Grand Forks Economy

[southpaw]

And Quiznos on 32nd will be closing. Wow. How many restaurants or fast causal restaurants close in GF? Huge abundance of vacant buildings all over town. It's getting rather pathetic. Guess that happens when you don't bring businesses and jobs to the area. That's a story for another day, thoug. 

Quiznos has been closing stores all over the country over the past 8+ years, so I wouldn't look too much into this.  Here in Colorado, their empty stores are quickly grabbed up by other small fast food restaurants.  Unfortunately, there seem to be a lot of those same companies that don't really want to expand into ND.

[The Sicatoka]

Fast food restaurants are not an economy.

Getting Grand Sky populated, that would be an economy.

Getting that new fertilizer plant built and running, that would be an economy. 

Finding a couple new manufacturers for the industrial park, that would be an economy. 

Do those three and the fast food joints will take care of themselves. First things first. 

[jdub27]

And Quiznos on 32nd will be closing. Wow. How many restaurants or fast causal restaurants close in GF? Huge abundance of vacant buildings all over town. It's getting rather pathetic. Guess that happens when you don't bring businesses and jobs to the area. That's a story for another day, thoug. 

Dickey's and Sweeto Burrito were both in buildings that have historically struggled because of location and access.  Quiznos is on a closing spree across the nation and was surpassed by pretty much every sandwich shop in town.  Unfortunate, but I wouldn't put too much stock into any of those.

[SiouxVolley]

http://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/chairman-of-israeli-radar-company-scouts-u-s-locations/article_cc18f670-9bc2-5d00-a6a6-6de17f2f1f16.html

 

Not eats related, but it would be pretty sweet if smaller UAS related companies land in Grand Forks, like this Israeli 3-D antenna company.  Northrup Gruman and General Atomics probably wont stay in the long term.

[82SiouxGuy]

http://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/chairman-of-israeli-radar-company-scouts-u-s-locations/article_cc18f670-9bc2-5d00-a6a6-6de17f2f1f16.html

 

Not eats related, but it would be pretty sweet if smaller UAS related companies land in Grand Forks, like this Israeli 3-D antenna company.  Northrup Gruman and General Atomics probably wont stay in the long term.

Northrup has been in New Town, ND for more than 40 years, so they could potentially stay in Grand Forks for a long time.

[SiouxVolley]

Northrup has been in New Town, ND for more than 40 years, so they could potentially stay in Grand Forks for a long time.

But they are there in New Town to get American Indians on their payroll to satisfy the DOD.  Not saying its not a productive branch, but it serves other political purposes.

[82SiouxGuy]

But they are there in New Town to get American Indians on their payroll to satisfy the DOD.  Not saying its not a productive branch, but it serves other political purposes.

I'm sure that's part of it. But they will also operate where they are profitable. If Grand Forks becomes one of the hubs for UAS as projected, it could become the Silicon Valley of UAS. Would Google or Apple move out of the Silicon Valley?

[MrEdway]

I'm sure that's part of it. But they will also operate where they are profitable. If Grand Forks becomes one of the hubs for UAS as projected, it could become the Silicon Valley of UAS. Would Google or Apple move out of the Silicon Valley?

They already have. Both have campuses under construction in Boulder right now. I'm sure there are others across the country.

[82SiouxGuy]

They already have. Both have campuses under construction in Boulder right now. I'm sure there are others across the country.

I'm pretty sure they aren't closing their offices in Silicon Valley, which was my point. All of these companies have multiple locations. Google already has 300+ employees in Boulder before the new campus opens. Another example is Microsoft. They have their headquarters in the Seattle area, but also have a large office in Fargo as well as several other locations. Northrup Grumman will want to have an office in a place where UAS development is happening, so if Grand Forks grows into a major player in the industry then Northrup will keep a location open here.

[SiouxVolley]

I'm pretty sure they aren't closing their offices in Silicon Valley, which was my point. All of these companies have multiple locations. Google already has 300+ employees in Boulder before the new campus opens. Another example is Microsoft. They have their headquarters in the Seattle area, but also have a large office in Fargo as well as several other locations. Northrup Grumman will want to have an office in a place where UAS development is happening, so if Grand Forks grows into a major player in the industry then Northrup will keep a location open here.

