Early 20th Century Urban Apartments – Then and Now

Did you know that the “disappearing” Murphy Bed was invented as a response to rapid growth in cities, and the need to house more people in less space, during the early 20th century? Salt Lake City underwent a similar population surge at that time, resulting in an “urban apartment” construction boom. Approximately 200 of these buildings were constructed in similar styles between 1902 and 1930 in SLC, and many remain standing today. Come learn about the architecture and social history behind this new type of housing, which was designed to fill a need in the quickly growing city, and how it compares to today’s current wave of building apartments. The second part of this presentation will dive into some project case studies, highlighting the historic preservation and financial motivations that have triggered rehabilitation of these urban apartments in recent years. 

About Our Speakers

Roger Roper: Roger has worked in historic preservation since the early 1980s, primarily in the State Historic Preservation Offices of both Utah and Oregon. His main goals have been to help property owners make the most of their historic buildings and to assist communities in developing effective local historic preservation programs.

Amber Anderson: Amber received her Master of Science in Historic Preservation degree from Clemson University in 2015. She then worked in Cultural Resource Management as an Architectural Historian for 3 years back East before returning to her roots in the West. Amber has spent the last 6 years as the Utah State Historic Preservation Office’s Tax Credit Coordinator and now Technical Preservation Manager.

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