Community Projects: Grand Forks
In 1881, Grand Forks was established. Business boomed. But in the 1960s and 1970s, Grand Fork’s downtown was facing the same dilemma other cities in the nation faced – housing, schools and businesses moved to the perimeters. The community focus turned away from its downtown.
In 1997 a historic flood and fire ravaged Grand Forks causing millions of dollars in damage. Downtown was not spared and many historic buildings were on the brink of disaster. Since the flood, the city council has approved millions for housing and business rehabilitation programs. Historic buildings were evaluated for their potential to be salvaged and preserved.
“With the flood, a great deal of federal money came into Grand Forks” said Peg O’Leary of the Grand Forks Historic Preservation Commission. “We lost a lot of buildings downtown (to a downtown flood wall) and as mitigation for those buildings we were able to assist those that were left to rebuild.” In the process, many historic buildings were able to remove 50s and 60s style false storefronts and return the buildings to a more characteristic storefront style.
Through a partnership between the city of Grand Forks, the Historic Preservation Commission, JLG Architects, and the building’s owners, the Metropolitan Opera House was one of those saved.
“The building kind of deteriorated over the years until the flood put it completely out of commission,” according to Lonnie Laffen of JLG Architects. “All the windows were shot, the entire area above the roofline was gone, the bay windows were gone.” After a million dollar restoration project, the exterior has been returned to its original condition. Inside, the building, which has undergone many reincarnations in its history including a stint as a bowling alley, has been converted to high–end loft style apartments and retail store space.
The communities of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks have turned a natural disaster into an opportunity to revitalize their downtown business districts.