SALT LAKE CITY — The historic Union Pacific Depot in downtown Salt Lake City, built in 1909 that once served travelers by rail, has now found new life as a hotel called Asher Adams.
Asher Adams is made up of two buildings — a 225-room tower and the depot itself, which has history all over it.
“We have this incredible architectural and historic landmark that represents the golden age of the American railroad,” said Emir Tursic, lead architect of the historic building turned hotel. “And our goal was really to reinvigorate the original spirit and historic character of the building.”
Tursic said a major part of the development was reviving the building’s historic characteristics, along with building the rooms for the hotel.
The "Grand Hall," 136 feet long by 100 feet wide, with its round vaulted ceiling, is the star today as it once was for travelers.
“You can see the original terrazzo floor,” said Niels Vuijsters, general manager of Asher Adams. “You can see the original murals of the last spike that took place at Promontory Summit and also the entry into Utah by the Mormons.”
The original stained-glass windows were also restored.
Even the hotel's name pays homage to the golden age of American railroads.
“Asher Adams was named after two cartographers: George Adams and John Asher,” Vuijsters said. “They drew the original railroad maps of the West. So the naming of the hotel has a history in itself.”
Now, guests and visitors alike will find a coffee shop, a restaurant called "The Rouser," and two bars inside the hotel. They're called "The Bar at Asher Adams" and "No. 119," which is on the second level of the Depot with views of Downtown, the Delta Center and the Grand Hall.
Next to bar No. 119 there is also a vinyl record room with a collection of more than 2,500 vinyl records. Vuijsters says they hope to use the room for private parties.
At the time of its construction, the depot was noted as one of the finest passenger stations in the entire West. It functioned as a railroad station into the 1970s and for a short time as an Amtrak station. In 1989, Union Pacific donated the building to the state of Utah and served as a venue for events and other functions.
It was bought by the developers of The Gateway in 1999.
However, it wasn’t easy to rebuild the Depot to its former glory. Developers had to follow some guidelines due to the building’s historical nature.
“There is a public easement that goes through here,” Tursic explained. “Meaning that it is always, it will always remain a public space, accessible to the public.”
This hotel is on track to serve the public the same way it once did.
“And we really loved the idea of making this a community space,” Tursic added. “A space where the locals interact with the hotel guests and the travelers that come to visit Salt Lake City.”
