities.
Salt Lake City is one of just 25 cities selected nationwide to compete, and is calling on its residents, business owners, patrons, and visitors to get behind the effort. The City has the chance to receive up to $150,000 in grant funding for the restoration of the historic Utah Pickle Company building. Built in 1894, this former pickle warehouse is located at 741 South 400 West in Salt Lake City’s Granary District, which recently received Utah’s first neighborhood business district Main Street America designation.
Starting today, Salt Lake City is inviting and encouraging the public to vote once a day for up to five Main Street projects at VoteYourMainStreet.org.
The proposed Granary District project from Ori Media includes the expansion of the local creative business collective Studio Elevn into a restored and revitalized Utah Pickle Company building to provide the Granary District with much-needed event space, a media production studio, flex office spaces for local artists and entrepreneurs, and a community garden that is poised to transform a significant part of 400 West between 700 and 800 South into an aesthetically beautiful, community destination that will help revitalize the Granary District through increased street activity, business growth, and local spending.
“Our consistent success and growth has allowed us to steadily move toward our goal of being a center and resource for creative business in Salt Lake City,” says Michael Ori, president and founder of Ori Media. “We look forward to continuing our support of the artistic community, bridging the gap between creatives and tech leaders, and ultimately our collective voice to the world. We have the ability and the opportunity to shape this space and, by extension, the Granary District,” Ori adds.
Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski says the fact that Salt Lake City was chosen to be a part of this elite group to participate in the Partners in Preservation: Main Street initiative speaks to the incredible things happening in every corner and pocket of our capital city. “The business owners and entrepreneurs in Salt Lake City are passionate not just about the work they are doing and how it will advance their personal careers and growth of the City, but also about the importance to recognize, appreciate, and protect its rich history,” says Mayor Biskupski.
Daily votes can be cast for Salt Lake City’s Granary District project at https://savingplaces.org/ through October 31, after which the projects with the most votes will be awarded a collective total of $2 million in grants.
Ori Media is planning a free community open house slated for mid-October wherein the public can gather at the Utah Pickle Company building site to see architectural renderings of the space, enjoy food and beverages from Granary and Central Ninth neighborhood businesses, and hear the music of local artists. The partners of the project’s developer, FORM Development, as well as Ori Media and Studio Elevn staff, and Salt Lake City representatives, will be on-hand to discuss the project with attendees. More details to come in the upcoming weeks.
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