The LDS church has said Crossroads and its adjoining Key Bank Tower could be demolished around mid-2007. Most of ZCMI's tenants were preparing to shutter their shops immediately after the holidays in preparation for their mall's demolition.

But on Thursday the LDS church-owned Deseret Book company said its flagship store in ZCMI Center - also owned by the church - will remain open "well into the spring of 2007." That could push ZCMI Center demolition back.

Whether all of the ZCMI's tenants - including anchor Macy's - will remain open for business until as late as June remains to be seen. Church spokesman Scott Trotter on Thursday declined to provide any updates on the other tenants, many of which say they have no idea what is going on.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints plans to destroy both of its downtown malls and adjoining office buildings straddling Main Street to make way for its $1 billion City Creek Center project, set to include a mix of retail, housing and office space.

Construction on City Creek is expected to take about five years, with completion slated for 2011.

Crossroads already has been emptied and nearly all office tenants are out of the adjoining Key Bank tower. Crossroads anchor Mervyn's is gone and Nordstrom is set to close Jan. 20.

But nearly two dozen tenants remain in ZCMI, whose food court is still open for business. Despite the fact that some people think ZCMI is already closed, "we've had pretty steady foot traffic in the mall," said Jeff Simpson, Deseret Book executive vice president.

Kimberly Reason, Macy's spokeswoman, said the original plan was to close the department store after the new year. She did not immediately know whether Macy's would stay open as long as Deseret Book.

A number of ZCMI tenants said Thursday they are happy to remain open as long as possible. While the mall has struggled in recent years, many tenants now say their sales have been strong, especially since Crossroads Mall is nearly empty.

Kent Parry of Parry's Office Supply, located on the second floor of ZCMI, said he has gone ahead and ordered some additional inventory to take him well into next year after hearing from several people associated with the mall, including some other tenants, that it will remain open at least through spring of 2007.

John Stoneman, office manager of Mr. Mac apparel store in the mall, said he's "fairly confident" that his store will remain open at least until May.

After ZCMI closes in preparation for demolition, Deseret Book - like Mr. Mac - plans to move into a temporary storefront somewhere in the downtown area. Deseret Book said it will resettle in City Creek Center once it is completed; other ZCMI tenants say they would like to be in the new development but do not know if they can afford the higher rents or would even be welcome in an upscale shopping center like the one planned by the church.

Deseret Book, which has not only a store in ZCMI mall, but its headquarters in an office building adjoining it, said it will move its corporate offices in the spring permanently into the seven upper floors of a building that houses Utah Woolen Mills.

Deseret Book, whose new headquarters address will be 57 W. South Temple, also will have a street-level lobby entrance.

"It's going to be a great location for us," Simpson said.

lesley@sltrib.com