Kanye West to build at Cody Labs

Adidas Yeezy is a fashion collaboration between German sportswear brand Adidas and hip hop artist and entrepreneur Kanye West. While mostly known for its sneakers, the Adidas Yeezy collaboration between brand and artist has also produced shirts, jackets, track pants, socks and women’s shoes.

In July, Forbes magazine reported West’s footwear line is projected to take in $1.5 billion in sales by the end of 2019.  

Plans are to convert the warehouse to a sample-prototype lab for Adidas-Yeezy production, according to a P&Z report by Todd Stowell, city planner.   

The heavy industrial zone in Cody’s North Industrial Park permits manufacturing uses and offices.

Groathouse Construction, representing Forward Cody, has submitted a site plan application seeking permission to make changes to the former Cody Labs warehouse that is connected to unfinished buildings on the prescription generic drug production campus. 

Philadelphia-based Lannett shut down construction of its $50-million project on Road 2AB the spring of 2018 and by last August had closed its facility on Yellowstone Avenue.

A temporary modular 24- by 44-foot structure – serving as a break room, additional office space and restrooms for up to two years – is proposed to go west of the 11,292-square-foot warehouse on 6.59 acres. 

“The applicant would also like to construct an enclosed corridor to connect the modular building with the existing building,” Stowell’s report says. 

Additional parking to accommodate employees is included in the site plan. The paved parking lot is large enough for about nine vehicles. 

The proposal is to add seven new spaces in the loading dock area.  

P&Z approval of architecture and landscaping is required for the city to issue a building permit.

West recently announced the relocation of Adidas Yeezy headquarters to Cody. As of 2018, Yeezy headquarters was in Calabasas, Calif., where West owns a home with his wife, Kim Kardashian, a reality TV star and businesswoman.

Specifically, the new headquarters site is his 4,000-plus-acre West Lake, formerly Monster Lake Ranch between Cody and Meeteetse off WYO 120. 

The city P&Z meets in City Hall at noon. On Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. the Park County commissioners will consider a variance for a different West project.

West’s Psalm Cody Ranch representatives are seeking permission to begin excavating for a large, private meditation structure before the project site plan review is completed.