Tony SemeradSalt Lake City is all but done with nearly $8.5 million in renovations and improvements to downtown’s venerable City-County Building.
On Wednesday, Mayor Jackie Biskupski climbed a 50-foot boom lift to help with setting a final exterior carving on the 124-year-old structure, which now serves as Salt Lake City Hall, at 451 S. State St.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mayor Jackie Biskupski (l-r) and master stone mason Jeff Eakle maneuver a lift into place to set the final capstone — carved in Eakle's likeness — in completion of the Salt Lake City and County Building rehabilitation project, Wednesday, June 13, 2018. The two-year rehabilitation restored the building's stone facade, repaired windows, and performed a seismic upgrade of the historic building built in 1894.
The last stone, placed on the building’s south side, was carved in the likeness of the renovation project’s master stonemason, Jeff Eakle.
Four years ago, city officials set aside cash for extensive seismic improvements to the grotesque- and gargoyle-covered building, as well as repair, resetting and replacement of some of its exterior Kyune sandstone.
(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Master stone mason Jeff Eakle left his own likeness in the capstone on the south side of the Salt Lake City and County Building, Wednesday, June 13, 2018. Eakle, who was born in Utah, grew up in France from age 3 to 29 in the Loire Valley and credits his love of architecture, masonry and career path to life there.
Work by Big-D Construction began two years ago — and was completed a year earlier than expected.
Biskupski and other city officials plan to declare June 29 “Salt Lake City and County Building Day,” to be marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and public tours of the exterior of the building.
