The former Good Spirits bar in South Salt Lake has been vacant for nearly a year, and its unlocked front and back doors are attracting illegal activities, South Salt Lake’s police chief said.
The abandoned bar is just up the street from the new men’s homeless resource center that opened in November. Jeremy Quiantana, who spent some time recently at the center, told FOX 13 the bar has become a hot spot for criminal acts.
“Because of the shelter right there, they don’t want to do it inside the shelter and they don’t want to mess with the neighbors and draw heat to themselves,” Quaintana said.
A police officer, who spoke to FOX 13, said law enforcement has to remove people out of the building daily. Since the shelter opened, calls to the building have increased.
“We are definitely having problems there,” South Salt Lake Police Chief Jack Carruth said.
Salt Lake County purchased the bar and 10 other adjacent homes when construction began on the Men’s Homeless Resource Center. Carruth said the bar and the other vacant buildings are health and safety hazards for his officers.
“They are serving no purpose obviously. It’s time that they be removed for sure,” Carruth said.
Salt Lake County Real Estate Manager Derrick Sorensen said the county plans to demolish the bar and six of the homes by the end of the month. He said the doors are unlocked because the county can’t afford to continue to replace broken locks.
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