South Weld city basks in ideal growth location
FORT LUPTON — Ideally located to support regional manufacturing and entrepreneurial growth as metro Denver pushes north, Fort Lupton’s future continues to hold promise.
At the intersection of U.S. Highway 85 and Colorado Highway 52 between Interstates 25 and 76, just a half hour from Denver International Airport and served by the Union Pacific Railroad, Fort Lupton is an affordable and accessible spot for businesses looking to be close to the Denver metropolitan area.
The agricultural, energy and manufacturing sectors have historically supported the economic vitality of Fort Lupton, and the city is actively working to build and foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem through partnerships with regional business resource providers and business education.
Sphere Renewables LLC in June opened its 43,000-square-foot headquarters on a 7.7 acre lot a mile and a half east of U.S 85 along Weld County Road 8, smack-dab in Weld County’s energy industry sweet spot with its proximity to oil and gas operations, renewables and recyclables, manufacturing and wind and solar energy industries. The site is located in the Enterprise Zone, which qualifies the company for an estimated $217,500 in various tax credits for economic contributions such as job creation and equipment investment.
Two months earlier, Golden Aluminum Co. won a $22.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The city’s diversity of manufacturers include Basalite Concrete Products, Bee-Och Organics, Charm Industrial, House of Smoke Inc., Merritt Aluminum Products Co., Sphere Renewables and Summit Bodyworks. Other major employers include Halliburton, Intermountain Trailer, Nelson Pipeline Constructors and Salud Family Health.
Michelle Magelssen, Fort Lupton’s economic-development manager, said the trend is unlikely to slow down any time soon. With the city in such close proximity to major highways, coupled with the lower taxes in Weld County and a ready and capable workforce, all companies need is a good site.
“We do have land available for industrial development, so we are going to grow for a while,” Magelssen said, adding that an area north of the city called Northland holds 150 acres of industrial property that’s primed and ready.
“The nice thing is we do have land available for industrial and commercial growth,” she said, “where some communities closer to I-25 are focused on just residential or high-profile retail.”
Along with business growth have come more amenities for residents. The latest was the grand reopening of Fort Lupton Recreation Center’s Splash Park on June 19. Besides the unique splash pad, the free state-of-the-art interactive playground for kids and families has a fitness area, interactive games, swings, slides, climbing equipment, a skate park and running trails.
The city was named for Lt. Lancaster Lupton, who built a trading post on Adobe Creek in 1838. The Fort Lupton Trading Post has been reconstructed near the site of the original fort using some of the original adobe bricks at the South Platte Valley Historical Park. That park was established by the South Platte Valley Historical Society northwest of the city.
Resources:
City of Fort Lupton
Zo Hubbard, mayor
Chris Cross, town administrator
Michelle Magelssen, economic development manager
Fort Lupton Chamber of Commerce
Allison Johnston, executive director
Upstate Colorado Economic Development
Richard Werner, CEO, Upstate Colorado Economic Development