FARGO – The Fargo City Commission discussed the latest in conversations surrounding a potential relocation of the Downtown Engagement Center (DEC).
Last week, the City of Fargo held a public meeting surrounding the potential move, including bringing a panel of providers that are at the DEC’s current location.
“They talked about some of the services that they provide at the engagement center,” Assistant City Administrator Brenda Derrig said.
Some of the concerns that were brought forward were safety for both residents and businesses in areas of the three locations that were brought up as potential relocation sites – 610 North University, 720 14th Street North and 2001 1st Avenue North, along with a lack of clarity surrounding the current timing of the engagement center move.
“I know we’ve had some conversations over the last year, and so just that question was raised,” Derrig said. “And then just the clarity on the need to move the engagement center (out) of downtown, and why it’s no longer suitable.”
Other concerns were shared at the public meeting regarding decreased property values, increased foot traffic, transportation concerns for those who use the DEC and overall location of the center moving forward from the core services. Some also shared concerns with the costs to upfit the locations.
Public survey results
There was a public survey that the city asked those to complete that were in attendance last night, as well as placing it on the city’s social media asking for public feedback.
The survey was open for more than a week and had 521 responses to questions ranking the three sites and providing comment and feedback.
“A lot of the comments followed the comments we heard at the public meeting,” Derrig said. “On top of that, we heard comments in regard to having it remain where it is.”
While 50 commented on the latter, 10 also commented regarding closing the center – providing for a variety of feedback.
As far as ranking the sites, the location at 2001 1st Avenue North was the top choice, followed by 720 14th Street North and then 610 University Drive.
The locations
Derrig said a team of staff members from Fargo Cass Public Health, the Harm Reduction Program, Facilities and the Planning Department have been taking ‘a very high level’ look at each of the sites.
“There are pros and cons to each of the sites,” she said.
The site on North University Drive is ideally located for clients and has an ‘ideal layout’ for programs, Derrig said.
“It would be the fastest move-in readiness timeline,” she said.
There are neighbors and area businesses that oppose placing the center on that location.
The 14th Street North location is a good location for clients and has a good layout for the programs, Derrig said, and it also has a second floor available for future use. But like the location on North University Drive, there are concerns from the neighbors.
At the 1st Avenue North location, Derrig said that it’s further from downtown.
“We still feel it’s a fair location and a good layout for programs,” she said.
Next steps
Derrig detailed what some of the next steps are.
First is securing donations to help with the cost.
“We have been in conversation and we are working with the FM Area Foundation to do an agreement to set up for community donations,” Derrig said.
They’ve also been looking at the actual physical locations.
“We continue to work with the architecture team that will help lay out what the renovation plan would look like,” she said. “And we are securing some professional and technical resources to help us understand. I want to be able to come back with a full story so that you understand all the pros and cons as we dive into those sites.”
Public engagement will also continue – with the end goal of presenting final plan options to the Fargo City Commission at a later time for consideration and final approval.
Community reaction
The City heard from three speakers.
Sarah Liljestrand, who owns Holland’s Landscaping and Garden at 420 North University Drive, spoke about the possibility of moving the DEC to near her business.
She said she has spoken with 68 business owners in the area of her business.
“Only one of those business owners said that they did not care,” Liljestrand said. “A few said that the center should be closed. The overwhelming majority said that the center needs to be relocated to an area that is not around businesses, schools or housing.”
Fargo resident Olivia Fisher said there ‘is truly no reason to move the DEC’ other than ‘to appease businesses that feel threatened by the presence of homeless people.
“I know that the current reasoning being given is that the current building isn’t suiting the needs for all of the programs that the deck offers,” she said. “Yet there are plenty of solutions on how to work around that, which residents mentioned at the town hall last Tuesday.”
She questioned how long it would be ‘before you decide to shut it (the DEC) down entirely?’
“it sounds like city members want that to happen as well, which is severely disappointing,” Fisher said.
