Grand Forks Corporate Center
Grand Forks, North DakotaDowntown Grand Forks encountered major destruction after the spring flood and fire of 1997. The city of Grand Forks developed this project to reestablish the downtown core as a major place to do business. The Grand Forks Corporate Center includes a five-level building of 70,000 SF and one three-level building of 30,000 SF. The two buildings are attached by a skyway and are connected to a new 400-car parking ramp. Grand Forks' largest bank (First National Bank of Grand Forks), their largest accounting firm (Brady Martz and Associates) and their largest law firm (Camrud Maddock Olson and Larsen) are located in the larger, five-level building while the smaller building houses several smaller tenants. The complex opened in the spring of 1999. The intersection of Fourth and Demers was selected as the project site as it was the former address of the three dislocated tenants. Also, this location is a logical center city axis as Demers is a major east-west thoroughfare and Fourth Street is a connector of important public buildings. A corner tower was built which anchors the Fourth and Demers intersection and serves as a beacon visible from the river as well as upon approach from the west. The limestone colored pre-cast base and the red brick and glass tower respect the historic character of downtown while creating a progressive corporate identity for the tenants. Large glass windows at the street level enhance the building's pedestrian presence and provide daylight deep into the office space. This complex has served as a catalyst for new downtown development and positioned the city and the building tenants as leaders in the rebuilding of Grand Forks.