The former Grand Forks Inn and Suites will soon have a date with a wrecking ball. The Grand Forks council approved spending a little over $444,000 dollars to demolish the former Inn with the hopes of locating a career and technical education center on site. Berger Enterprises submitted the low bid on the demo work.
The city is planning to seek a $10 million dollar grant from the state to help fund a $20 million dollar Career Impact Academy. The rest of the funding would come via private donations and public settings.
Council President Dana Sande says he’s concerned about the on-going funding once the building is up and running. “I think it’s a big “if” on moving forward with a CTE Center. How we can help manage the longevity of the facility. You don’t go out and buy an airplane and not be able to pay for the insurance…hangar…and fuel to fly it.’
City Administrator Todd Feland says one way or the other it makes sense to raze the building for possible redevelopment.
The deadline to solicit state funding is December 1st.
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In other council notes members approved a new lease agreement with the Social Security Administration to keep the agency in the Corporate Center II building for the next 18 to 20 years. The agreement sets the monthly rent at just over $15,000 dollars a month. The city is preparing the final documents to sell the building to the private sector.
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