Thursday, January 22, 2026 |
Photo – Ferguson Building in downtown Rawlins – Bigfoot99 file photo
The Rawlins Downtown Development Authority is seeking state funding to convert the Ferguson Building into workforce housing.
During Tuesday evening’s Rawlins City Council meeting, the governing body authorized a $3.5 million State Loan and Investment Board grant request. If approved by the state agency, the funding will be used to transform the 131-year-old Ferguson Building into affordable apartments.
Originally built in 1895 and expanded over the years, the Hugus‑Ferguson Building at 5th and Cedar Streets in Rawlins was first owned by J.E. Hugus and Company. The building was sold to Ferguson Mercantile in 1912. After the general store closed in the late 1960s, the structure sat vacant for decades.
In 2013, the county bought the building from the city with plans to relocate the Carbon County Museum into the space, but its condition had deteriorated to the point that it was no longer safe to occupy. In 2022, the county transferred ownership of the Ferguson Building to the Rawlins Downtown Development Authority.
Since that time, the Rawlins DDA has explored several potential uses for the Ferguson Building, including a hotel, condos, and apartments. At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, DDA Executive Director Pam Thayer said the Board of Directors has chosen to construct an apartment complex. Thayer said the project will provide an alternative to the city’s overwhelming number of single‑family homes.
Thayer said the plan calls for 12 apartments: seven one‑bedroom and five two‑bedroom units.
The city received funding from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality to determine if four properties contain hazardous materials or chemicals, including the Ferguson Building. Ayers and Associates, the firm overseeing the environmental assessment, produced a feasibility study to identify what unmet needs the structure could serve. DDA Executive Director Pam Thayer said that without the study, she would not have been able to apply for the State Loan and Investment Board grant.
The Rawlins DDA will ask the State Loan and Investment Board for a $3.5 million grant to revitalize the Ferguson Building. Thayer said she is hopeful the full request will be granted. If only part of the funding is approved, the DDA can use its reserves to make up the difference.
Councilwoman Tonya Lewman expressed her support for the plan but noted that previous discussions about creating living space in the downtown business district were abandoned due to the need to install costly fire suppression systems. Councilwoman Lewman asked what changed to make the project feasible at this time. DDA Executive Director Pam Thayer said nothing had changed, but the grant will help the organization afford the legally required sprinkler system.
Councilman Derek Elliott asked if any of the rental income will go to the city. Thayer said the Downtown Development Authority, which owns the building, will receive all proceeds. The revenue will support future DDA projects or reduce the city’s annual financial contribution to the organization.
In the 2025 through 2026 fiscal year, the city allocated nearly $175,000 to the Downtown Development Authority.
Next, Councilman Elliott asked about rental rates. Thayer said she did not have exact figures at the time but expected them to be in line with similar properties in the city.
Following the discussion, the Rawlins City Council unanimously voted to approve the DDA’s $3.5 million State Loan and Investment Board grant application.
