Ogden City purchases historic downtown building for $3.6M — Here’s what it plans to do with it

OGDEN, Utah (ABC4) — Ogden City has officially purchased the historic U.S. Forest Service Building from the federal government after it deemed the structure “surplus” property.

The city approved the $3.6 million purchase of the downtown building last December and announced the completed acquisition on Friday, April 4, in a press release. While city officials are still unsure about the timeline and details regarding the building’s future, they have given us a sneak peek.

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class="wp-block-heading">A historic downtown building

The Art Deco-styled building was constructed in 1934 and served as the district headquarters for the U.S. Forest Service, according to the U.S. General Services Administration.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the 1980s as part of a group of Art Deco buildings in Ogden, and then again individually in 2006. The city said the building was used by the forest service up until a few years ago.

The executive director for Preservation Utah, Brandy Strand, called the city’s purchase of the landmark “a major achievement.”

“This ensures that the building’s defining Art Deco elements and its connection to Ogden’s past remain intact while allowing for thoughtful adaptation that meets the needs of the Nine Rails Creative District,” Strand said.

Sara Meess, the city’s economic development division director, said the building was designed by the same architecture firm that designed Ogden High and the Ogden Municipal Building, all of which were done in a similar style. She said the three buildings “are an important part of the community’s history and great architectural legacy.”

“It really is one of the best examples we have here in Utah of Art Deco architecture,” Meess said.

The future of the building

The building’s location in the Nine Rails Creative District in Ogden — located between Grant and Madison Avenue from 24th to 26th Street — gave the city direction on what it could use the structure for.

The district was established a few years ago and aims to encourage creatives to live and work in Ogden through programs that support art, according to the city.

“It’s really focused on using arts and culture to activate the area, engage with the community and help revitalize the area,” Meess said. “So given that the Forest Service building is in a key location for the nine rails district, we were definitely interested in seeing if it could be reused in a way that would support that.”

City officials said they are planning to turn the building into a community hub with “a creative live/work environment.” Meess said this will include housing that aims to be affordable and accessible for creatives, as well as collaborative spaces, such as studios or performing arts areas.

“It’s exciting to bring this space back to life and transform its purpose as a place to foster creativity. As we build out the Nine Rails Creative District, the entire community will benefit from a thriving center for art, culture, and innovation,” Ogden Mayor Ben Nadolski said.

The city partnered with housing developer Giv Group to convert the government building into a downtown community space, meaning Ogden’s redevelopment agency would likely not be the long-term owner of the property.

The city said it will continue to work with Preservation Utah to ensure the building maintains its historic integrity throughout the process. In the coming months, Ogden officials will meet with Giv Group and Preservation Utah to create more concrete plans and decide on their next steps.

“Preservation Utah … has done a ton of work to document the building and its historic features, and they’ll actually be holding an easement on the building that ensures that those historic features and the character of the building are protected for a long time to come,” Meess said.