County
Weber
Year Built
1931
Architect
Leslie S. Hodgson
National Register?
Yes, listed 2015
Status
Saved
Status Explanation
On April 14, 2026, the Ogden City Council voted 6-1 to approve a Land Transfer and Development Agreement with 600 Exchange Building LLC, which is connected to Fischer Regan Enterprises, to restore the Ogden Union Stockyard Exchange Building. The city will transfer ownership of the building to the developer and provide up to $1 million in previously set aside funds for preconstruction and stabilization work. The building will become the new headquarters for GMRE, a defense contractor now based in South Ogden. The developer has promised to preserve all of architect Leslie S. Hodgson's key design features, including the Art Deco facade, cast-stone livestock heads, geometric brickwork, and interior elements. The agreement sets a development timeline, and the rehabilitation is expected to take between 1.5 and 2 years. There is also a clause that lets the developer withdraw if environmental or structural problems make the project too costly.
About the Threat
The immediate risk of demolition has passed. On April 14, 2026, the Ogden City Council approved a Land Transfer and Development Agreement with 600 Exchange Building LLC to restore the building. While the structure is no longer considered endangered, the agreement includes a clause that lets the developer back out if environmental or structural problems make the project too costly. Until the feasibility review is finished and construction starts, the building’s long-term future is still uncertain. There is also concern about ongoing deterioration before work begins, since the building has been empty and declining since the city bought it in 2013. The city has set aside $1 million for stabilization and preconstruction work to address the most urgent repairs soon.
Access
The building is fenced and not open to the public. It is visible from Exchange Road within the Ogden Business Exchange area. Once rehabilitated, it will serve as commercial office space for GMRE.
History
The building is fenced and not open to the public. It is visible from Exchange Road within the Ogden Business Exchange area. Once rehabilitated, it will serve as commercial office space for GMRE.
What can be done? What was learned?
The building is now saved. If you want to support the project, you can follow updates from Ogden City's Community and Economic Development Department and Fischer Regan Enterprises as the rehabilitation continues. If you have old photos, documents, or memories about the Exchange Building or the Ogden Union Stockyards, please contact the Weber County Library local history collection or the Museum at Union Station. They may be interested in artifacts and stories to help interpret the building's restored space.
What is the timeline?
The rehabilitation is expected to take between 1.5 and 2 years once construction begins. There is no official groundbreaking date yet. The agreement outlines a development timeline and sets conditions for the city's $1 million contribution. If structural or environmental problems make the project too expensive, the developer can withdraw.
What has been the public discussion?
The Ogden Union Stockyard Exchange Building received steady media attention throughout 2025 and into 2026. When Preservation Utah listed it as the Most Endangered in May 2025, news outlets such as Deseret News, KSL, and KUTV covered its architectural value, the city's failed redevelopment efforts, and the urgent need for preservation. Preservation Utah Executive Director Brandy Strand was quoted in several stories, stressing the building's importance and the city's commitment to bringing it back to life. The January 16, 2025, Ogden City Landmarks Commission meeting, where staff officially warned the building was at risk of demolition, marked a turning point. Press coverage showed strong community support for saving the building, and nearby businesses like Roosters Brewing said it was central to the area's character. The City Council's 6-1 vote in April 2026 followed public comments in support of the project and demonstrated important political backing. Mayor Ben Nadolski said in city materials: "From the beginning of my campaign and in my State of the City, I made it clear that historic preservation would be a priority."
Links to more information and articles.
National Register nomination (NPS Gallery): https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/15000452
Ogden City press release, April 2026 — Land Transfer and Development Agreement approval: https://www.ogdencity.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/932
Deseret News, April 16, 2026 — "Ogden OKs plan to rehab deteriorating Union Stock Exchange Building": https://www.deseret.com/utah/2026/04/16/overjoyed-ogden-oks-plan-to-rehab-deteriorating-union-stock-exchange-building/
KSL, April 15, 2026 — "'Overjoyed': Ogden OKs plan to rehab deteriorating Union Stock Exchange Building": https://www.ksl.com/article/51483607/overjoyed-ogden-oks-plan-to-rehab-deteriorating-union-stock-exchange-building
Standard-Examiner, April 17, 2026 — "Ogden City approves land transfer agreement to restore and preserve historic stockyard building": https://www.standard.net/news/local/2026/apr/17/ogden-city-approves-land-transfer-agreement-to-restore-and-preserve-historic-stockyard-building/
KSL, June 21, 2025 — "Ogden seeks developers to rehab 'endangered' Union Stock Exchange building": https://www.ksl.com/article/51332296/ogden-seeks-developers-to-rehab-endangered-union-stock-exchange-building
KUTV, July 9, 2025 — "City making plans to save historic Ogden Union Stockyard Exchange Building": https://kutv.com/news/utahs-growing-pains/residents-wonder-whats-next-for-historic-ogden-building-that-sits-in-developing-area
Ogden City Landmarks Commission Meeting Minutes, January 16, 2025: https://ut-ogden.civicplus.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_01162025-1566