Intermountain Health to relocate LDS Hospital to downtown Salt Lake City
Built World Salt Lake City, UT localNew hospital planned for former Sears site; old Avenues campus future undecided
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Overview
Updated 1 hour agoLDS Hospital has anchored Salt Lake City's Avenues neighborhood since 1905, when it opened to treat patients away from the valley's coal-burning smog. After 121 years, Intermountain Health plans to move it to a new downtown campus.
The new hospital will rise on an 8-acre former Sears site near 745 South State Street, with a 10-story hospital and attached medical office building. Construction could begin before the end of 2026 and take three to five years. What happens to the old Avenues campus remains undecided.
Why it matters
A 121-year-old hospital anchor is leaving the Avenues, moving healthcare services downtown and opening a major redevelopment question in Salt Lake City.
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People Involved
Organizations Involved
Utah-based nonprofit healthcare system operating hospitals and clinics across the Intermountain West.
262-bed full-service hospital in Salt Lake City's Avenues neighborhood, operated by Intermountain Health.
City government that approved 'urban hospital' rezoning and a development agreement for the new hospital site.
Timeline
1905 September 2026
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Intermountain unveils relocation plans
Latest AnnouncementIntermountain publicly announces LDS Hospital relocation; board approved project last week.
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City approves hospital rezoning
ApprovalSalt Lake City approves 'urban hospital' rezoning for the former Sears site.
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Intermountain buys former Sears block
AcquisitionIntermountain purchases the approximately 8-acre former Sears block property.
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Sears store closes downtown
ClosureSears store at 745 South State Street closes after decades downtown.
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Intermountain takes over LDS hospitals
Institutional ChangeIntermountain Healthcare takes over operation of the LDS Church's 15 hospitals.
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LDS Hospital opens in Avenues
FoundingLDS Hospital opens in Salt Lake City's Avenues neighborhood, away from valley coal smog.
Historical Context
2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
Original LDS Hospital Opening (1905)
LDS Hospital opened in 1905 on Salt Lake City's Avenues hill, built with donations from W.H. Groves and the LDS Church. The location was chosen to provide care away from the valley's coal-burning smog.
The hospital grew into a major medical center, pioneering the world's first medical computer and first Newborn Intensive Care Unit.
It became a 262-bed full-service hospital and a fixture of the Avenues neighborhood for over a century.
The original location was chosen for environmental reasons (smog). The new relocation is driven by accessibility (freeways, transit) and the physical limits of the current site.
Intermountain Healthcare Formation (1975)
Intermountain Healthcare took over operation of the LDS Church's 15 hospitals in 1975, committing to run them as a nonprofit entity. This consolidated Utah's hospital system under one operator.
LDS Hospital became part of the Intermountain system, gaining access to system-wide resources and capital.
Intermountain grew into one of the nation's largest nonprofit healthcare systems, with the authority to make major capital decisions like the LDS Hospital relocation.
The relocation decision was made by Intermountain's board, not by the LDS Church or the hospital itself, reflecting the institutional structure established in 1975.
