Ogden officials preview plans for historic Exchange building as multiple RDA projects advance

Ogden redevelopment staff on March 10 offered a progress update on several downtown projects and gave council a ‘‘teaser’’ of plans for the city’s historic Union Stockyards Exchange building.

The Redevelopment Agency (RDA) presentation, led by Eric Gibson with a detailed history and preview from Kelly Pendleton, recounted the Exchange building’s livestock‑trading legacy and architecture — a two‑story, roughly 9,500‑square‑foot Art Deco structure designed by Leslie Hodgkins in 1931 that the city acquired in 2013. Pendleton said the building is currently vacant and has suffered weather and trespass damage, and staff have been working with developers to find a reuse that preserves the structure.

“We’re going to give you a little bit of a teaser,” Pendleton said. “Think of it as the trailer to a really good movie.” She told council staff are finalizing a transmittal package that will come to the council for formal review and decision in the near term.

Beyond the Exchange, staff provided brief updates on a slate of RDA properties. Highlights included:
- River’s Edge: building permits issued last week for a commercial building plus two apartment buildings along Washington Avenue adjacent to the river; site work has started and staff emphasized a small ground‑floor café space intended to serve trail users.
- Thornsten/Lotus property: Lotus has asked to change an earlier agreement requiring 30 high‑end loft units to a development of 25 income‑targeted artist lofts; staff said materials will be prepared for council consideration.
- Union Station neighborhood: staff described a recent public meeting and a pending exclusive negotiation and cost‑share agreement with a developer; the Housing and Transit Reinvestment Zone (HTRZ) conversation will follow completion of market and feasibility studies, with a late‑2026 target noted.
- Gibson Avenue parcel: an open RFP was issued; Lotus offered an adjacent triangle of land as an optional parcel if a proposer purchases it concurrently, potentially improving site outcomes.

Gibson said some projects are still undergoing environmental review or voluntary cleanup programs and that, for several sites, staff are negotiating master plans and cost‑share agreements. He asked council to expect forthcoming transmittals and recommended materials so members could take formal action after reviewing complete documentation.

What happens next: staff said they will transmit the Exchange project and related documents to council for review and potential future action. For other projects such as Thornsten/Lotus and Union Station, staff are preparing more detailed packets and feasibility analyses before asking the council or RDA board to take formal steps.

Councilmembers asked clarifying questions about zoning, timelines for phased projects and developer selection processes; staff said some agreements date to prior administrations and that any direct negotiations must meet RDA policy criteria and be brought to the board for authority.

The RDA briefing gave council an overview of multiple downtown initiatives at different stages of review, with formal transmittals and staff recommendations expected in the coming weeks.