The Grand Forks City Council has approved a 95-percent PILOT exemption (Payment in Lieu of Taxes) over 20 years for the Memorial Village II project — a five-story mixed-use building near University Avenue and Columbia Road, plus an NCAA softball complex.
The develop cost is estimated at $44 million dollars.
At last (Wed) night’s public hearing, a Grand Forks woman raised concerns about Mike Kuntz, a local architect who would provide services on the project.
The woman noted that Kuntz is being investigated by the State Securities Commission, which in April ordered him to cease and desist from the alleged sale of at least $25 million in unregistered promissory notes … and misappropriation of investor funds.
Steve Burian, an engineering consultant on the project, said Kuntz is a “talented architect” who has no ownership in the deal.
“He was the one that helped dream up some of the ideas for both Memorial Village I and Memorial Village II, and we felt that sticking with him for Memorial Village II was in our best interests and the University (of North Dakota)’s best interests,” Burian said.
Council member Rebecca Osowski asked Burian if he could get a new architect.
Burian replied, “I certainly could. I don’t think it’s in the project’s best interests.”
City administrator Todd Feland said the city would not tell another firm who they should hire as long as they are qualified.
In other action, the council unanimously approved a PILOT exemption for Epitome Energy, which plans to build a $420 million soybean crushing facility on the city’s north side.
Under the plan, Epitome Energy would receive an 83% tax break for 15 years. A development agreement is in the works.
Epitome CEO Dennis Egan told the council on Wednesday night that the project will likely start getting infrastructure in place by next spring.
A large stretch of 32nd Avenue South in Grand Forks is scheduled to get a new layer of asphalt later this year.
The city council last (Wed) night approved a bid by Knife River Materials of Bemidji. for that work, at a cost of nearly $1.9 million dollars.
North Dakota’s D-O-T scrapped plans to include the rehab of the concrete portion of the road in May, when bids came in 173 percent over estimates.
The goal is to rehab that stretch during 2024 construction season.
= =
Meanwhile, the Grand Forks County Commission on Wednesday approved a five percent cost of living adjustment for county employees.
That bump takes effect Oct. 1st.