Downtown Fargo Set to Build Community Area this Summer

Block 9 Reconstruction Will Begin This Summer, Creating a Garage, Multi-Use Building and Plaza Area

FARGO, N.D. — In the next few years, downtown Fargo will be going through some major developmental changes.

The Block 9 Reconstruction Project will begin this summer in the lot between 2nd Ave North and Broadway North in downtown Fargo.

“Through some of our research, a lot of things that we found specific to downtown that they were lacking was community space or general open areas that people could come and hang out and just really be the living room of Fargo,” said Project Manager Keith Leier from the Kilbourne Group.

The construction will create a multi–use building that will offer apartments, offices, retail stores and possibly a hotel.

Along with the multi–use building, they’re creating a plaza that caters to both the summer and winter months.

“Summer months, it’ll be used as a performance area,” said Mike Hahn, who is the executive director of the Downtown Community Partnership. “You’ll have music events that will be all equipped with lighting, audio and visual equipment which are things that are already set into the plaza itself.”

The Fargo Park District will be hosting movie nights at the plaza and kids can play in the interactive water fountains.

The park will also celebrate winter.

One of the features of the Block 9 Project is a temperature controlled ice rink.

That way, in the winter months, the ice rink can remain open even if mother nature has a different plan.

“It’ll be enough to have games for youth hockey and also for free skate time as well,” said Hahn. “We’re looking at what we can do. There will be a warming house there but also they’ll have a skate rental which will be available.”

The Block 9 Reconstruction Project is expected to be completed by fall 2019.