Members of the Park River Community Development Corporation (CDC), and their partners celebrated a milestone today at two new homes currently under construction on North Star Drive in Park River. With markers in hand, participants signed names and good wishes on bare wall studs in the homes. Next week the process of insulating and drywalling the interior of the homes will begin. Red River Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO), Red River Regional Council, First United Bank, ND Housing Finance Agency, Park River CDC, Park River City Council, and Gemmill Custom Cabinets and Homes have all been a part of this development.
The two new homes are being built as part of Red River CHDO’s Spark Build initiative, which is designed to jumpstart new single family home construction in small towns. The homes are considered speculative, or “spec” builds because buyers have not yet been identified. Funding from the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency is helping to manage the risk sometimes associated with speculative building.
“This region of North Dakota is an amazing place to live, work, and play. The Park River CDC is proud to have built two homes for sale to add to an already beautiful neighborhood,” said Allison Olimb, Park River CDC Chair. “We are excited to offer this opportunity for people to put down roots or grow deeper ones in Park River.”
The homes are being sold for $365,000. The construction is slab on grade with hydronic heated floors. The homes have 1,634 square feet with a 728 square foot garage. There are a sliding patio door and concrete patio off the dining room and a small concrete patio at the front of the house. Each home features three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a double garage with two overhead doors and a floor drain. Kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms feature custom cabinets. The primary suite has double sinks in the bathroom, a shower, and spacious walk-in closet. Construction should be completed by the end of this year.
“These homes have been ideal for “move-over” buyers,” stated Lisa Rotvold, Executive Director of Red River CHDO. “People who live in town and find the single level design, high energy efficiency, and low maintenance of a new build appealing, and they are also very nice homes for families.”
Since the Spark Build initiative started in 2024, four new homes have been built and sold in Lakota and Larimore. Three additional communities are working toward construction on Spark Build in 2026. The work is focused on communities that have little to no new home construction in recent years.
A 2024 region wide housing study projected a need for up to 4,800 additional homes in the four counties of Grand Forks, Nelson, Pembina, and Walsh by 2030. The projection was based on current and projected job openings. Red River Regional Council Executive Director Dawn Mandt explained, “There is a great deal of opportunity ahead of us. People want to live and raise their families in rural communities in our region. The Spark Build initiative is just getting things started. Our hope is that the private sector gains confidence in the market and ramps up production as well.”
Anyone interested in learning more about the homes can contact Lisa Rotvold at lisa@redriverrc.com.
