In our last update, we shared the story of how we came to be in the position to purchase a permanent home. Now we’re diving into why this building is the building for the Utah Film Center!
After years of searching, we stepped into 375 West and 400 North in September of 2023 and like a page out of Utah’s own history, we instantly knew: This was the place!
From the outside, Utah Film Center’s new home may not catch your eye at first glance. A simple cinder block structure built in 1958, it sits tucked between single-family homes and industrial warehouses. Over the years, this unassuming building has housed a variety of businesses, including a fertilizer company, a beer distributor, a electrical supply company, a custom manufacturing company, a lighting company, a machine shop, a design company, a 55-gallon drum sales company, boiler storage, a rental company, and, most recently, a vitamin sales and bottling company.
Looking back on photos of the previous iterations of this building, it is very unlikely that this building would have caught our eye if it hadn’t been for the most recent owners, B3L. They took great care and expense in adding a mezzanine with expanded office space, multiple bathrooms, beautiful storefront glass to separate office spaces and a breakroom, all with craftsmanship of the likes you’d typically see in Silicon Slopes.
While the building has these remarkable features, it still needs industry-specific renovations to meet the unique needs of our community. The goals of this remodel include the addition of two state-of-the-art editing suites, a conference room, three production offices, a classroom, and a versatile black box studio. To bring this vision to life, we’ve assembled a dream team of architects and engineers to study the bones of the building, ensuring that we maximize both the space and our budget. Although included in the building’s layout now, we just don’t need five showers or three expensive TOTO toilets.
Utah Film Center’s own IT specialist, Josh Levey, has been an invaluable resource throughout the renovation process. With a keen understanding of how the Film Center operates, he has envisioned how the day-to-day work of the Film Center can best be achieved within the building’s existing footprint, all while preserving its raw beauty. We’re convinced that he was an engineer in a past life. His passion for building out functional, small spaces make him a vital team member in this renovation.
We’re also incredibly grateful to the work of Mike Ferro, Principal of Internet Properties and our dedicated Project Manager, as well as WOW Atelier, under the direction of Greg Walker, current board member and long time friend of Utah Film Center, and the team at Spectrum Engineering and Crowdin Construction.
Thanks to a phased approach to the renovations, Utah Film Center’s staff have been be able to work around the construction, which allowed us to seamlessly vacate our 50 West Broadway office in downtown Salt Lake at the conclusion of our lease on August 31, 2024. In another great turn of events, B3L sold UTFC all their office furniture at a fraction of the cost!
Over the past two months, along with our regular duties, we’ve been cataloging and selling furniture that we don’t need and storing what we plan to reuse. We’re working closely with consultants to finalize floor plans, interior designs, construction bids, and—oh yes!—fundraising to pay for this major initiative.
Though it’s been a significant amount of additional work for the staff, everyone is in great spirits. It has brought us so much joy to show our partners around the building, discussing how the space will serve the community and expand Utah Film Center’s programs. Even with the inevitable hurdles that a new home brings (like figuring out the high-end lighting system!), our staff and board members are thrilled for this new chapter.
This building may have been a lot of things before, but it will now and forever be Utah Film Center at the Geralyn White Dreyfous Building.
Follow along for updates and news of our upcoming construction and grand opening in 2025! Subscribe to our newsletter here and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @utahfilmcenter.
If you have any direct questions about the Utah Film Center Capital Campaign, please reach out to:
Mariah Mellus, Executive Director | mmellus@utahfilmcenter.org
Meghan Horner, Development Director | mhorner@utahfilmcenter.org
