Fargo City Commission votes 3-2 to relocate Downtown Engagement Center

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — Fargo City Commissioners vote 3-2 to relocate the Downtown Engagement Center to 2001 1st Avenue North near Brewhalla.

Commissioners Piepkorn and Turnberg voting against the move with Piepkorn stating the taxpayers will be on the hook.

The city will pay $350,000 per year for base rent for two years for the over 54,000 square foot building.

It will become the Resource and Recovery Center, more of a resource and referral center for the homeless.

Some people spoke out against the move before the vote was taken.

“This new location is about a 28 minute walk from The Salvation Army, one of the only places where people have regular access to a free hot meal Monday through Friday. It’s about a 31 minute walk from the library where people can access the internet to work on applying for housing,” said Olivia Fisher of Fargo.

Denise VanderBus of Open Doors 65 told the commission,”They’re not just going to suddenly remove themselves from downtown Fargo just because you removed their resources from downtown Fargo. If you’re going to move this place out of downtown Fargo we need a way to get them from downtown Fargo to these resources.”

Over the next month to 45 days the city will finalize all funding options, including private donations, for the relocation and buildout.

The two-year lease will allow the city to revisit the issue in the future.