New Woodward HQ site redevelopment could total 935,000 square-feet

FORT COLLINS — The potential redevelopment of the Link-N-Greens golf course into Woodward Inc.’s new headquarters could eventually mean the construction of 935,000 square feet of manufacturing, office and retail space built over a span of several decades, according to plans submitted by the company.

The bulk of the space on the 101-acre site would be occupied by the energy and aerospace company. Its plans, submitted Monday, show more than 760,000 square feet of five potential buildings to be used by the company.

Woodward has not said whether it intends to move forward with the site, but submitted its plans to the city Planning and Zoning Board in case it does settle on the location. The company — which moved its HQ from Rockford, Ill., to Fort Collins in 2007 after Fort Collins resident Tom Gendron was named CEO — announced last year that it was considered several possible locations around the country.

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If approved, the project will proceed in phases, with the first phase including about 174,000 square feet. This phase would include a 150,000-square-foot Industrial Turbomachinery Systems building with both manufacturing and office space. This initial phase will also include 24,000 square feet of production support.

The first phase of the project will house about 500 employees. At full build-out, the headquarters will hold between 1,700 and 1,900 employees. Right now, Woodward employs 1,200 at its Fort Collins and Loveland campuses.

The entire project would be constructed over a five- to 30-year period. “Future expansion of the Woodward campus buildings will occur over time as production needs dictate,” the company explained in its plan.

The site plan shows potential uses such as restaurants or a bank to supplement office and other mixed-use space.

The entire site is about 101 acres, and about 30 percent of that will remain open space.

Plans also show that the project, if it moves forward, will leave standing historic properties on the site, which is located at the intersection of Lemay Avenue and Mulberry Street.

A barn and some silos on the property are registered with the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties and will be integrated into the redevelopment, the plan says.

Also, the Poudre Trail would be relocated through the project area to allow for connections to the historic landmarks.

The redevelopment would also help restore parts of the Poudre River that were altered for the creation of the golf course.

The plans do not include additional housing on the site, but the creation of new commercial services and employment opportunities should spur the development of new housing nearby, the plan says.

Should it move forward, Allen Ginsborg of NewMark Merrill in Fort Collins would be the developer of the project.

A planning and zoning hearing is scheduled for Feb. 21 for final approval.