“We’ve already made some really good headway in all of those directions,” said Anna Nelson, executive director of the Williston Economic Development Department. “It’s been cool to see it all come together as intended, so early, and then to be able to have the opportunity to continue to fill in along those lines is a tremendous opportunity to have.”

“It’s the largest redevelopment project in the history of Williston,” said City Administrator Shawn Wenko, who was head of the city’s economic development office when project conversation started in 2012.

The approximate 1,000-acre site became available to the city for redevelopment when a new airport was built and the former Sloulin Field was decommissioned in 2019.

A master plan was created in 2020 to ensure the future of the property was in line with the city’s needs and desires for development. Public input was included along the way as the city initially worked with Cardon Global on both the new airport and Williston Square. Conceived as a long-term project, the pace of development at Williston Square has been unexpected.

Submitted Photo by Roger Riveland Taco Bell, Slim Chickens and Genesis form the beginning of a commercial district in Williston Square.

“It’s been a very pleasant surprise to see what’s happening in the Square,” Wenko said.

Among the first to move in were Williams County Emergency Management and the Upper Missouri River Region Dispatch Center. Sanford Health announced plans for a regional hospital and a clinic.

“We have a housing development that has broken ground. We have a brand new elementary school, Sloulin Elementary – its name, of course, a nod to the airport name and honoring the family who originally donated that land,” Nelson said. “Sloulin Elementary is currently under construction, and it will open this fall.”

Bethel Lutheran Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is relocating to Williston Square, having broken ground last year.

The existing municipal golf course also is considered part of Williston Square, and it is being reconstructed and expanded from nine holes to 18 holes by the Williston Parks and Recreation District, Nelson said. Additionally, an upscale housing community is going in near the golf course.

Submitted Photo by Roger Riveland A sign advertises more commercial and residential lots available for development in Williston Square.

Parks and Recreation, the city, county and local recreational groups are cooperating in a public-private project to develop an ice and turf facility, using the airport’s former hangar for the turf portion.

The first businesses to break ground in Williston Square were Genesis and a Slim Chickens restaurant.

“It was really cool that we were able to break ground on Williston Square with two businesses that represent what we were hoping for this – for local and national businesses to sit next to each other,” Nelson said.

Genesis owner Lenny Johnson said Williston Square became available about the time the lease on his existing store building in Williston came up for renewal. Looking for a more visible location, Johnson found Williston Square offered that advantage, along with the opportunity to be in an area among other businesses. Competing with oil companies for space over the years had left the business community rather scattered, with fewer centralized shopping experiences for residents and visitors, he said.

“It’s been great,” Johnson said of the new location. “We are happy with the building.”

There have been challenges in locating in an area still in construction, though. With the disruptions of last year’s street construction behind him, Johnson said he looks forward to a different type of construction as more companies build in Williston Square.

Taco Bell already has followed Genesis and Slim Chickens, and last December, 7 Brew Drive-Thru Coffee opened. It was announced April 16 that Chick-fil-A selected Williston Square as the site for its newest North Dakota location, the first in western North Dakota and seventh in the state.

The biggest announcement has been Target’s contract to purchase 16 acres for a 134,000-square-foot store in the area of the other businesses. Wenko said Target is looking at a spring ground breaking.

Among property in Williston Square that remains available is about 100 acres of land for housing development. Nelson said the city would love to see a senior community built. More than 40 acres are available near the Bethel Lutheran site for housing, and a portion is next to the golf course, Nelson said.

Around 100 acres of land remains available for commercial development.

“We are hoping to get some more retail in there to complement what we’re already seeing with Target and some of those other establishments, and then we would love to have some space for some local businesses to come in, whether that is someone looking for a storefront or office space,” Nelson said. “So, really hoping to, again, continue with that thought of having national brands, statewide brands, sit next to our local entrepreneurs and really make this a place for everybody.”

About 35 acres remain carved out for public or civic space. That space also could be commercial but the intent is to have either indoor or outdoor space for the public, Nelson said.

Nelson added Williston has other areas of the city also available for more growth, although those areas frequently are around the city’s edges. The attraction of Williston Square comes from its central location and from its position along the major transportation corridor of U.S. Highway 2.

The City of Williston has invested into backbone infrastructure, such as arterial roads and storm water management, in Williston Square. Wenko said the city’s investment is out-pacing returns currently, but that will change as commercial development expands and new recreational facilities begin drawing more people to town.

“It’s not just the sale of the land that’s going to recoup the investment,” he said. “It’s the increase in quality of life and the potential increase in sales tax that we will see. … It’s that economic development aspect that is going to pay long-term dividends for us.”