BEMIDJI — Demolition work to make way for new development in Bemidji’s rail corridor has begun.
Three structures targeted for demolition have been in various stages of abandonment and decay for years.
The building that started coming down Friday morning, Dec. 5, was most recently a paper supply office, but the structure was originally a creamery in Bemidji’s rail heyday.
After demolition and other site preparation to remove and contain contaminated soils from the area’s industrial past, construction on a new wellness center and a 98-room Marriott Hotel is slated to begin.
The two major projects spearheaded by the economic development nonprofit Greater Bemidji are anticipated to bring $57 million in new construction to the area just south of Bemidji’s downtown.
“We will be taking a blighted, contaminated site and transforming it into a vibrant and complementary addition to our downtown,” stated Greater Bemidji Executive Director Dave Hengel in an earlier release.
The 60,000-square-foot community wellness center will be operated by the YMCA, and the project is anticipated to create 77 jobs, increase the tax base by $30,000 and leverage $35 million in private investment.
GoodNeighbor Properties out of Alexandria is proposing a 98-room Marriott hotel with an event center and restaurant, representing more than $22 million in new construction.
The city of Bemidji purchased most of the rail corridor from the BNSF Railroad in the early 2000s, acquiring an additional 4 acres recently as the YMCA plan began to take shape in 2024. The city has done extensive site testing and evaluation over the last decade, contracting technical support from the St. Paul Port Authority.
Greater Bemidji and the city obtained $1.5 million in cleanup grants from the state of Minnesota to facilitate site development.
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Contributed/Nick Amoscato via FlickrFreewill donations collected at the event will support grief support services at Essentia-St. Joseph's Medical Center in Brainerd. -
Contributed/National Weather ServiceTwo systems bringing snow to Northern Minnesota Dec. 8-10, 2025, will bring at least a few inches to nearly everyone, with somewhere in the Arrowhead getting dumped on. -
Plus: Demolition work is underway to make room for new construction in Bemidji's blighted rail corridor; Anderson Brothers Construction in Brainerd can once again bid on government contracts; and Essentia Health St. Joseph's will host its annual Tree of Life memorial service on Dec. 16. -
Megan Buffington/KAXECounties, cities and school districts host these meetings at the end of each year, after proposed property tax statements are sent out with tax estimates based on the proposed levies. -
Contributed/Lake of the Woods County Sheriff's OfficeThe man reported being surrounded by 400 feet of open water while standing on thin ice with a portable fish house. -
Officials with the state's Environmental Quality Board heard more on how data center development could impact the state's water resources. -
Contributed/St. Louis CountyRyan Moller allegedly shot his father in the head in Fayal Township after an argument. He was charged with attempted murder and assault Dec. 5, 2025. -
Plus: A Bemidji forum explores the affordability of child care, health care and more for families, along with potential legislative fixes.
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Larissa Donovan/KAXEChild care providers, local officials and families discussed the high costs of child care and the low wages of child care workers during the Bemidji Affordability Forum on Dec. 3, 2025. -
Megan Buffington/KAXEThe North Central Research and Outreach Center helped test our state fruit for winter hardiness, a step in its eventual release as the University of Minnesota's first apple variety.
