This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
At least from a literal standpoint, Salt Lake City Hall can no longer be accused of operating in the dark.
More than 90 new light fixtures were switched on at historic Washington Square on Tuesday, capping a yearslong effort that had left the block largely unlit at night.
A frequent commenter at City Council meetings, Douglas Cotant said during a February meeting that he'd tripped and fallen outside due to the low visibility, injuring his knee.
"Thank you for leaving the outside lights on for me," Cotant began his public comment Tuesday, to smiles.
The replacement lights use LED bulbs but were modeled after gaslight fixtures that date back to the 1890 — a unique challenge for architects.
"All we had to go on was old photographs and no measurements," said Preston Croxford, of Archiplex Group.
The fixtures differ slightly in that some off-the-shelf parts were ordered to cut costs, Croxford said. The new lamp poles are also elevated on a concrete base to increase durability.
Karen Bakken, project manager for Hidden Peak Electric, said it wasn't easy to preserve the existing wiring but that after Mayor Jackie Biskupski flipped a ceremonial switch Tuesday, "they look pretty good now."
The $420,000 effort drew from Capital Improvement Funding and coincides with a three-year repair and seismic upgrade at the City and Council Building that is expected to be completed in the summer of 2018.
Twitter: @matthew_piper