GRAFTON, N.D. — A project to bring a business incubator to Grafton, North Dakota, has selected a construction manager for the process.

The Red River Regional Council, the organization behind the project, chose MBA Development Group from Fargo to be the construction manager at risk for the Hill Avenue Business Incubator and Co-Lab space, a press release from the council said.

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“We are thrilled to partner with MBA Development and their team of experts in historic renovations to make the vision for the incubator and co-lab space to come to life,” said Dawn Mandt, executive director of the RRRC.

The business incubator will be located in Grafton’s downtown, in a vacant building that is more than 10,000 square feet. Designs for the space include a shared commercial kitchen and co-lab space, meant to serve entrepreneurs. The RRRC completed research that revealed there are “hundreds of cottage food producers, caterers and food entrepreneurs that are looking to provide a food-based offering in our region,” the release said. However, there was a gap in having a licensed, commercial kitchen for food producers to use. Entrepreneurs will be able to use the space to test-market foods, look into the feasibility of opening a restaurant, teach culinary arts and grow businesses.

“MBA is excited to work with the Red River Regional Council and their design team led by ICON Architectural Group to repurpose the former Reylecks Department Store building, which was built in 1916,” said Kevin Bartram, MBA’s president. “Our firm has extensive experience renovating historic buildings in the region. … We appreciate the opportunity to work on this one-of-a-kind project in downtown Grafton.”

The project began in 2022 , when the RRRC received a $1.6 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration, along with a local match for an overall value of about $2.2 million to renovate the building, located at 532 Hill Ave.

It has experienced some delays in the process with finding a builder. In late 2024, the RRRC changed tactics by instead moving forward with the construction management at risk approach, which will allow the construction team to provide its expertise in the early design phases of the project.

“It’s exciting to have enthusiastic partners ready to roll up the sleeves and get to work to transform the old Reylecks building into a community hub to inspire future food entrepreneurs and business start-ups to enhance both the community of Grafton and the entire region in northeast North Dakota,” Mandt said.

Preparations for the building renovations are planned to get started in late summer, the release said. The construction process itself is estimated to last up to 12 months.

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