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It was the vehicle for thriving immigrant communities — from Greektown and Japantown to Little Syria — whose industrious workers warehoused their goods a block away.
It ferried soldiers to and from war and a new era of commerce onto downtown Salt Lake City's western doorstep.
Now, civic leaders hope to re-engage the state's sleepy Rio Grande Depot — this time to awaken the grand gathering space as a year-round public market.
The vision remains just that, for now. But a bill filed quietly at the Legislature is designed to foster a lease with the Downtown Alliance for the state-owned architectural treasure that just entered its second century.
If the combination indoor-outdoor market sprouts, it could provide a renaissance for the Rio Grande, which has a 21st-century train hub operating in its shadow. It also could become a magnet, anchoring a city entry point planners hope to resuscitate with housing, shops and streetcars. Right now, the depot acts as a "wall," essentially blocking 300 South foot traffic.
"It was meant to have many people go through there as a train station," says Kirk Huffaker, executive director of the Utah Heritage Foundation and a market supporter. The cavernous, but still ornate depot was designed to be flexible, and Huffaker predicts upgrades to the plumbing, restrooms and electrical system would not harm the building's integrity.
"Everyone seems to be encouraged by the idea," he says. "This is a terminal focus of a street. You want those to be a prominent use of a city in some way."
There is no agreement or time line for the market, although the alliance has tapped a consultant to study the concept this spring. It would not displace most of the depot's existing state tenants, insiders note, and more notably, would not replace the increasingly popular Downtown Farmers Market, which packs people into nearby Pioneer Park every summer and into fall.
"We might change the way we do our layout to be more complementary, but we're not going anywhere," Farmers Market organizer Kim Angeli says. She is thrilled by the prospect, saying a year-round cousin would draw residents and tourists and provide permanent day stalls for farmers and growers across Utah.
Indeed, indoor space with refrigeration, Angeli says, would almost certainly boost the volume of berries, butters and meats.
Every year, more growers truck their produce to Pioneer Park from every pocket of Utah, southern Idaho and beyond. Many ranching operations need a year-round facility, according to Seth Winterton, deputy director of marketing for the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food.
"It hasn't been an issue of product," Winterton says. "It's been about pooling the vendors."
Downtown Alliance Executive Director Jason Mathis has discreetly organized the Rio Grande public-market plan during the past six months. He sees it as a means to include Utah's rural communities in "Downtown Rising."
"It's a great opportunity for the rest of the state to have a piece of their capitol city," he says. "So far, I haven't found anybody who hates the idea."
Walking Rio Grande's massive, west-end patio, Mathis painted a mental picture of flowers, seating, vendors and vibrancy. The main floor's grand hall, rimmed by stunning stairways, chandeliers and historic tile, offers about 6,000 square feet.
Another 6,000 can be used for seating on the mezzanine. And that covered patio provides 6,000 more.
"The beauty of this site is it allows us to expand or contract depending on the season," Mathis notes. "It's a great, historic space. We don't really see the need to make huge changes."
The depot's wings, which house the Utah Division of State History, Utah State Archives and Rio Grande Cafe, would go untouched and enjoy increased exposure. But main-floor offices for the Utah Arts Council — along with its gallery exhibits — would be moved elsewhere in the neighborhood. Huffaker notes the arts council is amenable to the idea.
A public market has long been a priority of the city's Redevelopment Agency, and the Rio Grande is the No. 1 location (among several other sites pitched in the area) for the RDA board's director, City Councilman Luke Garrott. A multilevel parking terrace, planned by the RDA a half-block west, could accommodate the crowds. But Garrott is especially excited about a streetcar link, with a route planned out front, on 400 West.
"If [President Barack] Obama gets re-elected, federal funds will still be around and we'll be in the running," Garrott says. "That could happen in the next five years."
But what might happen to the neighboring homeless shelter? Wouldn't the stigma deter crowds?
Pete Henderson, who has beaten the odds since 1981 as owner of the Rio Grande Cafe, says bet on it.
"It's the elephant in the room," Henderson says of the shelter. "It's a tremendous impediment to this neighborhood's progress."
The restaurateur has mixed feelings about a year-round market at the depot. "It may be a great thing for the neighborhood," he says, "but I'm concerned about the scope and scale of it."
If the market's purpose — intended or not — is to drive the homeless out of the area, that's "foolish," according to Glenn Bailey, executive director of the Crossroads Urban Center.
"I really don't understand why it has to be one or the other," Bailey says. "If this is about a land grab, I think it's ridiculous. If it's about trying to create a vibrant, urban neighborhood, why not?"
Mathis predicts area property values would soar with a successful market — perhaps giving social-service providers an opportunity to sell their land for a bigger, better space.
"This public market moves us in that direction."
Even so, no organizers are suggesting the shelter would have to be moved out before farmers and ranchers could move in.
During preliminary discussions with the Governor's Office and some state lawmakers, the idea has generated more interest than scorn. The price tag is unknown, although Mathis predicts a market would be funded by a combination of city, state, RDA and private dollars.
If a deal is reached, the real winner could be the small-business community, says Downtown Community Council Chairman Christian Harrison. After all, the existing farmers market has long served as an "incubator" for food-based businesses ranging from custom delis to Jack Mormon Coffee.
"Having a year-round public market is the obvious next step," Harrison says, "for those businesses to graduate."
Stalwarts such as Morgan Valley Lamb and Fowers Fruit Ranch are rooting for a market. So is Steven Rosenberg, owner of Liberty Heights Fresh and one of the city's fresh-food pioneers.
"We have a lot of ground to make up for how the American food system has declined over the past 60 years," Rosenberg says, adding only half-jokingly that many kids believe chocolate milk comes from "brown cows."
Rosenberg is encouraged that the so-called "farm to table" movement is not about to turn back. And he predicts a FrontRunner route — eventually spanning Brigham City to Provo with the depot in between — would provide a pipeline to healthier eating for the next generation.
"I wouldn't be surprised if people didn't come to sell their goods on a train," he says, gazing up at Rio Grande's towering ceiling. "This becomes the natural gathering space for the whole Wasatch Front."
Rails to radishes?
Salt Lake City and state officials are measuring downtown's iconic Rio Grande Depot for a possible year-round public market. The Downtown Alliance has lined up a consultant to study the prospect. And a state lawmaker has a "boxcar" bill designed to set up a lease agreement for the depot between the state and the alliance. The market is envisioned as a catalyst for the city's moribund Depot District and as a magnet to connect downtown with the transit hub a block west. If the public-market vision ripens, it would bolster, not replace, Saturday's popular farmers market at Pioneer Park.