It depend on if Grand Forks develops the kind of infrastructure in employment opportunities and city amenities to make it a "must be in" location for UAVs.  More companies are needed, especially startups, and they need financing sources.  A lot of high level execs like places with amenities like 4 and 5 star hotels and high rated restaurants when they visit.  Grand Forks and even Fargo don't cut it.  Employees like outdoor recreation and a lively shopping and downtown scene.  With the Greenway, that helps, but more development is needed.  Flights to Chicago and Denver would also help.

[82SiouxGuy]

It depend on if Grand Forks develops the kind of infrastructure in employment opportunities and city amenities to make it a "must be in" location for UAVs.  More companies are needed, especially startups, and they need financing sources.  A lot of high level execs like places with amenities like 4 and 5 star hotels and high rated restaurants when they visit.  Grand Forks and even Fargo don't cut it.  Employees like outdoor recreation and a lively shopping and downtown scene.  With the Greenway, that helps, but more development is needed.  Flights to Chicago and Denver would also help.

It's usually a chicken or egg kind of situation. Airlines, top rated hotels and restaurants, and other amenities need more people with money to spend to show up in a place like Grand Forks. Grand Sky may provide the infrastructure needed from a business standpoint. They're working on the money side. Then maybe the amenities can grow from there.

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

http://www.wdaz.com/news/north-dakota/3881793-hornbachers-blocks-new-business-moving

Doesn't say much for the business climate and welcoming new development.  Although I'm not sure I would have picked that spot in that lot for a new restaurant.  

But the city OK'd the plans

[82SiouxGuy]

http://www.wdaz.com/news/north-dakota/3881793-hornbachers-blocks-new-business-moving

Doesn't say much for the business climate and welcoming new development.  Although I'm not sure I would have picked that spot in that lot for a new restaurant.  

It sounds like the city was encouraging development, but Hornbachers has a problem with it because of potential parking issues and cutting down the visibility of their store. The city says the plans fit within the city codes, Hornbachers doesn't like the infringement. That is more a dispute between a landlord and tenant than a problem with the business climate in town.

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/local/3930076-east-grand-forks-southern-end-seen-prime-growth-area

There's not a "Duh" big enough for this statement:

Quote

Among challenges submitted, the lack of a bridge on the city’s south end received a mention,

A mention?  EGF will NEVER experience meaningful growth until it is connected to the economic heart of GFK (i.e., 32nd Ave. and, increasingly, points south).  Which kind of begs the question…with seemingly nobody being able to agree on the southern bypass along Merrifield and into MN, which mythical Red River bridge project happens first?

[Cratter]

It is pretty pathetic that a state with such a small population with such a huge amount of money (I know it needs Minnesota money too) can't build a much needed bridge. 

Maybe it needs to be private like the old Fargo toll bridge to finally get done. Fargos got 7 bridges crossing the RR. They even have two right next to each other in North Fargo with one having very little traffic that connects yards away from the other bridge, essentially just making it a "short cut" and saving about one minute time from having to drive to the other bridge. 

The bridges in Grand Forks cost substantially more because of the "truss" style spanning a larger area? where in Fargo its all "beam" style. Just throw a road over the water with a few pillars going down. 

[JohnboyND7]

At risk of sounding dumb, wtf does GFK stand for?

[82SiouxGuy]

5 minutes ago, JohnboyND7 said:

At risk of sounding dumb, wtf does GFK stand for?

Grand ForKs. It is what the FAA uses to identify the Grand Forks airport. Many people also use it as a shortcut to identify Grand Forks. Hector is FAR. McCarran in Las Vegas is LAS. Minneapolis-St Paul is MSP.

[82SiouxGuy]

1 hour ago, Cratter said:

It is pretty pathetic that a state with such a small population with such a huge amount of money (I know it needs Minnesota money too) can't build a much needed bridge. 

