Ogden's new chapter
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No Comments [ Add Comment ]By Scott Schwebke
Standard-Examiner staff
sschwebke@standard.net
City leaders hope opening of The Junction will revitalize downtown, create a new heyday
OGDEN -- Like the railroad in its heyday, a new economic engine downtown may prove to be Ogden's gravy train.
All aboard The Junction, an ambitious development that will debut with the opening of the $18 million Megaplex 13 cinema Friday and $19.5 million high-adventure Salomon Center on Saturday.
Both facilities are just the ticket to keep Ogden's burgeoning reputation as a recreation and tourism hub chugging along, said Mayor Matthew Godfrey.
"Making downtown a high-adventure and entertainment hot spot makes us unique and will attract jobs, tourism and retail to Ogden."
The idea of making Ogden a high-adventure mecca first arose in 2000 during meetings between Godfrey and officials with the Ogden/Weber Chamber of Commerce and other organizations in preparation for the city's hosting several Winter Olympic venues.
The group set about determining what would make Ogden unique and decided to capitalize on its proximity to skiing, snowboarding, kayaking and mountain- biking opportunities.
After the Olympics, the outdoor recreation concept carried over into the city's economic revitalization efforts, including completion of a development like The Junction.
But it wasn't until November 2005 when the city council agreed to issue bonds for construction of the Salomon Center that the project officially got off the ground.
"It's been a long time coming," Godfrey said in an interview last week.
Located at the site of the former Ogden City Mall, the concept for The Junction was born out of economic necessity aimed at keeping downtown vibrant.
When he was elected in 1999, Godfrey said, the financially troubled mall was already in its death throes with the Nordstrom department store gone and JCPenney's on its way out.
"There were no anchor tenants," he said. "Everybody was scattering like rats."
The city tried in vain to attract new stores and developers to revive the mall. But nothing materialized, and Godfrey was told over and over again the days of successful urban malls were over.
"I was shocked," Godfrey said. "It was a beautiful mall."
So the city purchased the mall in 2001 for $6 million and tore it down. Godfrey helped launch an effort to rebuild, eventually resulting in plans for The Junction.
At the height of its success in the 1980s and 1990s, the mall generated $1.5 million annually in tax revenue for Ogden, said Mark Johnson, the city's management services director.
The city benefited not only from property taxes on the mall buildings, but also from sales tax, much of which came from purchases by visitors who lived outside Ogden, he said.
At its peak in 1999, the mall property was valued near$50 million. By the time the mall closed, that had shrunk to $6 million.
During its first year of operation, The Junction is expected to generate about$2.8 million in tax revenue, Johnson said. By 2015, the development should provide $4.5 million per year in tax revenue and its property value should reach $182 million, he estimated.
The Junction's success will hinge on the symbiotic relationship between its two anchors, the Salomon Center and Megaplex 13, Godfrey said.
"The Salomon Center is the key to bringing the theaters, and the theaters are key to bringing the other projects."
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of the once-vibrant downtown mall, the Salomon Center, with its 75-foot-tall and 75-foot-wide windows, and the monolithic Megaplex 13 are impressive additions to Ogden's skyline.
The 125,000-square-foot Salomon Center is named after a brand of ski products produced by Amer Sports Inc., which will locate its North American headquarters in the former American Can Co. complex in July.
The first floor of the Salomon Center, nearly 66,000 square feet, will house FatCats Fun Center and include an arcade, 32-lane bowling alley, billiards room, glow-in-the-dark miniature golf, bumper cars, children's play area, sports shop, Champ's Sport Bar, Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill, The Pizza Factory and Striker's Grill.
Also on the first floor is the Flowrider surf pool and a 55-foot indoor iRock boulder- and rope-climbing wall.
The center's 59,000-square-foot second floor houses the iFLY vertical wind tunnel and Gold's Gym, featuring a health and fitness center, indoor track, basketball and racquetball courts, whirlpool, steam room, sauna, lap pool and aerobics room.
The Dance Establishment, a dance school for children and adults, will occupy a mezzanine off the second floor.
Dave Rutter, a co-owner of FatCats, said he believes the Salomon Center will spark increased development, not only within The Junction but also along Washington Boulevard.
"The whole downtown area will really benefit."
The Salomon Center is complemented by an elaborate $941,000 outdoor plaza. The plaza includes sandstone seating and a pedestrian area with a water feature and a 42-foot-tall steel-and-bronze sculpture depicting a mountain climber.
The Megaplex 13 -- owned by sports, entertainment and auto-dealership mogul Larry H. Miller -- is just north of the Salomon Center and will feature 2,300 seats, state-of-the-art audiovisual and sound technology and a food court.
Moviegoers will be permitted to bring food items from the eateries into auditoriums to enjoy a full meal while watching a film.
Miller, who was persuaded by Godfrey to build at The Junction, is excited about the opening of the theaters, said Dave Bollard, marketing manager for the Megaplex empire that also includes cinemas in Sandy, Salt Lake City and South Jordan.
"Obviously, Larry can make a lot more money in car dealerships than he can in theaters, but he really tries to give back to the community," he said.
The Salomon Center and Megaplex 13 have also been the catalyst for other development within The Junction:
* In August, the Elizabeth Stewart Treehouse Museum moved into a new $6 million facility east of the Salomon Center.
* The six-story Earnshaw Building will feature condominiums, office and retail space.
* The four-story Ensign Plaza South building will include tenants J.D. Clark & Co., Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage and Equity Title Agency.
* The Boyer Co. is building the four-story, 65,000-square-foot Wells Fargo Center at 24th Street and Washington Boulevard in The Junction. The building will house Wells Fargo Bank and the law firm of Van Cott, Bagley, Cornwall & McCarthy, among other tenants.
* Boyer has also begun site preparation for the first of 10 buildings at The Junction that will include 92 town homes, lofts and flats and 51,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space slated to open next year.
* Stuart Reid, the city's former community and economic development director turned developer, plans to begin construction at The Junction in August on a sprawling 224,000-square-foot condominium and commercial building known as Ashton Square. At seven stories, it will be the tallest structure at The Junction and will include 66 condominiums, two restaurants and commercial space.
The Junction's shops, restaurants and residential dwellings will solidify the city's reputation as a cool destination and, Godfrey said, "will help tell the story of Ogden."
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