Stories of the Year
Boom takes hold in New Town
By Jerry W. Kram
After years of watching surrounding communities go through a building boom, and after years of developer promises, New Town is finally starting to see new projects actually move dirt.
Among the projects that were started in 2014:
The Elbowoods Development. This tribal project installed 40 homes in 2014 and another 40 are set to be moved in in 2015. The modular homes will be dedicated to medical professionals working at the Elbowoods Clinic and not available to the general public.
Future Housing LLC is nearing completion of a 39 unit apartment building on the former Prairie Winds Apartment Complex. The apartments will be dedicated to employees of the United Prairie Cooperative.
The city of New Town took the bull by the horns in developing Outlot 2, 14 city-owned acres on Sand Hill. After developers failed to get financing to build homes in the area, the city hired Eagle Rock Timber to install infrastructure including streets, water and sewer service. The city rejected the only bid it received to develop homes on the improved lots and is exploring how it can sell the lots and still achieve its goal of developing moderately priced homes and city employee housing on the 39 lot development.
New Leaf Development, a company that has opened one hotel in Watford City and has another about to open, began contruction on a regular motel and an extended stay hotel in August. Developer Brett Erdmann is building the hotels just east of Alco.
