Westminster College to Buy Historic Garfield School

10.14.2009 by Elizabeth Ziegler

(KCPW News) Westminster College will purchase the historic Garfield School building from Salt Lake City, expanding its campus into the residential neighborhood across 1300 East. Sugar House Community Council Chairman Philip Carlson says residents are conflicted about the decision. They like having the college nearby, but are concerned that an expansion will change the character of their neighborhood.

“It has been a big issue. There are a lot of feelings on a lot of different aspects of that particular piece of property and what’s going to happen with that piece of property, as well as Westminster and the growth that it has,” Carlson says.

The city decided in April to sell the property it had acquired from the Salt Lake City School District several years ago to use as a community center. Last month, a selection committee recommended selling the building to Westminster over two other proposals.

Mayor Ralph Becker made the announcement yesterday after what his office described as an unprecedented public process for selling surplus property, aimed at mitigating neighbors’ concerns. Chief among these is how the college plans to accommodate future growth. Annalisa Steggell, Westminster’s director of community and board relations, says this is a concern for the college, as well.

“We do understand that that is one of the things that draws our students and our really stellar faculty is the fact of where we’re located,” Steggell says. “So we also want to make sure that this charm continues because it benefits us as well as benefits the neighbors.”

Steggell says Westminster is undergoing a master plan process that will determine how the college will use the Garfield building.