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The historic Fisher Mansion will get a second chance at life, thanks to a $150,000 federal grant.
Salt Lake City announced Friday that the riverside mansion will receive a Save America's Treasures grant, which aims to protect culturally significant but endangered buildings. The city will match that money with an additional $150,000.
Since taking office, Mayor Ralph Becker has advocated renovating the mansion and putting it to community use, perhaps as a museum, library or nonprofit meetinghouse. He described it Friday as a "key historic building."
Fisher Mansion was erected along the Jordan River — at 1206 W. 200 South — in the late 1800s for beer baron Albert Fisher. The city didn't acquire the property until 2007, when it sought an easement for the Jordan River Parkway.
The city plans to use the grant money to make seismic upgrades to the mansion. It also will remodel the exterior to protect the building from weather and pests.
A more complete renovation will come after the city has decided how best to use the building. That project could be considerably more expensive. Previous estimates put restoration costs at more than $1 million.
Jeremiah Stettler