USU purchases ‘Golden Toaster’ chapel
Ownership of the land upon which the Latter-day Saint chapel commonly referred to as “The Golden Toaster” is built, on the southeast corner of campus, has recently been purchased by USU, pending approval by the USU Board of Trustees and the State of Utah Board of Regents, said USU President Stan Albrecht.
The Golden Toaster, which has housed church meetings for LDS students for decades, will eventually be demolished, he added.
“We would like to use that facility for a short period of time, but our intent is really to take that building down, because that is an incredible location, as you all know, for a major USU building,” Albrecht said. “And so what we want to do is start planning and see something happen in our near future.”
Though university planners have had eyes on the building and property for many years, said Vice President Dave Cowley for Business and Finance, negotiations between the university and LDS representatives now close a two-year effort, on behalf of the university, to finally come into ownership of the land.
The roughly 3.5-acre parcel located at 650 N. and 1200 East has been exchanged for land at the north end of the old trailer court area.
“USU owns all of the property around that location,” Cowley said. “It’s because of that it has been something the university has always hoped that we could acquire. We own all the way around that. It’s an ideal location for an academic building. (And) this discussion was one that finally worked for both sides.”
Albrecht echoed this sentiment. “(It’s) something that we’ve wanted to have happen for some time,” he said. “It’s taken us a couple of years to get it there, but we are now finalizing that agreement, so we are now excited about that.”
According to Cowley, head of negotiations for the university, no money exchange is outlined within the trade terms.
The university’s Master Plan states that the almost 14,000 full-time equivalent students are expected to reach 26,000 in the next 20-30 years. The plan outlines the need for an additional 2.5 million square-feet of academic, academic support, administrative and general use facilities. It also calls for a 65 percent increase in the size of potential building area in order accommodate these growth projections.
Cowley said he sees the Toaster’s current location as a vital gain in another respect, too.
“That intersection is one of the major entrances to campus,” he said. “It’s very important for the university to own the property at such an important entrance.”
Information regarding the future of LDS building presence on the east end of campus has yet to be released.
“The Toaster is a landmark that will be missed when it is gone,” said sophomore Sam Aho, a student who attended church services in the building during the 2010-2011 school year. “Lots of good time with good friends — a unique building with a unique personality. Farewell to The Golden Toaster.”
– betsy.blanchard@aggiemail.usu.edu