Maybe it needs to be private like the old Fargo toll bridge to finally get done. Fargos got 7 bridges crossing the RR. They even have two right next to each other in North Fargo with one having very little traffic that connects yards away from the other bridge, essentially just making it a "short cut" and saving about one minute time from having to drive to the other bridge. 

The bridges in Grand Forks cost substantially more because of the "truss" style spanning a larger area? where in Fargo its all "beam" style. Just throw a road over the water with a few pillars going down. 

Money is only part of the problem for a GFK-EGF bridge. The other problem is getting people to agree on where to put it. People don't want the traffic going by their house. 32nd and 47th are mainly residential and 62nd is some residential, none of those folks want that traffic by their houses. Merrifield Road is too far south unless they put the bypass in place (62nd probably is too).  All of them are south of town for EGF, so the city doesn't like them because they want the traffic running through town. They don't want people just hopping across the river and not going by EGF businesses where they might stop. No location has gotten enough support so far. Merrifield probably has the best chance because it will eliminate truck traffic through town, but the bypass will probably need to be part of the package.

[Shawn-O]

1 hour ago, 82SiouxGuy said:

Grand ForKs. It is what the FAA uses to identify the Grand Forks airport. Many people also use it as a shortcut to identify Grand Forks. Hector is FAR. McCarran in Las Vegas is LAS. Minneapolis-St Paul is MSP.

Toronto is YYZ and Chicago is ORD, and Orlando is MCO.  Just to confuse matters. 

[GeauxSioux]

New Orleans is MSY, named after John Moisant.  He was a young aviator/barnstormer who crashed in a field outside of New Orleans.  The place where he crashed became the Moisant Stock Yard (MSY) years later.  Then the stockyard made way for the new airport, which they named Moisant International Airport, now named Louis Armstrong International.  Thankfully they are building a new airport, as the current one is an eyesore.

[SiouxVolley]

34 minutes ago, GeauxSioux said:

New Orleans is MSY, named after John Moisant.  He was a young aviator/barnstormer who crashed in a field outside of New Orleans.  The place where he crashed became the Moisant Stock Yard (MSY) years later.  Then the stockyard made way for the new airport, which they named Moisant International Airport, now named Louis Armstrong International.  Thankfully they are building a new airport, as the current one is an eyesore.

Agree the former terminal was a slum.  The new terminal looks much more modern by the photos.

[Cratter]

Another one bites the dust. 75 jobs moved from GF to Fargo.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/business/3950344-fedex-moving-airport-ramp-operations-grand-forks-fargo

[SiouxVolley]

1 hour ago, Cratter said:

Another one bites the dust. 75 jobs moved from GF to Fargo.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/business/3950344-fedex-moving-airport-ramp-operations-grand-forks-fargo

When DigiKey started a Fargo distribution point, that was pretty telling.  DigiKey must be the largest shipper in the region, and FedEx probably works closely with them.  If DigiKey knew that FedEx was going to change their web and spoke system for the region, they would want to put it near the city that was the secondary spoke.

Grand Forks has a lot of eggs in the Grand Sky UAS park.  Better hope they hatch.

[KEH]

17 minutes ago, SiouxVolley said:

When DigiKey started a Fargo distribution point, that was pretty telling.  DigiKey must be the largest shipper in the region, and FedEx probably works closely with them.  If DigiKey knew that FedEx was going to change their web and spoke system for the region, they would want to put it near the city that was the secondary spoke.

Grand Forks has a lot of eggs in the Grand Sky UAS park.  Better hope they hatch.

I am thinking this had something to do with it, FedEx started using A300's and with shipping demand going up they probably wanted to fly in bigger planes but unfortunately GFK can't handle them. And the geniuses that decided to wedge an airport between sewage ponds and Highway 2 60 years ago made it so they couldn't extend the runway.

FAR Runway 18/36

Dimensions:

9001 x 150 ft. / 2744 x 46 m

GFK Runway 17R/35L

Dimensions:

7351 x 150 ft. / 2241 x 46

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

I'm gonna miss those big birds flying low overhead.  When all you have to look at are CRJs and a couple of Allegiant MD-whatevers, it's downright depressing.