The newest proposed mixed-use development is being built in a North Dakota city which you may not have been your first guess. But why not?

"The Lights" in West Fargo has been a shining success.

Mixed-use development concepts are all the rage across the country and all across the world. The idea is simple- combine entertainment space with both commercial and retail space and do it by partnering with the city.  So it becomes a commercially viable public space.   To my knowledge, the first of its kind in North Dakota opened in West Fargo in March of 2020.  "The Lights" has since hosted many concerts.  Not created to house arena-rock-sized tours, but perfect for artists like Dwight Yoakum and Joan Jett.

When the cold weather comes, out come the ice skates.

Over the winter months, the entertainment area becomes a huge Olympic-sized ice skating surface. Once word got out about ice skating, Grand Forks needed to get them one of those multi-use developments. So the city has partnered with EPIC Companies and is on the verge of beginning construction of...THE BEACON!

The Beacon by Epic YouTube Hosted iNewZ.TV
The Beacon by Epic YouTube Hosted iNewZ.TV
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EPIC Companies is the developer of both The Beacon and The Lights and they got a new development in the works.

The City of Minot partners with EPIC in introducing "The Tracks"!

Early Minot's growth owes much to the Magic City being a railroad hub, so the name "The Tracks" has a lot of historical significance.  Unfortunately, its proposed location in the city has no significance at all.  I'm not faulting the City or EPIC for not building this shiny multi-million development down by the actual railroad tracks.

Actor Josh Duhamel once was a partner in a chic restaurant located by the tracks.

10 North Main was a great restaurant that had over a ten-year run, but may be operating down by the tracks isn't all that it seems. So wisely the planners took The Tracks out of the floodplain but unfortunately then put it way up on the high-plains.

The Tracks will be a mixed-use complex located in southwest Minot, ND. The Tracks will be part of this growing area, located across the street from Trinity Hospital, next to the new Highlander Office Park, and west of the YMCA along the newly finished 37th Avenue.

The Tracks is the future home to seven buildings, a 3+ acre plaza including event space and green space, and a public parking garage. The seven mixed-use buildings will consist of apartments, condos, and 60,000+ SF commercial space.

Oh well, it should be a great addition to Minot.

What about a mixed-use development for Bismarck or Mandan?

We like concerts!  We like ice skating!   What say you BisMan?


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