The situation seemed pretty dire. The old Wells Fargo building had gone through multiple owners and had countless studies done—all seemed to conclude that nothing was going to pencil out. The trajectory was that people would eventually give up, and the building would be demolished. Demolition by neglect. But how can a building like this be demolished?!
The old Wells Fargo building was the old First Security Bank building before that, built in 1927. (First Security merged with Wells Fargo in 2000.) The building was designed by Eber Piers, a prominent architect in Ogden who designed more than 300 buildings in the area (including my childhood home, a very important fact worth mentioning). It is the tallest building in Ogden and the largest Prairie Style structure in Utah. It is brimming with beautiful details, from the exterior brickwork to the main lobby. Even after sitting empty since 2006, it is still obvious that they spared no expense with this building.
The situation changed entirely when Cache Valley Bank bought the building in late 2018 at a bankruptcy auction. Ogden’s Mayor, Mike Caldwell, said, “It’s the absolute best-case scenario for Ogden to have them come and pick it up.” Cache Valley Bank is…well…a bank, so they do not have to apply for a “change of use” which would require a whole host of additional expenses. Perhaps the most important thing that Cache Valley Bank brings to the table, however, is a passion for old buildings. In fact, this will be the second time Cache Valley Bank restores an old Wells Fargo building.
We asked if someone would be able to show us the lobby. Bruce Rigby, President at Cache Valley Bank, was kind enough to give us a tour of the entire building, from the rooftop to the old street elevator in the basement. (We should also say that Bruce climbed all those stairs like they were nothing.) It was clear that Cache Valley Bank’s interest in making this their new flagship branch comes from a real passion for the building, its history, and its potential, once again, to be an extraordinary space. The views from the roof are breathtaking, and Cache Valley Bank’s vision for the building is inspirational. Thank you for the tour, Bruce. Thank you, Cache Valley Bank.
