Pueblo's rail renaissance: Worldwide manufacturing prospects consider Steel City.

• Author: Tilton, Morgan

Two iconic water towers hold a bird's eye view of Pueblo's century-old red brick factory at 303 S. Santa Fe Drive. Adjacent to the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk, the grounds are bustling with fresh feet. Facing the water, several brewpubs, mom-and-pop restaurants, shops and a market fill the renovated factory. It's a community gathering place; at least, it will be.

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Railroad engineer and Pueblo native Ryan McWilliams paired with a Pennsylvania businessman (who remains anonymous) to turn a portion of the abandoned Alpha Beta meatpacking plant into a social meeting space. The other two-thirds of the 250,000-square-foot site will become a light industrial business hub for companies in the railroad industry. Plus, they plan to build another 175,000-square-foot workspace to host rail car repair.

To fulfill the project, the duo's development group--coined 303 Industries--certainly faces obstacles.

Since last April, 303 Industries has removed more than 200,000 pounds of trash by hand from the derelict building, which sat idle and as a crossroad for the homeless community for nearly a decade. Not to mention, no utilities are in functioning order. The facelift will amount to a $40 million investment. Next, they plan to invest more than $100 million into the city's rail and road infrastructure, to help ease access from the city to heavy industrial sites on the outskirts of town.

At print, McWilliams was in conversation with six companies, two of which are multibillion-dollar international firms, interested in joining Pueblo's heavy manufacturing area.

THE ENTIRE DEVELOPMENT--TALLIED AT MORE THAN $130 MILLION SO FAR--COULD SPARK A RAIL RENAISSANCE.

At the end of negotiating contracts, key clients for the business hub include a high-tech company, track component manufacturer and an automotive truck service.

Thus far, the team has confirmed a local metal fabrication shop, Johnny's Boiler Shop, and Clean Rigs, a railroad service company. Two other approvals are in the works. The site has space for 10 to 12 rail-related businesses with an additional 20 acres of property for future expansion.

Historically, railroad companies and steel mills burgeoned in the Steel City in the late 19th century Pueblo became known as the Pittsburgh of the West and was characterized by affordable living, open space and parks. Then, devastated by the 1982 steel crash and recession, the city spun into an economic depression that resulted in 20 percent...