On December 14,1960, a group of prominent business and civic leaders joined together under the sponsorship of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce to promote a long-range master plan to aid in the progress and growth of the downtown community. They formed the Downtown Planning Association, Inc., a non-profit corporation, and joined with the Utah Chapter of the American Institute of Architects to create a plan that will meet the needs of the city’s second century. (See 1960 news clipping and listing of participants on the following page.)

Pledging to create a new downtown Salt Lake City by 1985, the group spent two years creating a growth outline that was “built around people.” Called the Second Century Plan, the Plan outlined a vision for downtown as the “business, financial, retail, governmental, entertainment, cultural and religious heart of the intermountain empire.” Included in the plan were several proposals that have now become a reality:

• Salt Palace Convention Center
• Farmers Market
• Main Street Plaza
• Restored City and County Building
• Federal building downtown

The group included officers, an executive committee and board of directors. The business, civic and community leaders involved included these notable individuals:

• James E. Hogle
• Stanford P. Darger
• Gus P. Backman
• M. Walker Wallace
• Fred S. Auerbach
• Harold H. Bennett
• Henry Dinwoodey
• George S. Eccles
• Henry D. Moyle
• David L. McKay
• LeGrand Richards
• Kendall D. Garff
• John N. Krier
• Wendell B. Mendenhall
• J. Bracken Lee
• John W. Gallivan

Citing the “opportunity for action,” they worked to create a vision of a “pedestrian paradise.” The vision was captured in a 2 ft. by 3 ft., two-sided poster that included a summary of the past and present (highlighting for instance the “new interstate freeway”), the potential, a description of the plan, renderings of the physical blueprint (a map and 10 building projects), and a delineation of the steps to succeed. 

The plan concluded with the appeal that after 1975 the Plan should be reviewed an updated. It closed stating:

Downtown will be fully oriented to the pedestrian; it will be inviting, easy to reach and easy to circulate within. Salt Lake City will have added lure for visitors, and the Downtown of Utah’s capital city will be the pride of every Utahn. (Second Century Plan, Downtown Planning Association, Inc.)