The Utah Renaissance House

In 1911, Barnard F. Doran, a wealthy Park City tavern owner, opened the Mecca Bar and the Annex Tavern, both located in the newly constructed Kearns building in Salt Lake City, a building still standing to this day. The Kearns building was owned by his good friend, Senator Thomas Kearns, a wealthy mining, banking, railroad, and newspaper magnate who's home is now the Historic Utah Governor's Mansion and 

official residence of Utah's Governor.

That same year, 1911, Mr. Doran started construction on a home now known as the Utah Renaissance House. He employed the architect Frank Winder Moore to design the home. He was a respected and well-known Utah architect responsible for construction in the nearby Fort Douglas and of several iconic Salt Lake City and Utah homes and buildings. The home was designed and constructed in the Italian Renaissance architectural style, unique in Utah and in the Federal Heights neighborhood. This new and prestigious neighborhood was immediately next to the fledgling University of Utah, on the foothills overlooking Salt Lake City. 

The home was constructed over five years by hundreds of skilled craftsmen. It was built to a luxurious standard and in an era when one carpenter might work for three weeks to construct the framing, sill, and trim for one window; employing skilled craftsmanship with hand tools and creating extraordinary homes that are truly one-of-a-kind works of art.

The fluted wood columns in the great room were fashioned after those found in the Grand Pump Room in Bath, England. The mahogany wall panels and trim were constructed with extraordinarily rare and expensive South American mahogany. The detailed and ornate woodwork and hard wood flooring has been described by a current master carpenter as truly astonishing and exceptional. The lavish, one-of-a-kind original Art Nouveau Chandeliers in the foyer and dining room were imported from Bavaria and contain more than 150 original lead crystal pendants. Original wavy cylinder glass can be found in many of the windows, built in bookcases, and china cabinets.

At the time of its construction, the Utah Renaissance House would have been one of the most expensive, elaborate, and cutting edge homes in the Salt Lake Valley. It boasted state-of-the-art electrical, plumbing, and heating systems. It was a true showpiece designed and constructed with no expense spared and to be a home that could properly reflect the wealth and status of its owner. 

In 1917, Utah passed  a prohibition on the sale and consumption of alcohol that was followed in 1921 by a national prohibition. The tavern business came to an abrupt ending and by 1920 Bernard had retired and moved with his family to La Joya California. Unfortunately, Barnard and his family lived for only a short time in the beautiful home he had constructed. Bernard passed away from pneumonia in 1924 and his family moved back to Salt Lake City. His son attended and graduated from the University of Utah.

The home has been upgraded over the last 100 years to perfectly balance modern convenience with the original design and character of the home. Forced air heating and air conditioning have been added along with modern bathroom fixtures, kitchen appliances, and two separate laundry rooms. The original hardwood doors are complimented with secure digital fingerprint locks. The amazing exterior hosts modern security lights, motion sensors, and cameras.

After more than 100 years as a home for some of Salt Lake City's most wealthy citizens, the home is now for the first time available for female University of Utah students to live in and enjoy.

It's perfect.