The future of Cottonwood Heights' deteriorating Cottonwood Paper Mill, the 19th-century stone "Old Mill" at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon, is headed to a make-or-break public planning hearing on Wednesday. Landowner and applicant Doug Shelby has requested a conditional use permit to demolish the structure, citing structural failure and public safety risks. Engineers, preservation advocates, and city staff are all lining up their arguments for the commission.
According to Building Salt Lake, city planning documents reference engineering studies completed in 2022 and 2024 that concluded the building is at risk of collapse, lacks a conventional foundation, and would require hazardous shoring of its stacked granite blocks. The staff report quotes the applicant describing the Mill as "an attractive nuisance" and "an imminent danger to public safety," and it notes a 2024 estimate that full remediation would exceed $45 million. The packet also points to modest commemoration measures that could accompany demolition if it is approved.
A fragile landmark since the 1880s
Construction on the Mill began in 1880 as a backup paper plant for the Deseret News, and the building was partially reconstructed after a 1893 fire. Over the years, it shifted from industrial workhorse to social backdrop, hosting dances, concerts, and later seasonal haunted-house attractions. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, per the National Register nomination form, and Preservation Utah placed the Old Mill on its 2025 Most Endangered Places list. Those records and local histories fuel preservationists' argument that the ruin is more than rubble and that it anchors neighborhood identity.
Developers' pitch and town-center backdrop
Developers have floated a larger redevelopment vision for roughly 31 acres around the Mill called "Papermill Village." A 2024 presentation outlined plans for more than 300 homes, including 175 condominiums, 120 townhomes, and 14 single-family units. At the same time, Cottonwood Heights has been pursuing a town-center plan after purchasing the former Hillside Plaza, and voters approved a $30 million general-obligation bond in 2024, as outlined on the town-center website. Supporters of demolition say those economics underscore why saving the ruined stone shell is not realistic.
Preservationists mobilize
Preservation advocates are pushing back and urging officials to fully explore adaptive-reuse concepts and historic-preservation incentives before approving demolition, Preservation Utah notes. A Change.org petition to "Save the Old Mill" has been collecting signatures and serves as a hub for updates on meetings and public comment. Local organizers say that even limited measures, such as thorough documentation, salvaging key stones or weaving mill-inspired elements into new construction, could preserve community memory while acknowledging development pressures.
What to expect at the hearing
The Cottonwood Heights Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at 6 p.m. at City Hall. The official public notice details how residents can submit written feedback and speak during the meeting. It also reiterates that a conditional use permit is required for any modification to a historic site, including demolition, and sets a noon deadline the day before the hearing for materials to be included in the commission packet. For meeting times, agendas and instructions for public comment, residents are directed to the city's public notice.
Next steps and what could change
If commissioners approve demolition, the property would still need additional permits and any necessary rezoning or planned-development review before new construction could move forward. Opponents would retain options to appeal and to keep pressing for preservation incentives or partial-preservation approaches. The commission's decision will heavily influence whether the Old Mill survives as a visible landmark or is folded into a new neighborhood footprint.
