1890 - 1893

Erected in 1892, originally known as the McCornick building, Salt Lake City’s first skyscraper became a pillar of the growing community. The seven story building was built for William S. McCornick, a ‘western entrepeneur’ from Ontario, Canada whose wealth came from involvement in the lumber supply business which indirectly connected him to the wealth of Nevada’s mines.
McCornick moved to Salt Lake City in 1873, founding a local banking house, McCornick & Company, which overtime grew to become one of the largest private banks in the western states. Due to his bank’s success, he quickly emerged as an investor in many early industries across the west—including mining ventures, cattle companies, other commercial banks, railroads, & more. McCornick’s many business ventures were the catalyst to his growing need for a brick & mortar in which he would operate from.

1893

The Building, made from local Kyune sandstone & brick, was designed by Louis Mendelssohn of architects Mendelssohn, Fisher & Lawrie, an architecture firm based out of Omaha, Nebraska. By the sheer size of the building alone, you can simply deduce that this project was a labor of passion & built with the intention to stand the test of time—& that it has.
Much of the original architecture has been meticulously preserved, such as the four-columned eastern entry & hand carved stonework in & above the south facing archway.
During the early years of the McCornick Building, transportation in Salt Lake was evolving; the introduction of electric streetcars began to replace earlier steam-powered systems, making urban mobility more accessible—while the use of horse-drawn transportation was still prevalent.

Late 1890’s - Early 1900’s

The Building was established & tenancy was growing - from one of Utah’s first coffee & tea shops, Schramm Johnson Tea Room, to insurance companies, to dentists offices - the McCornick Building was bustling with business. Photo of the McCornick & Co. bank interior circa 1903 shows original ornate cornicing, wallpaper & detailed steel casing surrounding the space.
This era in downtown Salt Lake was experiencing significant growth. The Salt Lake City & County building was erected in 1894, just a year after the completion of the McCornick Building. The city also saw development of diverse neighborhoods with many people immigrating from within & outside of the country.

1920 - 1950

The 1920’s thru 50’s were a pivotal time in Salt Lake’s history—with cars becoming widely used by the 20’s, transportation infrastructure downtown was tested & roads began to change in order to grow with this new technology. In the years during & after both World Wars, Salt Lake saw drastic change economically & socially, with men being sent off, more women were taking their place in the workforce, shifting Utah’s business dynamics more than ever.
Many buildings we now see as pillars of Salt Lake’s skyline were continuously being erected & in turn brought more work & traffic to the growing city. The Crandall (then McCornick) Building stood as a central figure in these transformations, embodying the city's architectural heritage as well as its progression towards modernity.

1955 - 1980

After William S. McCornick’s passing in May of 1921, ownership of the Building was given to Walker Brothers Bankers, then several other banks occupied the space until March of 1955 when the Building was acquired by the Crandall Family.
By the 1960’s and 70’s, the Building took on a new, “modern” facade when First Security Savings moved in & the exterior covered one of the arches on the east-facing side of the Building. Much of downtown Salt Lake’s older buildings were being torn down during this time to construct the ZCMI Center Mall & Crossroads Plaza Mall. While the aim was to rejuvenate this block, we lost much of our historic downtown buildings—thankfully, the Crandall Building continued to stand tall.

1990 - Early 2000’s

On June 16, 1995, it was announced that Salt Lake City would be the host of the 2002 Winter Olympics—an event that spurred numerous infrastructure improvements throughout the city. One of the most significant additions was the creation of the UTA TRAX light rail system, a 15-mile route connecting Sandy to downtown Salt Lake City, with a stop right in front of the Crandall Building.
During this period of citywide revitalization, the Crandall family focused on restoring parts of the building to reflect its original architectural charm. They removed drop ceilings that had been added over the years, installed ceiling molding, wood casing, new flooring, and repainted to better match the Building’s historic interiors. As part of these efforts, the First Federal Savings facade was eventually removed, revealing the building’s original sandstone exterior for the first time in years. These updates brought new life to the Building while preserving its legacy and ensuring it remained a vibrant part of downtown Salt Lake City.

The Crandall Building Today

The bones of the Crandall Building have stood through 135 years of change and growth in Salt Lake City—and they will stand for decades more. Within these walls, over a century of business, hard work, and day-to-day life has unfolded, weaving stories that shape who we are today. Those stories, rich with grit and tenacity, carry us forward, inspiring us to honor the legacy of every tenant whose business has called this place home.
Today, the Crandall Building is home to a dynamic mix of tenants, from local innovators like Cotopaxi and Legato Security to global brands like Starbucks and Subway. It also proudly houses longstanding businesses like Epperson & Owens Attorneys at Law and The Exoro Group, whose legacy spans generations within the Building's historic walls. Each tenant adds a new chapter to our story, embodying the spirit of growth and possibility. As we look to the future, we remain committed to being a landmark of Salt Lake City—a place where history is preserved, businesses thrive, and new stories are written every day.