Open Thread #23

Property taxes, the always popular local dining scene, the weather...whatever. Your choice!

Canad Inns now open

It isn't quite finished yet, but the new Canad Inns Destination Center is open for business in Grand Forks. I'm anxious to hear from people who have been to the Canad...those who have stayed at the hotel, eaten at the restaurant, or "tested" the water park. What are your thoughts?

Grand Forks should be very proud to have a development like this in our city. There is no other complex like this elsewhere in the state. I hope things go over really well for the complex. This is the culmination of a very long (but hopefully very rewarding) process. Welcome Canad!

Al's Grill moving to Capone's building

Al's Grill and Catering is moving into the old Capone's Restaurant building (previously Fire Island, previously Highway Host).

I've never eaten at Al's Grill, but I get the impression that it should be a much better fit for the building than Capone's was. Whoever thought that this building was a good location for one of the most expensive restaurants in town should have their head examined. "Located on scenic Gateway Drive across from the beautiful, aromatic Simplot factory!"

This stretch of Gateway will soon be home to two new restaurants: Al's and the Northside Cafe (which is going into the old Westward Ho building). By the way, isn't it kind of odd for a restaurant called "Al's" to be going into a building previously occupied by a restaurant called "Capone's"? That's bizarre!

Poll: grading Grand Forks' recovery

Time for a new poll question: How would you grade Grand Forks' recovery from the events of 1997? Cast you vote now and then share your thoughts in this thread.

Poll results: voters want a second hospital

The results of the poll are hard to ignore and harder to spin. Of the 148 people who answered my question "Do you support a second hospital in Grand Forks?", more than 70% said yes.

Selection		Votes
Yes	71%	105
No	24%	35
Unsure	5%	8
148 votes total

So, given this poll and others like it and given the comments we've been hearing from so many within our community, does it worry the members of the city council who recently turned down a request from the Aurora people for a tax abatement on their proposed new hospital? Healthcare is something that the public has very strong opinions about. I wonder, does it worry these city council members to think of the fact that some people within the community will now see these men as having denied those who elected them a choice in medical care? It would worry me if I was on the council and wanted to stay there. Again, people have very strong opinions in regards to medical care.

I've been fairly quiet on the whole Aurora Hospital debate. I never felt that I had enough information to take an hardline stance on something as critical as this. I'm still not quite sure what my thoughts are on this matter. However, I think I'm leaning towards a pro-Aurora position. Right now, I'm a little concerned that the city council has 1) temporarily delayed the chances of a second health care option within the city and 2) temporarily delayed the potential for economic growth and job creation. I use the word "temporarily" because I ultimately think that this blow from the city council isn't going to drastically change Aurora's plans. In my opinion, I think we can be relatively assured that there will be a new hospital on the Aurora campus in a couple of years.

It's really a very interesting turn of events. Clearly, a major segment of the community wants to see Aurora Hospital built, but the city council went against the wishes of so many within the community and, at least temporarily, delayed these plans. In a way, I have to give some credit to the council members who voted down this tax abatement. They aparrently weighed the options and decided to vote against this proposal even though, by doing this, many people within the community will be critical of them. It's interesting to see elected officials not always taking the easy, popular option.

Still, I wonder if they have made the best choice. What do you think?

One down...

Well, one of the many eyesores on Gateway Drive has finally been destroyed. For the last couple of days, a small crew has been tearing down the old Transport Inc. building. The dilapidated structure, which used to offend from its position a block or two east of old Westward Ho property, is currently a pile of rubbish. This demolition was first mentioned on GFL last year.

Let's hope that the Weekley Auto Wrecking building/house are the next to go! This very visible stretch of Gateway seems to be a prime place for redevelopment of some sort. Let's just hope it won't be another auto parts store. Seriously, I see a gradual redevelopment of the Gateway corridor taking place over the next decade or so. I think some things are already in place for such a renaissance and I think we'll see more good news for the corridor in the future.

Goodbye, Gateway eyesore...you won't be missed. Now, if we could send that wrecking crew to a few other properties in your neck of the woods...

Chicago Tribune article

I came across a great Chicago Tribune article from Sunday which detailed our city's recovery from the Flood of 1997. It's great to see the "Rebuilt, Renewed, Reborn" Grand Forks get such positive publicity. In my opinion, some pretty amazing things have happened and are continuing to happen in this city and it's fabulous to read glowing pieces like this.

Some excerpts:

"By virtually every barometer, this northern outpost that gave the world Cream of Wheat and a perennial college hockey powerhouse is on a run that makes real estate agents and urban planners salivate."

"In the last decade, the region added almost 12 percent more jobs. All the public schools are nearly new or rehabbed. A new river greenway twice the size of New York City's Central Park is a short walk from sold-out condos being built downtown. And, on Sunday afternoon, the city is hosting a free rib dinner in its stunning, multiuse arena."

"Everyone concedes it has been a rocky trek to urban renewal, and scars remain. But Grand Forks perseveres."

"Different people point to different events as turning points in the recovery. Some cite a change in mayors, from Owens, who generated an outpouring of sympathy and support, to Dr. Mike Brown, perceived as energetic and visionary."

"Brown, an obstetrician/gynecologist, concedes that Owens made some visionary decisions, including moving ahead with plans for the $80 million, city-owned Alerus Center and supporting the clearing of hundreds of houses for the greenway."

"Nearly everyone agrees that the cornerstone of the turnaround is the 2,200-acre Grand Forks Greenway, a $409 million system of dikes and flood walls that runs for 8 miles on either side of the Red River and is designed to handle a crest about 13 feet above the 1997 level. Largely disguised as wooded, open space with golf courses for duffers and Frisbee throwers, the Greenway also includes a 20-mile trail, picnic shelters, campgrounds and a long sledding hill along one of the levees."

"Observers say all this helped create and maintain a buzz in Grand Forks that generated commercial investment and growth unlike anything the city had seen since perhaps the boom years of the 1890s, when local miller Frank Amidon invented Cream of Wheat. About 60 stores, including Lowe's, Best Buy, Kohl's and Old Navy, have arrived in a shopping district on the south end of town."

"Grand Forks' sales tax collections hit an all-time high last year and the population is about 2,000 more than in 1996."

You can't buy publicity like that.

New Gateway McDonald's

The McDonald's on Gateway Drive will close early next month in preparation for a major building project. The existing building will be torn down in early May. A new McDonald's building will be constructed on the property and will open about three months later.

The existing Gateway McDonald's, despite being seemingly very busy, is a small, outdated building. I'm personally happy to see this building replaced with a new structure.

New downtown coffee shop

I was walking down South Third Street the other day and noticed signs in a building on the west side of the street - "Coming Soon: Porpoura Coffee House." I'm not sure if this is a relocation of the Porpoura in Columbia Mall or an additional location.

While I'm on the subject of downtown, I also walked around the Elite Brownstones project which is nearing completion. Recently, there has been some discussion over siding used on the back of the building and in small locations on the north and south sides of the building. Personally, even though I am usually very picky over such things, I have no problem with the use of siding on these areas of the building. The back faces the alley and I think the siding looks pretty appropriate for an alley. I should add that I wouldn't want to see any siding on the front of the building, but I have no problem with siding on the building's rear or in small locations on the north and south sides. The complex is looking great...this is going to be a wonderful addition for downtown.

Ten Years Later

This is the Grand Forks Life Flood of 1997 Anniversary thread. Share your memories and thoughts of the defining event in Grand Forks-East Grand Forks history.