‘What matters’ is growth for Carbon Valley town
FREDERICK — The town of Frederick, in Weld County’s Carbon Valley, was selected as the 2023 Small Community of the Year by the Economic Development Council of Colorado.
It’s no wonder. The town’s slogan is “Built on What Matters,” and what matters to Frederick is its quality of life, expanding economy and rich history.
That expansion just keeps coming. Agilent Technologies Inc. is building a $725 million expansion in Frederick to double manufacturing capacity of therapeutic nucleic acids. Lawn care company The Toro Co. selected Frederick for a research and development center for its robotics division. Aqua-Hot Heating Systems LLC, which builds hydronic heating systems for the recreational-vehicle industry, moved into a 44,000-square-foot building. And Golden Triangle Construction Inc. moved its headquarters building from Longmont to Godding Hollow Parkway and Raspberry Way in Frederick.
Agilent Technologies Inc. is building a $725 million expansion in Frederick to double manufacturing capacity of therapeutic nucleic acids. “
A new 123,000-square-foot King Soopers grocery store is coming to the Silverstone Marketplace. Much like the Fred Meyer stores familiar to residents of the Pacific Northwest, the expanded format of King Soopers’ new Frederick store will sell clothing and home goods in addition to groceries.
In 2022, Hirsh Precision Products Inc. decided to move many of its operations to a new facility in Frederick. The 65,000-square-foot location represents 28 new jobs for the manufacturer. Hirsh specializes in aerospace, medical and scientific technology.
A part-time developer in Greenwood Village purchased a five acre plot of land in Frederick’s Bear Industrial Park in 2020 with long-term plans to build additional flex space. Other new entries include South Dakota-based Vikor Inc., a builder of telecommunications and utilities towers, and North Range Behavioral Health, which opened a counseling center.
With those new business arrivals come the arrival of new residents. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Frederick’s July 2023 population of 17,676, was 22% higher than what was recorded in the 2020 census. To meet that growth, the town has seen the addition of 1,000 new housing units in the past five years.
The town launched a grant program for brick-and-mortar businesses to be used for property improvements or purchase of new equipment, completed a study assessing the viability in creating a downtown district, and partnered with several organizations and grant programs to pursue an initiative for income-restricted multigenerational workforce housing.
The town recently unveiled Frederick Recreation Area, a grant-funded fitness court launched by the National Fitness Campaign.
Frederick was named when the daughters of landowner Frederick A. Clark laid out the town site in 1907. As with its Weld County neighbors, Dacono and Firestone, Frederick began as a coal-mining town and lured immigrants from Europe and Latin America. Most of the immigrants were from Italy and were paid $2 a day to do the dangerous work. By 1928, the Frederick coal mine had closed, but the workers still are honored in Frederick with an annual Miners Day celebration.
Frederick boasts a full calendar of events including Chainsaws & Chuckwagons, a community barbecue tour, Downtown Sounds, Miner’s Day, Tiny Terror Town Halloween activities and a Festival of Lights.