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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