Ogden Union Stockyards to be transformed into a modern business park
Ogden City discusses plans to rebuild the Ogden Union Stockyards in a video
detailing the vision for a master planned business park in west Ogden
OGDEN – Ogden City, together with the Redevelopment Agency and local and federal partners, has begun work on the Ogden Business Exchange, a 51-acre master planned business park located at the historic Ogden Union Stockyards. To illustrate the vision of the project and to share some of the vast history of the site, the City released a short video on its Facebook and YouTube pages.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5inAqepCSRs
“We’re excited to bring new life to this and bring new life to Ogden’s economy with this,” said Ogden City Mayor Mike Caldwell about the project.
Beginning in 1917 and running through the late 1970s, the Ogden Union Stockyards dominated the livestock industry in the west and provided one of the largest economic engines within the city. Over 2.4 million head of sheep, hogs, cattle, and horses made its way through the stockyards in the peak year of 1949, resulting in over $87 million in annual revenue – the equivalent of $1.2 billion in today’s dollars. Adding to this enormous impact were three packing houses, all of which generated vast revenues themselves and added over 150 employees to the already 100 plus employed at the stockyards. The railroad may have helped establish Ogden’s presence as a western hub, but it was the livestock industry and the prominence of the Ogden Union Stockyards that fueled Ogden’s wealth and prosperity.
As the trains gave way to over-the-road trucking and modern efficiencies, the relevancy of the Stockyard dwindled. Sadly, the Ogden Union Stockyards were closed in January 1971. Forty-three years of neglect and decay have left the proud stockyards a ghost of what once was. Standing as a window to the past is the Exchange Building, the original administrative offices of the livestock operation. Constructed in 1931, the Exchange Building reminds us that history is the foundation on which the future is built; an ever-present cry that begs us to rebuild. This time, the glory of the stockyards will not come from cows and sheep, but from technology and industry. And the Exchange Building will be at the center of it all!
The Ogden Business Exchange is designed to be more than a collection of buildings and roads. Its proximity to the Weber River and internal walking/bike paths encourages a connection to the active outdoor recreation lifestyle that abounds in Ogden and its unique layout will embody the history of the site through open space development and preservation of important elements.
“We have a number of lifestyle based companies that are looking to relocate here and be part of this very unique project,” said Caldwell. “It’s going to make an enormous difference in West Ogden and we couldn’t be happier about it.”
Construction of the first phase will be nearing completion in summer 2016.
