UPDATE: At the April 19 meeting, the City Council decided to preserve and relocate the Santa Ana Casto home to a suitable alternate location. The home will need to be moved within the next two months to accommodate construction of the new fire station
The Casto Home Dilemma
The City of Holladay is going to build a new fire station on the property located across the street from Olympus Junior High School. The current fire station is structurally unsafe, so much so that it is not safe for the fire fighters to stay in the building. As a result, the fire fighters assigned to that station have been required to live in “temporary”, portable living quarters located behind the fire station building for the past eight years. The property across the street from the junior high school was donated to the City by Salt Lake County with a requirement that the property could only be used for a public use.
In the late 1800's, Santa Anna Casto's father William, a member of the Mormon Batallion and an early settler in Holladay, built a small brick home on the north side of what is now known as Casto Lane. Shortly after the incorporation of the City, a developer contacted the City, explaining that the property on Casto Lane was going to be redeveloped, and asking if the City would be interested in saving the historic Casto Home and having it moved to another location. The City Council secured outside funding to have the building moved from Casto Lane to the then vacant property across from the junior high school, where it now sits.
Now, as the City has begun the process of working with architects for the development of the new fire station, the City has been informed that the development of a fire station on that property will require the removal of the Casto home, so that the fire trucks can enter the street at the stop light across from the junior high school. As such, the City is now faced with the decision to either move the Casto home to a new location, or to have the home demolished. The cost of moving the Casto home would be approximately $60,000 ($40,000 for moving, and $20,000 for the foundation at the new location). The cost of demolishing and hauling away the building would be approximately $10,000. Within the next few months, the City Council will be required to decide: Should the Casto home be relocated, or should it be torn down? We welcome your feedback on this important issue. A public hearing will be held on Thursday, March 22 at 6pm in the Council Chambers.
