BizWest’s Ken Amundson reports that U.S. Engineering is planning a significant expansion at Johnstown’s J Farms development, adding roughly 135,000 square feet to create a full campus near Interstate 25 and Colorado Highway 60. The existing Johnstown Metalworks facility is already more than 100,000 square feet; the new building will include warehouse space, a production floor, and offices. Company executive Brandon Wikoff says the growth is expected to add about 50 jobs over the next three years.
Johnstown’s town council approved annexation and rezoning for the 115-acre J Farms property, moving it from rural Weld County agricultural zoning to the town’s light industrial I-1. The land is owned by J Farms LLC, under the McWhinney Real Estate Services umbrella, and sits just north of Johnstown’s Gateway industrial area where U.S. Engineering currently operates at 390 Mountain View Drive. Some neighboring farmers voiced concerns about light and noise, and the developer pointed to buffering and stricter development standards to reduce impacts.
The Bullet Point Brief
- 135,000-square-foot expansion. Warehouse, production floor, and offices to build a full campus alongside the existing Metalworks plant.
- 50 new jobs projected. Growth paced over three years, with operations at the current facility continuing.
- 115 acres annexed and rezoned. Town moved J Farms into I-1 light industrial at the I-25 and Highway 60 corner.
- Neighbors raise impacts. Concerns about light and noise; developer cites buffering and updated standards.
- Momentum beyond Colorado. A similar U.S. Engineering expansion is underway in Lawrence, Kansas.
My Bottom Line
No big speech here, just some hometown pride. Johnstown is still moving, still building, and still a great place to live. This is the kind of steady industrial growth that keeps paychecks local and Parish Avenue busy.
Long game matters. Annexation, zoning, and infrastructure decisions from years ago set the table for exactly this kind of expansion. You can see the groundwork paying off in real square footage and real jobs.
Keep doing it the way we intended years ago: welcome investment, listen to neighbors, solve problems with design and buffering, and make sure growth pencils for both businesses and residents. It is how you stay vibrant without losing your soul.
Source: BizWest
