- Salt Lake County Council approved a new library with Ballet West in West Valley City.
- The two-story facility will include a library and Ballet West's studios and theater.
- Construction is expected to start in 2027, modernizing the 60-year-old library site.
WEST VALLEY CITY — In a move that brings a passion for reading and the performing arts together, West Valley City will soon have a brand new library facility, in a shared space with Ballet West.
The Salt Lake County Council unanimously approved a recent motion by the library board to partner with Ballet West in building a new library branch, replacing the nearly 60-year-old current facility.
"The West Valley branch has been a cornerstone of the community for decades, and a modernized branch will allow Salt Lake County to continue serving West Valley residents well into the future," library director Joey McNamee said in a statement. "Our unique partnership with Ballet West reflects and strengthens the cultural interests of our West Valley neighborhoods — an added benefit that enriches the community experience even further."
The new facility will sit two-stories high and will be built on the branch's current location on Lancer Way. The second floor will include the Frederick Quinney Lawson Ballet West Academy studios and a black box theater.
Ballet West's executive director Michael Scolamiero said they're excited for the partnership and the opportunity to "fill a profound void" of affordable performance space on Salt Lake County's west side.
"With a growing community, Ballet West has a goal of broadening access to dance education for future generations of dancers. Ballet West identified West Valley City as an ideal location for a new campus, with a central valley location that will allow us to better serve our west and southwest constituents and offer a unique opportunity to provide access to Ballet West's highly regarded dance," he told KSL in a statement.
Leaders at Ballet West reached out to the county and library board after learning that a new library facility would be built in West Valley City to see if there was interest in a project that brings the two together under one roof, according to Scolamiero.
"Upon completion, our new campus will serve the entire southwest valley, opening unforetold possibilities and access to communities currently without access to the performing arts, and dance in particular," he said.
The future black-box performance space will provide programming opportunities for Ballet West's academy, for Salt Lake County Library, as well as for dance, theater, music and community groups currently without homes of their own, Scolamiero added.
Opened in 1969, the West Valley location is one of the oldest and smallest branches in the county's library system, according to a Salt Lake County press release.
Though county library officials say the branch had around 123,000 visitors who checked out 160,000 items and attended a myriad of programs and activities, the facility's aging infrastructure has reached a point where it was time to explore building a new facility.
"It's a really old building. It has a really old HVAC (system), and it gets to a point with those buildings where it's just a lot more responsible to replace the entire building than to try to piecemeal all of these repairs," said Sara Neal, Salt Lake County library's marketing and communications manager.
Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson said the project is about more than just "bricks and books." It also modernizes a public space for the generation of today and the future.
This project reflects my commitment to smart modernization, environmental responsibility, and designing places that bring people together," she said in a statement. "Our libraries are civic anchors and, with this revitalized branch, we're delivering a future-ready hub for residents — one that pairs strong public purpose with private-sector innovation through a meaningful public-private partnership."
The county is currently working to identify and select an architectural firm for the new facility, followed by engagement with city leaders and residents to determine the branch the community would like to see. Construction is tentatively anticipated to start sometime in 2027, according to Neal.
West Valley City Mayor Karen Lang said efforts are underway to update the city's general plan in a way that supports the heart and soul of its community.
"The new building will support the early learning and lifelong learning of our residents through both the county library branch and Ballet West's studios," she said.
