After more than 13 years, first on the Salt Lake City Council, then as economic development director for Salt Lake City and later, Ogden, Reid has decided to try something different.

He's mulling several offers, some of them in real estate development and others in corporate management. His last day on the job as Ogden's director of economic development will be July 15.

"I never planned being in public service this long," Reid said Thursday.

Reid joined Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey when the latter took office in early 2000 and promised to aggressively change a city that had fallen on hard times. Before signing on with Ogden, Reid had just lost a bruising campaign to Rocky Anderson for mayor of Salt Lake City. Although Reid and Anderson are Democrats and the race was nonpartisan, it caused rifts in the party.

But all that is in the past. Reid's focus now is on the future.

Ogden's future is "bright, very bright," Reid said. "It's had its troubled times, but we're over that hump."

Several projects key to reviving the northern Utah city's downtown have been completed, such as the complex of Internal Revenue Service buildings and "build-out" along historic 25th Street.

Others are far enough along that Reid is not afraid they will fail.

Redevelopment of the Ogden City Mall is the biggest of those. Three years after the city bought the failed mall and demolished it, Reid's team has finally attracted developers willing to build there.

The Boyer Co. will soon sign an agreement to essentially become the master developer, Reid said Thursday. Ground has been broken for the Treehouse Children's Museum and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to soon begin construction on the two corner pieces of the project nearest the Ogden Temple. The church bought the land from the city last year, but has not disclosed its plans for the parcels.

A high-rise condominium project for the mall has been given the initial go-ahead, and the Ogden City Council is scheduled in mid-July to consider bonding for a high-adventure recreation center.

Two other projects are still on the burner, though moving slowly. The city is buying options for property in a 60-acre area between the Ogden River and the LDS Temple. It wants to put in new homes, townhouses, shops and restaurants.

It also has acquired options for most of the 20 acres along Wall Avenue, where Wal-Mart wants to put a super store, but some homeowners so far have refused to sell.

Reid said he's more optimistic about Ogden's future than ever because the business community is finally paying attention to its role in reviving Ogden. "They're fully engaged now," he said.

Godfrey's and Reid's projects have not been without controversy.

A decision to tear down a building next to the Ogden Mall in which the Woodbury Corp. of Salt Lake City had an interest led to a lengthy lawsuit. This spring, Ogden City agreed to pay $5 million to settle the suit so that it could go ahead with the mall-redevelopment project.

Another lawsuit is pending over a 25th Street office building, and the original developer of the Union Square condominium project has sent a letter to the city indicating it plans to sue.

Reid said the lawsuits did not figure into his desire to leave Ogden City.

"Whenever you're making change and being aggressive, those things are going to happen," he said.

Reid was a lobbyist for the LDS Church when he first ran for Salt Lake City Council in the early 1990s. He was new to the Rose Park area, had never been to a council meeting and did not expect to win.

But he did, and after three years, he left the office to join then-Mayor Deedee Corradini's administration in economic development.

Reid had promised Godfrey he would serve just one term, and warned him last January that he was looking to leave. He said he'll remain an Ogden resident, at least for the short term.

He has no plans for seeking public office or working for government again. "But I won't say never."

kmoulton@sltrib.com