Grand Forks Economy

[jdub27]

1 hour ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

the st johns block "project" is four years in the making....

There has been various redevelopment plans for that building for 15 years or more now. 

[Cratter]

On 10/17/2020 at 11:35 AM, northernraider said:

No idea what "Peak Bank" is, but Grand Forks has to be pushing it. 

Bank Forward is also in the process of building a new bank in town.

[forksandspoons]

Another expansion for the North Dakota State Mill, this time $23.5 million: 

https://www.grandforksherald.com/business/6735680-North-Dakota-State-Mill-to-add-equipment-in-23.5-million-expansion

[ChadR]

Any update on the Wild Hog?

[SIOUXFAN97]

3 hours ago, ChadR said:

Any update on the Wild Hog?

what are we waiting to hear?

[SIOUXFAN97]

the empire downtown needs to do more old school movies when the venue isn't being used...

[BarnWinterSportsEngelstad]

Pitures downtown GF I took just before dark today. 
Front of build on Demers that will house grocery store.

Back of building

[BarnWinterSportsEngelstad]

Standing on intersection of Old Hwy 81 and DeMers Ave.   Steak House with front covered with poly.

[BarnWinterSportsEngelstad]

DeMers and 4th Street

Bank to right

[SIOUXFAN97]

still wonder how norby's didn't sell their building and move into the ground floor of either of the two new building around them.

[SIOUXFAN97]

when is the new buidling going to go up across from city hall?

[geaux_sioux]

All three projects are great additions to downtown.

[forksandspoons]

18 hours ago, geaux_sioux said:

All three projects are great additions to downtown.

Agreed! Just need the new convention center to be built so there’s a hotel downtown again 

[OgieOgilthorpe]

Any new projects Or businesses moving in? 

[tnt]

2 hours ago, OgieOgilthorpe said:

Any new projects Or businesses moving in? 

Don’t know, but they should try poach some businesses from California who are fed up with the business climate.  I would try Minnesota as well.

[dmksioux]

Wasn’t sure which thread to put this in but a GF institution is closing its doors.

[Shawn-O]

44 minutes ago, dmksioux said:

Wasn’t sure which thread to put this in but a GF institution is closing its doors.

I’m sitting here stunned and in shock. 

[gfhockey]

Almost or as worst of Judy’s shut the doors

 

basislly from what I heard cops were too thick on north end

[bcblues]

I miss Benner's Hobby Shop.

[NoiseInsideMyHead]

Here's something very nice to see...Grand Forks is hopping this weekend, abuzz with a youth hockey tournament.  Parking lots, restaurants, hotels are packed. And I couldn't be happier.

Let them play. Screw COVID.

[green_sioux]

On 1/15/2021 at 11:27 PM, gfhockey said:

Almost or as worst of Judy’s shut the doors

 

basislly from what I heard cops were too thick on north end

No, not really.   They have had it up for sale for at least 2 years.   It's not simply a closing.   They sold it.  The brothers were looking at retiring and none of the kids in the next generation wanted to take over the type of life that owning a 7-day-a-week bar is.   From what I've learned, a new owner is going to greatly enlarge the off sale area and eventually open a considerably smaller pub-eatery side.  The brothers are staying on to help in the process over the next months.

[ND-fan]

I have question were seeing all this building downtown but my question is since Covid has happen businesses all over the country are moving away from having there people coming into offices working on daily basis. They are working from home and using zoom to meet with fellow employees. I have cousins out in Washington where Boeing is selling off office space and working from home and i know this is true because my cousin is one these people and he has number other people working under him doing the same. So getting back to here in Grand Forks i am wondering where are all the businesses that are going to set up full offices are going to come from when the trend is moving away from owning or even leasing property to provide office space.  Same thing is happening in other cities too I have relatives in Denver where real estate agencies that have four story buildings that used to have building full of people now have only four people coming into office daily and rest are now working from home that is what they think how it will work in the future. I worry and wonder if Grand Forks has great plan but world is changing that it may become a bust for the city. These are just some thoughts i may be all wrong here but i think future of downtown cities from very largest to even small cities like Grand Forks times have changed in just last year that structure of cities may have changed where people work are changing also.

[nodak651]

1 hour ago, ND-fan said:

I have question were seeing all this building downtown but my question is since Covid has happen businesses all over the country are moving away from having there people coming into offices working on daily basis. They are working from home and using zoom to meet with fellow employees. I have cousins out in Washington where Boeing is selling off office space and working from home and i know this is true because my cousin is one these people and he has number other people working under him doing the same. So getting back to here in Grand Forks i am wondering where are all the businesses that are going to set up full offices are going to come from when the trend is moving away from owning or even leasing property to provide office space.  Same thing is happening in other cities too I have relatives in Denver where real estate agencies that have four story buildings that used to have building full of people now have only four people coming into office daily and rest are now working from home that is what they think how it will work in the future. I worry and wonder if Grand Forks has great plan but world is changing that it may become a bust for the city. These are just some thoughts i may be all wrong here but i think future of downtown cities from very largest to even small cities like Grand Forks times have changed in just last year that structure of cities may have changed where people work are changing also.

You make a good point, but as a whole, isn't most of this new construction residential or retail?  The 50M Epic project is nearly all residential, with maybe some street level retail.  The 25M Memorial Stadium project is all residential except for UND occupying the entire street level space.  Lyons Garage 27M plan is a mix of retail, office, and residential.  St. Johns 7M plan is all residential except for street level retail.   It's not like anyone is building a huge office tower or something.  If anything, I assume downtown could probably use some modern office space, and the influx of residents will help all sectors of the downtown economy.  

I think the new projects will help to make downtown a more desirable and vibrant area, it they will help to make existing office space more desirable.

[dmksioux]

If you're able to access the Herald online, some of you may enjoy this trip down memory lane.  Frenchy's is the only establishment named in the article, that I never made it to as it closed before I came up for school.

  https://www.grandforksherald.com/business/restaurants-and-bars/6858397-Long-gone-popular-Grand-Forks-bars-remembered

[Kab]

Frenchys and the mugs and the westward ho and the peanut bar with the piano player