Section 106 Public Notice

Regarding the National Endowment for the Humanities’ Section 106 Review of Utah State University’s Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art New Wanlass Art Research & Education Center

The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has offered Utah State University in Salt Lake City, UT, an Infrastructure and Capacity Building grant (CHA-284046) for new construction of the Wanlass Art Research & Education Center (Center) as part of the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art (NEHMA).

NEH is an independent grant-making agency of the United States government dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities.  This public notice is issued as part of NEH’s responsibilities under 36 C.F.R. Part 800, the regulations which implement Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, as amended, 54 U.S.C. 306108.  NEH, a funding agency, is required by regulation to identify and assess the effects of any proposed actions on historic properties.  If any proposed action will have an adverse effect on historic resources, NEH works with the appropriate parties to seek ways to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any adverse effects.  Additionally, the Section 106 regulations require NEH to consider the views of the public on preservation issues when making final decisions that affect historic properties.

The proposed Center will be located at coordinates 41°44'34.2"N 111°48'22.3"W, on the University of Utah Campus. It will be sited southwest of NEHMA, on the east side of the Caine College of the Arts Fine Arts Center (FAC), adjacent to a loading dock the building. The Center will be a three-story, 9,400 square-foot facility with a 3,150 SF footprint. The Center will abut the music wing of the FAC with a solid wall. The Center will have a separate entrance while the loading dock will be expanded and adapted to be used for this building project.

While the FAC was originally constructed in 1967 and is holds significant importance within the University of Utah, the building has been significantly renovated and expanded over the years, that it is not eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. Other buildings within the Area of Potential Effects are the College of Engineering, the Science Engineering Research Building, and the Caine Performance Hall. These buildings do not meet the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

On November 16, 2022, Christopher Hansen, Preservation Planner with the Utah State Historic Preservation Office, concurred with the Utah State University that the undertaking will have no adverse effect. Subsequently, NEH has determined that the undertaking will have no adverse effect.

As required by Section 106, NEH is providing the public with information about this project, as well as an opportunity to comment on any knowledge of, or concerns with, historic properties in the proposed project area, and issues relating to the project’s potential effects on historic properties. Comments may be submitted to the NEH by e-mail to FPO@neh.gov.