Updates From Your Downtowners Staff
We are making some changes to our newsletter! We will be writing more emails direct from staff on our day to day work on behalf of the membership. Please follow our Facebook page for event information and news.
Renaissance Zone Legislation, HB 1266
The Downtowners Association Board of Directors supported Bismarck’s Renaissance Zone Program renewal this past year. An expired Renaissance Zone is not allowed to be reinstated as there is no mechanism or process to reapply. House bill 1266 adds into state statute a process for cities with expired zones to apply for reinstatement to the Department of Commerce in the same manner they would apply for an extension. HB 1266 passed out of committee 13-0 DO PASS as amended and passed the House floor. The bill will now go to the Senate Finance and Taxation Committee for consideration. Your staff will continue to support this bill. Bismarck is currently the only major city in North Dakota without this economic development program. There are just under 60 Renaissance Zones in North Dakota.
Supporters included the Downtowners Association Bismarck, Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC, City of Bismarck, League of Cities, Grand Forks Downtown Development Association, Fargo Downtown Community Partnership, Mayors of Carrington and Watford City, Economic Development Association of ND, and the Commerce Department Community Services Division.
Other Legislative Items
The Downtowners Association is also supporting a handful of other bills and monitoring applicable proposals. We’ve offered testimony in favor of clean up language for the special assessment/street utility fee bill. There is also a bill to add language allowing the operation of pedal pubs within the State of North Dakota that we are also supporting. There has been interest in pedal pub businesses in Bismarck for about 6 years and this bill would allow them to operate.
KLJ Moves To Downtown Bismarck
We are very excited that Downtowners member KLJ Engineering will be movingtheir Bismarck operations to Downtown Bismarck in the Grand Pacific Center (formerly the Wells Fargo Building) on 4th and Broadway. This will increase our Downtown workforce and continue to add to the energy and vibrancy of Downtown Bismarck. Construction on their space will begin in 2023.
New Residents Moving to Downtown Bismarck
It has been a long term goal for the Downtowners to foster more residential growth in the city center, and there is $40M in housing development that is now in various stages of completion. Trestle, 630 E Main Ave, welcomed their first new residents to their building last week. The building, south of the Radisson Hotel, is a new mixed-use infill project to Downtown Bismarck. Trestle offers 52 housing units of various layouts and sizes, main floor commercial space, and a northside private courtyard with a dog run for residents. If you or someone you know is interested in moving to Downtown Bismarck, please send them to our Downtown Living page.
