This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2005, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

A mothballed social hall used by Salt Lake City's earliest firefighters soon will gain new life as a youth center.

The city is expected to complete its renovation of Ottinger Hall, 233 N. Canyon Road, by February.

The 105-year-old building, which sits at the entrance of Memory Grove, will gain air conditioning, ADA-compliant entrances and restrooms, and seismic and electrical upgrades.

As part of YouthCity, Ottinger will be used by some 40 fifth- through eighth-graders after school and during the summer. They will perform community service and take art and technology classes. The courses probably won't start until summer.

Janet Wolf, director of the city's youth programs, said Ottinger Hall was chosen as a youth site because it was an unused gem near a park.

The U.S. Department of Education gave the city $100,000 to renovate Ottinger. For its centennial project, the Rotary Club of Salt Lake City kicked in $100,000, and taxpayers footed $80,000.

"It's really a pleasure to get involved in a project like this that helps the kids out in Salt Lake City," said the Rotary's Ken Paulson.

Neighbors are glad to see Ottinger undergo a face-lift, said Jill Van Langeveld, outgoing president of the Greater Avenues Community Council. But they have been concerned about the vehicle traffic the youth programs will invite, since Ottinger is on a heavily traveled road used by people going to Memory Grove or to their homes in the Avenues.

The city is trying to address those fears by using a nearby LDS Church ward parking lot as a drop-off and pickup point.

"It's kind of a wait and see and cross our fingers and hope that we're very wrong," Van Langeveld said. "We would love to see it renovated. It was deteriorating horribly. It's sort of been a love-worry relationship."

The story of Ottinger Hall is the story of the city's fire department. According to a history provided by the city, a volunteer fire department was created in 1853, with each LDS Church ward in charge of a fire company and its equipment - kitchen buckets.

The city created an official fire department in 1883, hiring George C. Ottinger as its chief. He was credited for getting the department its first horse. He also oversaw the installation of fire hydrants and a telegraph alarm system.

In 1890, Ottinger created the Veteran Volunteer Fireman's Association, which built Ottinger Hall 10 years later as a social center for meetings and as a museum.

Artifacts - including an 1853 hand-pump cart - were moved to a replica of Ottinger Hall, which stands at This is the Place Heritage Park.

During the renovation, crews found what appears to be a time capsule - a metal box lodged in the foundation that contains two newspapers from 1900 and other papers related to the VVFA, said Steve England, a city engineer and Ottinger's project manager.

Noting Ottinger is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and on the city's historic register, England is glad to see the old building reused.

"It's a significant building. To see it continue to be kept up is a great thing."