The Central City neighborhood is located between 200 East and 700 East from South Temple to 900 South. The boundaries encompass a variety of residential and business uses ranging from single-family dwellings to high-density apartment units, offices and businesses.
The community is one of the oldest developed areas in Salt Lake City. It owes its early development pattern to a varied version of the “Plat of the City of Zion,” the plan devised by LDS Church founder Joseph Smith. This plan consisted of ten-acre blocks separated by streets 132 feet wide. The blocks themselves were divided into eight lots of 1.25 acres each, enough to accommodate a family and agricultural needs of everyday living, such as a vegetable garden, fruit trees and a few livestock and chickens. A few of the oldest residences can still be found. They are usually of adobe construction and are set farther back from the street than other buildings.
Historic buildings and sites offer styles of architecture that make these structures unique to the area. The Central City Historic District, located between 500 and 700 East from South Temple to 900 South (roughly) was designated as a local historic district in 1991. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.