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Intermountain Health to relocate LDS Hospital to downtown Salt Lake City

Intermountain Health to relocate LDS Hospital to downtown Salt Lake City

Built World Salt Lake City, UT local

New hospital planned for former Sears site; old Avenues campus future undecided

3 days ago: Intermountain unveils relocation plans

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

LDS 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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Key Indicators

121
Years at current Avenues site
LDS Hospital has operated in the Avenues since 1905.
$1.1B
Annual economic impact
Intermountain estimates the new hospital will generate $1.1 billion annually.
2,000
Jobs supported
The new hospital campus is expected to support approximately 2,000 jobs.
8 acres
New site size
The former Sears block spans approximately 8 acres.
10 stories
New hospital height
The new hospital tower will be 10 stories, about 200 feet tall.

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People Involved

Organizations Involved

Timeline

1905 September 2026

6 events Latest: 3 days ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date
  1. Intermountain unveils relocation plans

    Latest Announcement

    Intermountain publicly announces LDS Hospital relocation; board approved project last week.

  2. City approves hospital rezoning

    Approval

    Salt Lake City approves 'urban hospital' rezoning for the former Sears site.

  3. Intermountain buys former Sears block

    Acquisition

    Intermountain purchases the approximately 8-acre former Sears block property.

  4. Sears store closes downtown

    Closure

    Sears store at 745 South State Street closes after decades downtown.

  5. Intermountain takes over LDS hospitals

    Institutional Change

    Intermountain Healthcare takes over operation of the LDS Church's 15 hospitals.

  6. LDS Hospital opens in Avenues

    Founding

    LDS 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.

1905

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.

Then

The hospital grew into a major medical center, pioneering the world's first medical computer and first Newborn Intensive Care Unit.

Now

It became a 262-bed full-service hospital and a fixture of the Avenues neighborhood for over a century.

Why this matters now

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.

1975

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.

Then

LDS Hospital became part of the Intermountain system, gaining access to system-wide resources and capital.

Now

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.

Why this matters now

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.

Sources

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