In the 19th century, the Salt Lake City region in Utah earned its nickname, “Crossroads of the West,” as it served as a main hub for mining and travel. The region was the site of a massive technological feat at the time, the Transcontinental Railroad, completed by the iconic Golden Spike at Promontory Summit, about 40 miles north of the Great Salt Lake. And when a connecting line via the Utah Central Railroad was completed in 1870, running south from Ogden down to Salt Lake City as train transit was taking over the U.S., downtown Salt Lake City became more accessible than ever before. This made the city an ideal location to serve as home for the Union Pacific and Rio Grande Depots.
Although transportation has changed a lot over the past 150 years, one of those depots, the historic 1908 Union Pacific Depot, is still used today — but for a much different purpose. This well-preserved space, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was renovated in the new millennium as an adaptive reuse project, serving as a shopping mall, restaurant hub, and music venue known as The Depot, which still hosts live music acts with 1,200 seats across two levels.
But perhaps the most anticipated element of this remarkable building’s transformation is the area that serves guests as a modern hotel boasting luxurious overnight accommodations in the heart of walkable downtown Salt Lake City. Asher Adams, Autograph Collection, is a sophisticated 225-room property (195 rooms and 35 luxury suites) keeping the spirit of travel alive in this landmark location. Since it’s historically protected, the building’s renovation required preserving its standing historical features, such as the stained-glass windows, gold foil, and tilework. Guests can also admire the original light fixtures, tiling, and molding. The newer amenity areas for the hotel were carefully constructed so as not to disturb its original architectural beauty. The property was named after cartographers John R. Asher and George H. Adams, who were the first to map the railroad routes — paying homage to the building’s origins…