SALT LAKE CITY — Downtown Salt Lake City’s skyline could reach new heights with a proposed residential skyscraper.
Kensington Tower is proposed to reach 440 feet high with 39 floors. If approved, it will become the tallest high rise in the state.
“I think it will be nice,” Michelle Doxey said.
Kensington Tower is slated for the corner of State Street and 200 South, which is the current home of a Carl’s Jr. restaurant.
While it hasn’t been approved by the city, yet, the plans for the luxury apartment building put it about 20 feet higher than the Wells Fargo building which currently holds the top spot.
“Instead of spreading out, people want to build up,” Barbara Svee said.
Salt Lake City’s Planning Director Nick Norris says the mammoth project comes during unprecedented growth.
“We are in our busiest period of growth we’ve ever experienced,” Norris said.
Norris credits healthy economy is pushing downtown construction to new levels.
Kensington Tower project isn’t the only residential project happening on State Street downtown.
The 24-story Liberty Sky project was just approved last week. The $90 million development will be built on a vacant lot on 150 South State Street.
Just a block north, near the City Creek Harmons, another major high rise is under construction.
Tower 8 will reach 396 feet that will make it the fourth tallest in the city. While Tower 8 will be office space, hundreds of high-rent apartments at Kensington Tower and Liberty Sky are expected to change downtown.
“They’ll be paying taxes, they’ll bring business in, State Street will be a booming place,” Svee said.
Kensington Tower is expected to be approved by the city later this year, with construction slated for 2021.
