CDRP Success Stories

Grand Forks – Skidmore Park

Skidmore Park is located on the corner of N 5th Street and Gateway Drive. The historic 5-ton granite horse trough is located right in the middle of this area among 2,500 annual flowers planted during the summer. There is also a bench along the brick walkway for all to enjoy a summer treat from the Dairy Queen.

Ellendale Historical Society – Blacksmith Shop

Our artist, Jamie Eberle, has finished the front mural, restoring the "Horse Shoeing Parlor" sign to its original glory, 114 years ago. The surface prep and application were painstaking and slow but are high quality. Jamie will be adding the second murals to the west side of the building, to match the historic photo. 

Valley City – Community Mural

The Community Mural located in the heart of Valley City has become a vibrant symbol of creativity, collaboration, and local pride. What started as a simple idea to add color evolved into a project that united people from all walks of life.

It all began with one question: "What color do you think of when you think of Valley City?" This sparked a conversation about how to reflect our community’s spirit and increase vibrancy. With the help of the Main Street Initiative’s Vibrancy Grant, the vision took shape. The mural committee wanted to involve the whole community, choosing a paint-by-number design so everyone could contribute, regardless of age or skill. 

In August 2024, local artists designed a mural celebrating Valley City's culture. A few highlights include a cowboy hat for the North Dakota Winter Show, wheat for agriculture, and books for the newly restored Carnegie Library. Over 700 residents, university students, and visitors came together during the Summer Vikes on Central event in September and many of them helped bring the mural to life, with the help of Valley City High School art students and community volunteers.

Now completed, the mural brightens downtown, reflecting Valley City’s spirit and history. It has sparked conversations, brought people downtown, and even inspired ideas for future projects. In the end, the true impact of this mural lies not in the paint, but in the spirit of collaboration and pride that made it possible, marking the start of additional exciting transformations for our community. 

Divide County – Removed two blighted properties

Divide county removed two blighted properties on Mainstreet that brought a lot of excitement in the community. The initial thought was that the two old buildings held sentimental value to the populace but instead they received no negative feedback. In fact, the community is already envisioning the potential for the two empty lots.

Oakes – Removed four blighted properties

This grant program was a game-changer for the small community of Oakes, ND. They found that rural areas struggle to access funding due to limited resources. However, the program, which was incredibly easy to apply for and administer, was able to make a real difference in their ability to handle blighted properties. 

They were also able to renovate unused residential spaces on the second story of a Main Street building with the grant money. Because of the effectiveness of this grant, they were extremely grateful for the opportunity and hope that the state continues this program.

Sheyenne– Removed two blighted properties

Sheyenne GRIT completed a successful grant project that involved demolishing two dilapidated buildings. With these lots now cleared, they are given opportunity to construct new homes for the community. The planned development is expected to greatly enhance local tax revenue, contributing to the area's economic growth. There are also a few families that are greatly interested in living on the soon-to-be developed properties. 

Hoople – Removed asbestos and black mold, and removed rotting and hazardous structures

The United Methodist Church opened its doors in 1893. For 118 years, it hosted Hoople Methodist Church members that attended service there and has remained a staple piece within the hearts the residents. 

Once the doors closed in 2011 the church as sat vacant. In 2023 residents of Hoople started to ask around who owned it. The city was approached with the question and the city started to do some checking. Once confirmed that the United Methodist Church Organization still owned it, the city auditor called to see if they would be willing to sell the church to the city so that the city can discuss with the residents what they would like to do with the church building. The city bought the church for $1.00. 

There have been many discussions and ideas shared on what do to do with the church. Ideas spread from a museum, turning the church into a house to expand residency, indoor playground, fitness center, etc. There is one thing that everyone within the city agrees on and that is, it is filled with asbestos and black mold. The vision is hard to see with the smell and hazardous material within. This marked the first approach on what to do with the church. As of December 2024, this has been addressed. Future of the building will start back up in 2025.