The Oakley Diner was a new addition to the Oakley Valley in 2008 when a historic 1939 dining car was transported from Rhode Island to Oakley, Utah. The diner has recently come under new ownership, and they reached out to FFKR to help them realize their vision of what this unique property can become. The current building is a mix of the historic dining car and a barn-like structure addition to accommodate larger group functions. FFKR has developed a concept to remove the exterior cladding of the addition and the roof framing to allow the existing kitchen to be expanded and nearly double the working space. A new dining area with views over the Oakley Valley and distant Uintah Mountains will be added to the back of the dining car and tied together architecturally to fit the design of this historic timepiece. The basement space is also being remodeled to accommodate a future food service tenant to provide additional services to the community. Working with the City Council, Planning Commission, and City Mayor, FFKR and the owner team engaged the community in this unique project. Everyone in the city has a comment or memory of the dining car and how it has been a part of it since 2008. The design team is working on a special feature wall within the remodeled space to highlight the memories and events that have impacted this rural community.

The owners even commented that they selected the FFKR design team because of the individual team members being raised in small communities and understanding the importance a single project can have on the community. The challenge of improving a central piece of the community is an opportunity for the project’s design to have a further impact beyond serving food. Design documents have just been completed, and the design team is working with the owner, contractor, and city on building permit review and project bidding.