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Moorhead secures $1 million DEED grant for downtown demolition; infrastructure and federal outreach on aviation fuel project advance
Summary
City staff announced a $1,000,000 Minnesota DEED redevelopment grant to support demolition near City Hall, imminent demolition and street work, outreach to DG Fuels, a Minnesota DOT underpass open house, and early due diligence on a proposed casino site in the extraterritorial area.
City staff told the Moorhead EDA on April 7 that the City of Moorhead received a $1,000,000 Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) redevelopment grant to help pay for remaining demolition at the site east of City Hall.
"This grant will help with the remaining demolition on the East Side Of City Hall," Derek Lapointe said, noting the city again secured one of the largest awards from the DEED program in the state. Staff said crews were on site assessing conditions and that demolition work west and east of City Hall would be staged over roughly a six-week period with McGough Construction contracted to perform the work.
Lapointe described upcoming infrastructure improvements tied to the redevelopment: a new Fifth Street connection from the Shields area toward City Hall, an extension of Red River Avenue to the west, and parts of Minnesota Avenue that will be rebuilt as part of the project. Staff warned that access patterns to downtown businesses will change while work proceeds and said temporary access will be routed via Center Avenue and the new Sixth Street for some parking areas.
Lapointe also reported that Morehead Vision (a longtime tenant of the Moorhead Center mall) relocated to a new space near Azul Plaza and Hornbacher's and that the city is actively marketing available retail spaces. He said staff continued due diligence on design standards for the redevelopment and referred interested developers to the city's web materials.
On broader economic development initiatives, Lapointe said the city is pursuing conversations with DG Fuels on a Sustainable Aviation Fuel project and will meet DG Fuels representatives in Washington, D.C., during a chamber fly-in in May to discuss federal funding and state tax-credit opportunities. "We've actually already reached out to DG fuels. Mayor Carlson and myself are gonna be able to meet with DG fuels in person," Lapointe said.
Staff also noted a Minnesota Department of Transportation open house was held March 25 in this room to present upcoming road construction, including underpass work affecting Main Avenue, and urged local businesses to contact the MnDOT business liaison at (218) 292-8779 for project updates. Finally, Lapointe briefly addressed media reports and public questions about a proposed White Earth casino, hotel and convention center on the city's extraterritorial growth area: he said the tribe purchased land at auction and is in early due diligence, but "there's no ask in front of our group" and city staff are requesting more information before any formal review.
Board members were encouraged to share official city and MnDOT communications through their social channels to get accurate information into the community. Staff said they would bring the DEED grant agreement to the city council for formal acceptance after the grant paperwork is received.
