Downtown observations
A couple of Downtown-related observations...
The new Third Street Gallery in Downtown Grand Forks has a new website...check it out. I still haven't had a chance to visit the gallery yet, but I have driven by and it looks quite nice. It is in the old Novel Ideas/Dr. Elliot's Twice Told Tales space. Great to see the gallery open up and nice to see they have a decent website.
When I drove through downtown this afternoon I couldn't help but notice everything that is going on or that will be underway shortly. We have the new Third Street Gallery now open, The Toasted Frog and Dakota Harvest Bakers opening soon, Joe Black's soon taking over the old Joe DiMaggio's Sports Cafe space, the beautiful Opera House Lofts nearing completion, construction starting soon on the new townhouses on North Third Street, and the new Dakota Block apartments coming before too long. Also, there is the potential for much more development coming soon to the area including new apartments and condos in the St. John's Block and the old Griffith's Department Store, a new gallery in the St. John's Block, a new restaurant opening up on the first floor of the Opera House, and the possibility of more retail development throughout the area. Lots going on!
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yup, sure does look like a lot going on, especially when you list it like that. It will be fun to hear what type of places will be attracted to the new opera house building's main floor storefronts. Hopefully we will be hearing something soon. By the way...I know some cities have asked and gotten approval for a "quiet zone" for the railroads downtown. Does anybody know if Grand Forks has looked into that. With more residential spaces going in very close to the railroad downtown one would think this would be considered...just wondering.
The long time rumor for the first floor of the opera house is a Parrot's Cay relocation... with them focusing a bit more on their menu. Not sure if that is still true or not.
I have also heard the Parrot's Cay second location. As of a couple months ago it was a go but I have heard recently that the rents being charged for the Opera House downstairs location are outrageous and there is some re-consideration. (I shouldn't believe everything I hear, but...)
Anybody know about the old Red River Cafe location? What's up with that place? Ideas for what should be there...?
Did you get a digital camera yet? :P
Ben...as far as quite zones, I know Fargo is in the process of getting that set up in their downtown. From what I hear, it is a very expensive undertaking for the city (although I'm guessing there are probably some federal dollars for interested cities). It would be great to have a quiet zone in downtown Grand Forks since there is so much interest in housing down there now.
Very interesting to hear about the Parrot's Cay maybe coming downtown...hadn't heard that one yet. Would it be a second location or a total relocation? I've always thought that they are in such an odd location now. Seems like they would get more business downtown. Just like I have never been to the Red Pepper, I have also never been to the Parrot's Cay. I gotta get out more!
I don't know if there are any interested parties looking at the Red River Cafe/Deli location. It does have good visibility and I hope something comes there before long. We have a lot of empty spaces along DeMers now...many more than along 3rd Street. I hope there is more interest in DeMers in the future.
Drunk...no digital camera yet. :(
It is nice the way you have everything listed as up and coming in the downtown area in your opening comment; however, from a business standpoint the parking situation has not changed and with the building and construction it only gets smaller! You may not realize how big of an impact and factor that is in determining if you want to stop or not in the area! Lets take that a step further and say even if there is traffic going through the downtown with the new places and the farmers market, etc; are consumers spending there hard earned dollars or are they window shopping and looking?
The downtown has had the potential for quite some time to be a great attraction area and in my opinion has already had some great establishments that have left for one reason or the other; so who is to say that the city will support this new wave of places coming in while all the buzz is still on the other side of town and the focus it at the REA? It sure might be possible that these new places will face the same old circumstances that the old ones faced and we will be having this conversation again in a few years with the next wave of attractions that will revitalizing the downtown!
The Parrot's Cay downtown would be a second location focusing more on food than 'bar'. If you have never been to the Cay, go now! They have the greatest food: jumbalaya, crawdads, hushpuppies, Mahi mahi, $1.00 burgers on Monday nights and it's locally owned!
If it weren't so smoky, I'd be there more...
What focus is at REA outside of when an event is there? Suite 49? I'd rather drive downtown!
I went and viewed an apartment (loft, whatever) at the old Opera house. Lots of potential there, should be a very nice place when it's done- which is a long ways off, let me tell ya. April 1 was the target- they'll miss that by a bunch. Some of the floor plans they have really look chopped up, though. Too bad they couldn't 86 the train tracks through town while they're at it.
The Cay is great, but will not be opening a location downtown. The rent and start-up costs in that building are just too high at this point.
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