Salt Lake Community College unveiled the newly renovated Larry H. and Gail Miller Business Building on its Taylorsville Campus on August 1, 2026, providing a modernized hub for business education, innovation, and community engagement. The facility, which is scheduled to open its doors to students, faculty, and staff on August 7, features a design centered on accessibility and collaborative learning.
Designing for Connection and Accessibility
The renovation focuses on creating a landscape for connection and inclusivity through architectural choices. A prominent feature of the building is a sweeping interior ramp designed to serve as a central organizing element rather than a secondary accessibility feature. Jody Katz, the Senior Director of Accessibility & Disability Services at Salt Lake Community College, noted that the ramp is central to the building experience, inviting everyone to move through the space together and demonstrating that accessibility can be integrated into architecture rather than treated as an afterthought.
Collaborative Learning Environments
The building's layout prioritizes hands-on learning through dedicated kickstarter spaces where students can develop and test business ideas. These areas bridge the gap between traditional classroom instruction and real-world application. Additionally, flexible startup and collaboration zones allow students to transition from initial concepts to active implementation while interacting with classmates, faculty members, and industry mentors.
Community and Event Spaces
To accommodate the local business community, the facility includes a state-of-the-art auditorium and a flexible event space. These venues are intended to host workshops, networking events, speakers, and community gatherings. The event space also features an outdoor balcony that offers views of the Wasatch Mountains and the Salt Lake Valley, intended to provide a unique setting for community engagement and celebrations.
Sustainable Architectural Design
The building's exterior incorporates distinctive wood sun-shading elements designed to balance aesthetics with environmental performance. Project director Talieya Wallace explained that these exterior slats serve a dual purpose: they provide visual warmth and texture to the contemporary architecture while reducing solar heat gain to improve the building's overall energy performance in Utah's intense sunlight.
The Art of Anna Campbell Bliss
A defining characteristic of the facility is a cohesive collection of artwork by the renowned Utah artist Anna Campbell Bliss. Bliss, a pioneer in early computer-generated art, was known for geometric compositions that explored the intersection of science, technology, architecture, color, and mathematics. Her work has been featured in major collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.
Connecting Art and Business
The selection of Bliss's work was a deliberate choice by the architectural committee to represent a prominent Utah woman artist. James Walton, the Gallery and Art Program Manager at Salt Lake Community College, stated that because the building houses the Gail Miller Business School—one of the few business schools in the nation named after a woman—Bliss's work was considered especially appropriate. The committee felt her exploration of design and mathematics aligned with the building's emphasis on innovation and problem-solving.
Investing in the Future of Education
The Larry H. and Gail Miller Business Building represents a significant investment in the future of business education at Salt Lake Community College. By combining practical learning environments with creative spaces and meaningful art, the college aims to create an environment where entrepreneurship and critical thinking coexist to inspire new possibilities for students.
