FARGO (KFGO) - Kilbourne Group plans to start work on another big project next month in downtown Fargo. The $13.9 million Dillard Project on Roberts Street will be six stories, with 84 apartments and 13,000 sq. ft. of retail space on the ground floor.
Once the deep foundation work is completed this fall, construction on the upper levels will begin in April with completion in the spring of 2019. It's being built on a parking lot, north of the Roberts Commons mixed-use building now under construction by Kilbourne.
Like many downtown developers, Kilbourne Group has received city tax breaks which have drawn fire but Kilbourne General Manager Mike Almendinger defends the project's Renaissance Zone tax exemption. He says the city will see more tax revenue once the tax break expires and the property increases in value. The property now pays $2,400 in property taxes yearly. Once the five year exemption ends, owners will pay $160,000 in property taxes.
City Commissioner Tony Gehrig, a long time critic of the incentives, says those tax breaks increase property taxes for everyone and argues ending the tax breaks would lower your property tax.
Doug Burgum is the founder of Kilbourne Group but stepped back from his involvement after he was elected governor to avoid any potential conflict of interest.
