Fargo began its first urban renewal project in the early 1960's. The "Fourth Street Project" or the "Civic Center Project" as it was known was the first Federally-aided urban renewal project in North Dakota).

The area involved included approximately 30 acres located downtown just west of the Red River. The area had been occupied by a substantial number of "blighted and deteriorated" buildings. In their place the city built a small landscaped riverfront park, a complex containing a civic center and a new city hall (see picture to the right). Also built in the area was a Chamber of Commerce building, a Northwestern Bell Telephone Company building, the Northern States Power Company Building, the Metropolitan Savings and Loan Building, the Town House Motor Hotel, and other buildings.

Fargo received funds in 1962 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development for a second urban renewal project: the "Main Avenue Project." This project included nearly 45 acres of properties along Main Avenue form the Red River to Broadway. The area was occupied by "substandard hotels, rooming houses, fringe businesses and small dwellings."

A new 32,000 square foot library was added to the Civic Center complex in 1968 at a cost of $1 million and the old public library on Roberts Street was abandoned.

Two of the largest new buildings resulting from this project were the new Fargo National Bank Building and a 250 unit, 22-story high rise for elderly.

The Red River Mall was built in 1975 in an attempt to promote downtown shopping.

The North Dakota legislature enacted the Renaissance Zone Act, effective January 1, 1999, to encourage development and investment. Activity that takes place in a designated Renaissance Zone is eligible for tax exemptions and/or credits. Fargo developed a Renaissance Zone Development Plan and established a Zone Authority to promote, develop, and manage the plan.

Work on the Broadway Streetscape project began on April 24, 2002. The three-year downtown revitalization project, costing $8 million, will upgrade the existing roadway, storm sewer and water main along Broadway and landscape enhancement will be combined with plantings, benches, ornamental fences, decorative brick pavers, flower baskets and columns to beautify historic downtown Fargo. Further information on the Broadway Streetscape Project is available at the following Web sites: www.fargostreets.com and www.fmdowntown.com.