By Tory Betts
Employees of Nordstrom exited the city council meeting in tears on Tuesday, Oct. 14 as the Salt Lake City Council voted 6 to 1 against allowing Nordstrom to move to the Gateway Mall.
The possible failure of the reconstruction project of Crossroads is given as a main reason why.
“This is the most difficult decision I”ve made in my role as a councilman,” said Dale J. Lambert, council member. “If they go to Gateway that project (Crossroads) will be much more difficult.”
The proposed amendment, had it been allowed, would change the restrictions in place at Gateway and allow large-scale retailers, like Nordstrom to move in.
Nordstrom insists they will leave when their contract expires in August 2005 if not allowed to move to Gateway.
“If the door closes on Nordstrom, they closed their own door, not us,” said Nancy Saxton, council member.
Employees of Nordstrom and concerned citizens voiced their opinions by urging the council to allow the retail store to move three blocks down the street, and avoid the certainty of leaving the Salt Lake City area.
“I”m concerned that the 280 employees will be out of work,” said Salt Lake City citizen Rebecca Cooley. “We”re kidding ourselves if we think they won”t leave, and their leaving won”t affect our great city.”
Council member Jill Remington, the lone dissenter in the vote, argued in favor of the move. She said the city would be stronger if the petition were granted.
“They (Nordstrom) are a premier, upscale retailer that any city would want,” she said. “They can”t be replaced by another minimum wage retailer.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bought Crossroads several weeks ago and announced their plans to rebuild the downtown mall.
“We”re putting a lot of the burden on the LDS church for the success of the rebuilding project,” said Eric Jergensen, council member.
The city has tried hard to persuade Nordstrom to stay, but for unknown reasons they decided to leave, Lambert said.
Lambert cited different studies confirming their belief of the failure of the reconstruction project if Nordstrom leaves for Gateway.
“We”ll lose retailer after retailer on Main Street if we let them go,” he said.
Concern for the future of Main Street is what is most important. If Nordstrom were allowed to move, Salt Lake City would be giving up on Crossroads, Saxton said.
Utah has a history unlike any other state. The council needs to protect the centralized feel of Salt Lake City and not allow the central part of city to become scattered and confusing. That includes supporting the reconstruction project of Crossroads, she said.
After the council voted on the Nordstrom issue, they passed an amendment allowing the Gateway mall to offer retail space bigger than 45,000 square feet.
