Boston and Newhouse Buildings, Salt Lake City

The Boston and Newhouse Buildings in Salt Lake City hold a significant place in the city's architectural and economic history as its first skyscrapers. Designed by the renowned Chicago-based architect Henry Ives Cobb, these eleven-story structures were part of a vision led by Jewish mining magnate Samuel Newhouse to establish a new business district that would rival the existing Mormon commercial area located three blocks to the north. This district was centered around Exchange Place, where the L-shaped Boston and Newhouse Buildings face each other, creating an imposing gateway to the urban corridor.

Completed in the early 20th century, these steel-framed buildings were clad in Indiana limestone—a cutting-edge choice at the time for its fireproof qualities. Architecturally, they reflect the Beaux-Arts classicism popular during that era, sharing stylistic similarities with the United States Post Office and Courthouse. The buildings exhibit a distinct tripartite design, characterized by detailed facades and elegant ornamentation.

Despite their shared lineage, the Boston and Newhouse Buildings maintain unique features. The Boston Building’s single-story Greek temple front leads to the ground-level commercial floor, framed by giant Ionic columns for access to the upper office spaces. The Newhouse Building, in contrast, presents more grandeur with two-story Roman archways at its entrance and giant Doric columns leading to its upper floors. Both buildings’ limestone facades showcase alternating banded rustication, creating an interplay of textures.

The Boston Building’s decorative details include cartouches placed above the second-story cornice, echoed beneath the main cornice, and stone lion heads adorning its upper façade. The Newhouse Building’s embellishments include copper-plated door and window trim, as well as carved stone motifs representing agriculture and industry—symbols of prosperity. The interiors of both buildings were designed to match the opulence of their exteriors, featuring fine woodwork, marble staircases, terrazzo floors, and handcrafted tiles extending to the ceilings.

Today, the Boston and Newhouse Buildings continue to serve the city’s commercial needs, with retail spaces on the first two floors and office suites above.