Ogden starts upgrades along 25th Street commercial sector, prompting a mix of responses

OGDEN — Downtown Ogden has been the focus of several years' worth of upgrade efforts meant to lure in more people.

The latest effort, planned improvements along part of Historic 25th Street focused on aesthetics and pedestrian traffic, edged out of the starting block on Monday, generating a mix of responses from a handful of business operators.

"It sounds nice. It's just what's going to happen next," said Ron Yeates, owner of No Frills Diner at the corner of 25th Street and Lincoln Avenue, referencing the many downtown improvement efforts up for discussion and in the works, and the instability they've wrought. "It's been tough."

The work that started Monday calls for a range of improvements along 25th Street between Wall Avenue and Grant Avenue, a bustling area that's home to restaurants, locally owned businesses and bars. The plans include new trees, landscaping and planters, improved lighting and seating. Sidewalk and other safety improvements are also in the works for pedestrians, in part to improve accessibility for disabled people.

The changes aim "to make the street more accessible, attractive and welcoming for businesses, residents and visitors" and are based on feedback from local stakeholders, the city said on Monday. The street will remain open through construction, which is to last through the winter into next spring.

The initiative is one of many planned or in the works on or around Historic 25th Street. Notably, major upgrades are planned to Union Station and the land around it across from 25th Street, where it meets Wall Avenue. A major new development, WonderBlock, is rising up adjacent to Historic 25th Street on 5.9 acres between Lincoln and Grant avenues. It calls for 354 apartments, two parking facilities, a grocery store, a hotel and tens of thousands of square feet of office and retail space, with many of the new buildings seeming close to completion.

In June, to the chagrin of some, Ogden officials launched paid parking in part of the downtown area, meant to help generate funds to cover the cost of one of the WonderBlock parking garages.

The planned improvements that launched out of the starting block on Monday were news to some downtown business operators. Whatever the case, Chris Jimenez, owner of Culture Barbershop along 25th Street, seemed on board.

"That sounds pretty cool," he said.

However, the discussion about the downtown upgrades also prompted him to note the ripple effects of implementing paid parking.

"There's been a lot of people that've been fighting against it," he said. He said he's noticed fewer walk-in clients since the change.

Kye Hallows, co-owner of Lavender Vinyl, said improvements geared to pedestrians and disabled people seem like good things. But he said he didn't know the work was coming — a point of frustration — and lamented what he said has been spotty communication with city officials. He also took the opportunity to express his concerns that paid parking may keep people from visiting the downtown area.

"I think it's going to hurt a lot of businesses, honestly," he said.

Yeates said the many changes and plans in the downtown area in such a short period of time have been a source of concern for him and others due to the uncertainty it generates. Aside from paid parking, Lincoln Avenue adjacent to his business has faced partial closure as part of the WonderBlock project.

"It's necessary, so I'm not mad. I just don't know how long we can last," he said. "It's been tough. It's gone on for a while."

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