Lt. Gov Deidre Henderson, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Senate President Stuart Adams and House Speaker Brad Wilson participate in the groundbreaking ceremony of the upcoming North Capitol Building. Photo: Kim Bojórquez/Axios.
Utah politicians, as well as members of the Capitol Preservation Board, held a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday at the future $165 million North Capitol Building.
- During the ceremony, demolition also began on the old Utah State Office Building.
Why it matters: Unlike the old building which was used primarily for state office space, the new building will include a Utah history museum, offices, a conference center and additional parking spaces.
- It will also store historical artifacts and archives.
What they said: "The building served the public well, but over the years, the building’s effectiveness declined and eventually we no longer provided state agencies what they needed to serve the public effectively," said Gov. Spencer Cox, likening the current building to "something out of" North Korea.
Background: The old Utah State Office Building that stands north of the Capitol building was originally built in 1960.
- For years, criticism mounted that it did not match the Utah Capitol's architecture and lacked seismic safety standards, especially after the 2020 Manga 5.7 earthquake caused damage to the building.
What's next: The new building is slated to be completed in early 2026.
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