If You Build It: 5 Exciting Projects Happening Right Now in Grand Forks

There are a few sure signs of a healthy, growing city, and Grand Forks is demonstrating each of those signs during a recent building boom. In addition to dozens of housing and commercial developments that have been completed or approved in the past year, there are five public-facing new projects happening in Grand Forks that will enhance opportunities and improve quality-of-life for those who live, work, and play in here.

As a lifelong resident of Grand Forks, I have often heard variations of these two questions: “What is there to do in Grand Forks in the wintertime?” and, “Where can we go to find fun activities for all ages to experience?”.

Fun and Play:

The Altru Indoor Sports and Aquatics Complex is set for a grand opening April 1st, 2027 and will be located south of the Alerus Center, our region’s incredible event and conference venue. This location is a portion of an overall city-planned district with the existing Hugo’s BMX track and the proposed Grand Forks Children’s Museum.

George Hellyer, executive director of Grand Forks Park District says, ”The New Altru Sports Complex will have a tremendous quality of life impact on the Grand Forks community and surrounding region for decades to come. This new facility will provide swimming lessons, tournaments, and recreational opportunities year-round for all age groups.”

In addition to all of the amenities listed above, the new Altru Complex will provide indoor courts for pickleball, the nation’s fastest-growing sport.

A New Museum:

The goal of bringing a Children’s Museum to Grand Forks is within reach, and it is hoped that groundbreaking can occur in Summer 2025. Construction is expected to take about two years. The Grand Forks Children’s Museum will be a hub of creativity, exploration, and community connection, offering a space for hands-on learning and discovery for all visitors.

Katie Mayer, executive director of Grand Forks Children’s Museum says, “This will be a place for families to learn together through play and exploration, and we are so close to breaking ground! Grand Forks is a wonderful community, and the addition of a Children’s Museum will enhance our quality of life for our residents AND attract visitors and newcomers. We ask that the whole community gets involved through donating and volunteering!”

The Grand Forks Children’s Museum will indeed be a wonderful interactive experience for all ages!

There are a number of building projects currently underway which will change the landscape of teaching and learning for Grand Forks and Grand Forks Air Force Base students. While it is hard to believe, there are actually THREE new schools in various stages of planning and construction between the two school districts connected to Greater Grand Forks.

Dr. Terry Brenner, Superintendent of Grand Forks and Grand Forks Air Force Base School Districts says, “This is an exciting time for the school district and community. The new Career Impact Academy will address some of the community’s workforce shortage challenges and give students more options as they look to graduate ‘Choice Ready’. The new state-of-the-art Valley Middle School will have space for all programs from general education to special education and house students in grades six through eight in different learning wings. The proposed new Twining Elementary and Middle School will include STEM-featured spaces that address students’ academic, social, and physical needs and reflect the past, present, and future of the Grand Forks Air Force Base.”

Career Impact Academy:

The Career Impact Academy will open its doors in Fall 2025 and will empower and retain young talent by offering unparalleled education and job opportunities. This new facility – a public/private partnership – will allow the School District to offer all-new courses in fields ranging from Aerospace, Computer Science, Engineering, and Robotics to Culinary Arts and Health Sciences. Registration for these new courses – and the hiring of new employees to staff these programs – is happening this month.

Eric Ripley, Executive Director of Career and Technical Education, Grand Forks Public Schools:

“This facility will expand and enhance high-quality Career & Technical Education courses for students both within Grand Forks and from surrounding communities, developing their career pathway while in high school and aiding them in being “Choice Ready” upon graduation.  For our community of Grand Forks and the more than eighty community partners who supported the project, this will develop, train, and retain a talented workforce within the region. Outside of the school day, the Career Impact Academy stands to serve as a community asset in its ability to provide adult community education and customized industry trainings.”

Next year’s 10th-12th graders will be the first to set foot inside the new Career Impact Academy, which is located just southeast of the Highway 2 (Gateway Drive) / Interstate-29 interchange.

For more information, please visit the school’s website!

New Valley Middle School:

When you were in junior high school or middle school, what do YOU remember doing during your winter break? Many of us spent those days sleeping in, visiting relatives, or watching The Price Is Right.

Very few of us got to move into a NEW SCHOOL!

That’s exactly what will happen in December 2025, when sixth through eighth graders at Valley Middle School will say goodbye to their familiar hallways and lockers and move a few hundred feet west into a brand-new building!

Theodore Schye, principal of Valley Middle School says, “The ‘new’ Valley Middle School will create a much-improved educational environment that impacts conditions for student learning and teachers’ ability to teach. It strengthens the Northside community by providing a neighborhood school that everyone can take pride and ownership in. Investing in Northside education demonstrates a commitment to the future of the community and encourages a sense of belonging and support.”

Once students and staff have moved into the new facility and the old building has been demolished, the school district and park district will work together to create new sports and recreational fields on the current Valley site. If you would like more information about this exciting new project, Grand Forks Public Schools’ and Construction Engineers’ websites have resources for you!

New Elementary and Middle School:

A new Nathan Twining Elementary and Middle School on the Grand Forks Air Force Base is in the works, thanks to two federal grants which will cover eighty percent of the project cost. Construction is set to begin this spring, and the project’s goal is to celebrate the values of military personnel while providing an enhanced quality of life and future-ready learning environment. This project is in partnership with JLG Architects, whose site has further information on the project.

Michelle Shepperd, President, Grand Forks Air Force Base School District says, “The new Twining will enhance our capacity to meet the needs of Air Force Base families and help modernize the delivery of education and curriculum. Having a new facility will provide the opportunity for Twining to host events that will also benefit the students and families of our neighboring communities through activities such as STEM Camp and sporting competitions.”

Tentatively scheduled to open in Fall 2027, the new Nathan Twining School will also celebrate the history of the Grand Forks Air Force Base while providing a global perspective and developing future leaders.

Conclusion:

Collectively, these five new building projects signify tremendous investments in the people who live, work, study, and play in Grand Forks. Those sentiments are echoed by city leaders like Mayor Brandon Bochenski who says, “Grand Forks’ commitment to the educational health and wellbeing of our children speaks volumes to the future of our community. Increased athletic and educational opportunities improve motor skills, spark imagination, and most importantly build confidence in our youngsters.”

Our City Council president, Dana Sande, is equally as enthusiastic, sharing “All of this building highlights the successes our community is living through. Grand Forkers are a hearty, hard-working bunch that don’t take enough time to celebrate success because we are always moving on to the next project. However, as a community, we SHOULD celebrate the billion-dollar build which started under Mayor Brown and has accelerated under Mayor Bochenski. Developers and investors bet their resources on winners, and Grand Forks has been and continues to be a winner. Combine the private investment with the public commitment to quality of life facilities and the future of the Alerus Center, Grand Forks is just starting to realize the benefits.”