LDS presiding bishop, face of City Creek Center, released

H. David Burton, longtime presiding bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the genial public face for the faiths decadelong effort to build a mammoth urban community of residences, retail shops and office space in downtown Salt Lake City, was released Saturday from the ecclesiastical post he has held since 1996.

The announcement by Dieter F. Uchtdorf, second counselor in the First Presidency, that Burton and counselors Richard C. Edgley and Keith B. McMullin would step down from their duties came just nine days after the church and Taubman Centers Inc. opened the retail component of Citys City Creek Center, across the street from Temple Square and LDS Church headquarters. The five years of construction began with the demolition of the old KeyBank tower and the Crossroads and ZCMI malls. It was a project that Burton, 73, helped guide since it was announced to the public in 2003.

At 700,000 square feet, City Creek is special for several reasons. Burton and his secular counterpart William Taubman developed the megamall at a time when retail projects of that size arent often constructed anymore. Whats more, the project, estimated to cost up to $2 billion, was bankrolled by the development arm of the Utah-based faith, which did not use outside financing or draw on tithes made by its worldwide membership. Finally, the massive project provided close to 2,000 construction jobs at a time when the economy was in a deep recession.

While Burton may be best remembered for his efforts over more than a decade to shepherd City Creek in to life, he first came to wide notice in the clash over the churchs Main Street Plaza, which closed Main Street between North Temple and South Temple. Court fights ensued. Community schisms appeared. Finally, in a controversial land-for-peace compromise, Salt Lake City, led by then-Mayor Rocky Anderson, gave up an easement on the plaza allowing the LDS Church to control speech and behavior there in exchange for cash and a community center in the west-side Glendale area.

Burton differed with Anderson over the mayors opposition to a Main Street sky bridge linking City Creeks east and west retail components. Anderson disparaged it as a "gerbil tube." Approval of the elevated walkway came after Andersons second term ended and Mayor Ralph Becker took the citys reins.

As presiding bishop, Burton and his counselors were in charge of the churchs land, buildings and commercial businesses.

But though an economics degree from the University of Utah and his masters degree in business administration from the University of Michigan prepared him for a business-focused career, Burton has said that his most satisfying moments were working with humanitarian groups in Utah and around the world.

Within a day of Haitis devastating earthquake in 2010, LDS officials in Salt Lake City mobilized the churchs extensive resources to help with disaster relief. Burton led the effort.

"Whether its with The Road Home here in Salt Lake City to provide transitional housing or shelter for the homeless or with the Red Cross and the Red Crescent in Africa to provide measles vaccinations, we are anxious to collaborate in unprecedented partnerships to help people, to alleviate suffering and to give individuals and communities the wherewithal to help themselves," Burton said last year upon receiving the Salt Lake Chambers Giant in Our City award.

Bishop came to the post of presiding bishop at age 57. He had served as a counselor in the Presiding Bishopric since 1992. Before then, he worked as its executive secretary and spent a year as the assistant church budget officer. He also worked for Kennecott Copper and the Utah Tax Commission.

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LDS presiding bishop, face of City Creek Center, released