Newmark Mountain West buys Salt Lake City's historic Ford Building for new headquarters
Built World Salt Lake City, UT localReal estate firm plans $40M renovation of 1924 landmark, move-in expected in 2027
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Overview
Updated 1 hour agoA 100-year-old Ford assembly building on Salt Lake City's west side has a new owner. Newmark Mountain West, the Intermountain region's largest commercial brokerage, bought the 1924 landmark and will spend $40 million to turn it into its corporate headquarters.
The company plans to move 320-plus employees from its offices east of downtown to the Depot District by 2027. The purchase is the strongest sign yet that the west side's long-promised revival is taking hold.
Why it matters
A 320-employee brokerage is betting $40 million that Salt Lake City's west side becomes its next office hub.
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People Involved
Organizations Involved
The Intermountain West's largest commercial real estate brokerage, with nearly 200 professionals across five states.
Built the Salt Lake City facility in 1924 for regional assembly, distribution, sales, and service.
Purchased the Ford Building in 1996 and led its conversion to offices.
Timeline
1924 September 2026
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Report details headquarters plan
Latest ReportingBuilding Salt Lake reports the acquisition and 2027 move-in plan.
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Newmark acquires Ford Building
AcquisitionNewmark Mountain West announces purchase and $40 million renovation plan.
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Renovation done; building listed
PreservationOffice conversion finishes; building added to National Register of Historic Places.
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Gastronomy buys the Ford Building
AcquisitionRestaurant group purchases the building and begins converting it to offices.
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Ford exits the building
Change of UseAfter nearly five decades, Ford leaves the aging facility.
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Ford Building completed
ConstructionFord Motor Company opens its Salt Lake City regional sales, service, and assembly facility.
Historical Context
3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
Pearl District, Portland (1990s-2000s)
A rail yard and warehouse district west of downtown Portland sat largely empty for decades. In the 1990s, developers began converting the brick warehouses into lofts, galleries, and offices, with the city extending streetcar lines to support it.
The district became one of Portland's most desirable neighborhoods, with thousands of residents and office tenants.
It set the template for industrial-district repurposing across the Pacific Northwest.
The Ford Building sits in the same kind of former rail-and-industrial district; its renovation is a smaller-scale version of the Pearl District playbook.
River North (RiNo), Denver (2010s)
Denver's RiNo district, an old industrial area north of downtown, saw artists and then developers move into warehouses. A rail spur and manufacturing buildings were converted to galleries, breweries, and offices.
RiNo became a booming creative district and one of Denver's hottest office markets.
It showed that Intermountain West cities can turn underused industrial land into high-value real estate.
RiNo is the closest geographic analog to what Salt Lake City is attempting in the Depot District; the Ford Building deal follows that playbook.
Salt Lake City Granary District (2010s-present)
Salt Lake City's Granary District, a former warehouse and rail area south of downtown, began attracting converted lofts, breweries, and tech offices in the mid-2010s.
The district added residents and businesses but remains incomplete, with large parcels awaiting development.
It proved local demand for industrial-to-office conversions, paving the way for similar bets nearby.
The Ford Building deal extends the same conversion logic to the west side, on a larger scale.
