Intermountain Health announced plans for a new Intermountain LDS Hospital in downtown Salt Lake City in a report published September 7. The project is described as a transformative investment intended to improve patient care and strengthen the community for future generations.
The new hospital will be located on approximately eight acres at 745 South State Street, the former site of a Sears store that closed in 2018. This facility will serve as the centerpiece of a significant downtown development designed to meet the changing healthcare needs of Salt Lake County, southern Davis County, and the broader Intermountain region.
According to Heather Wall, president of Intermountain LDS Hospital, the new facility will honor the legacy of the original hospital, which has served families since 1905, while establishing a foundation for the next century of care. The decision to build a replacement hospital rather than modernizing the current site in the Avenues neighborhood followed an analysis of community health needs, patient trends, and long-term growth projections.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall stated the hospital will be a significant resource and benefit for all residents. The facility is expected to improve access to emergency and intensive care services through convenient proximity to Interstate 15, Interstate 80, and Interstate 215, as well as various public transportation options.
The development will include a 10-story hospital with over 521,000 square feet of space and an attached seven-story medical office building. The project also features a public plaza at the northwest corner of the site to connect Main Street and State Street. The facilities are intended to be highly efficient in terms of energy and water consumption.
Planned services include a full-service emergency room, a level II neonatal intensive care unit, specialized maternity services, and outpatient surgery. Other planned specialties include trauma care, women's health, orthopedics, cancer care, intensive care, behavioral health, neurology, cardiology, and more.
Economic projections suggest the project could support approximately 2,000 jobs and generate over $1.1 billion in annual local economic impact.
Planning and development activities, including site preparation, are currently underway. Additional details regarding project milestones and timelines are expected to be announced later this year. Decisions regarding the future use of the current hospital site in the Avenues have not yet been finalized.
