File Photo School-owned property next to Erik Ramstad Middle School remains vacant, although previously platted for a housing development called Idlewild.

A city investment in infrastructure to advance a housing development on school property won’t be happening. However, the Minot City Council advanced the 16th Street Southwest reconstruction project with its support for a bid award Monday.

Park Construction Co. submitted the low bid of about $11.2 million on the 16th Street project’s first phase, which was 9.2% below the engineer’s estimate. There were four bids on the project received by the North Dakota Department of Transportation. The council accepted the low bid but an award is contingent on the state’s review of the bid to ensure it meets all requirements.

The first phase, from about 14th Avenue Southwest to Burdick Expressway, includes new concrete pavement, improved drainage, widening with dedicated left turn lanes and improved shared use paths. New LED lighting and a new traffic signal at 11th Avenue also will be installed. The bulk of the project is to be paid with federal dollars.

The council gave consideration to an inquiry from the Minot Public School District regarding any possible interest in assisting with infrastructure installation on district-owned land near Erik Ramstad Middle School.

The district contacted the city in late 2024 about a potential developer with an interest in acquiring the vacant land for the construction of housing. The property previously had been platted during the oil boom for a housing development called Idlewild, but it never was built.

The cost of roads and utilities for the property was reported to be too much for the developers, so the school district asked the city to consider assisting. The City Engineer’s office produced estimates that showed the cost of installing infrastructure for 168 single family homes would be about $13 million, or $87,273 a lot.

Council member Paul Pitner said looking at those costs, the numbers don’t add up for a buildable project.

Council member Mark Jantzer cited all the capital improvement needs the city already is looking at.

“We have more infrastructure projects than we know what to do with. It’s pretty tough to look at funding $13 million to do this,” he said.

The city’s policy has been to require the developer to entirely fund infrastructure and turn it over to the city upon completion for maintenance.

In a memo to the council, which he reiterated at the meeting, City Manager Harold Stewart did note the growing supply/demand imbalance within the community. Sale prices and market values of homes continue to increase rapidly as demand outstrips the supply of housing stock. Although not recommending any particular decision by the council, Stewart pointed out for council consideration that the city faces an additional challenge with the flood control project, which is estimated to acquire and demolish about 20% of the housing stock that existed in 2011.

Despite acknowledging the city has a housing shortage, council member Lisa Olson added, “I don’t think that our investment in this is the right thing.”

Council member Mike Blessum said he visited more recently with a school board member and one of the developers and he believes any decision by the council would be premature based on the stage of those plans.

Blessum said the city may have a role in the future, but it might be as part of a larger project to prepare that area of Minot for future growth, including improvements to a gravel road from 16th Street to the school rather than investing in infrastructure to individual homes.

Mayor under investigation

Minot’s mayor is facing an investigation related to an undisclosed complaint.

Minot City Manager Harold Stewart confirmed a complaint was received Jan. 28. He said he expects the investigation to potentially finish in a couple of weeks, at which time information would become accessible to the public.

Mayor Tom Ross had no comment Monday.