What We Know About Watford City's Main Street Square — and What It Might Cost

This story is based on City of Watford City announcements, project materials and the Oct. 5, 2026, City Council agenda.

A rendering of the planned Main Street Square and commercial building on North Main Street. (Rendering: City of Watford City)

Three buildings on Watford City's Main Street have been torn down to make room for a new downtown commercial building and public plaza that the city calls Main Street Square.

Demolition began in late September. Local contractor TTK did the work for the city. Northbound Main Street was closed between 2nd and 3rd Avenues during demolition, with traffic detoured to the west. The street has since reopened.

The project is the first step in what the city calls Area 2 of its downtown redevelopment plan on North Main Street.

"We're excited to replace the current Main Street buildings with newer, more efficient retail and commercial space," Mayor Phil Riely said in a September city news release.

What's planned

The city's plans call for two pieces:

  • A multi-level commercial building. About 5,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, including new public restrooms, with about 5,000 square feet of professional office space on the upper floors. The city says the office space could include a business incubator, a shared workspace for new businesses. According to the city, the three single-story buildings that were torn down had been down to one tenant, from six about a year and a half earlier.
  • Main Street Square. A 10,000-square-foot public plaza on four lots that the city says have been vacant since the late 1990s. Plans include a permanent covered stage with built-in sound, concessions, utility hookups for vendors, and all-weather paving and turf. The lots will first serve as a staging area during construction of the building.

The city also plans upgraded alley parking that would add 18 parking spaces downtown.

ICON Architectural Group is designing the project, and Construction Engineers was hired as construction manager.

How it's being paid for

According to the city, the land purchase and design work are being paid for by the Roughrider Fund, the city's 1.5-cent sales tax for quality-of-life and economic development projects. The commercial building is to be financed with a 10-year bond backed by oil and gas tax revenue that previously went toward paying off the Rough Rider Center. The plaza is being funded by a North Dakota Department of Commerce grant and a community fundraising campaign planned for 2026 and 2027.

The city says the project will not raise taxes because it relies on existing sales tax and oil and gas tax revenue, a state grant and donations rather than a new tax. The city also says it expects the project to bring in new property and sales tax revenue from downtown businesses over time.

What will it cost?

The city's project FAQ said a final "not to exceed" cost estimate would be delivered to the City Council in February 2026, but Bakken Media could not find that figure, or any total project cost, in the city's published materials.

Here is what is known from city records:

  • Land and design: up to $1.5 million from the Roughrider Fund, according to the city.
  • Demolition: a $145,567 invoice from TTK for the Main Street demolition was listed on the Oct. 5 City Council agenda.
  • Plaza grant: $400,000 from the North Dakota Department of Commerce.

Bakken Media estimate: Based on the project's size and typical construction costs, the full project could cost roughly $6 million to $12 million. This is not a city figure. It is a rough estimate based on:

  • The commercial building: about 10,000 square feet, or more if a third floor is built, as the city's rendering shows. Small multi-story commercial buildings with higher-end finishes typically cost about $350 to $550 per square foot to build in western North Dakota once site work and fees are included, or roughly $4 million to $8 million.
  • The plaza: a 10,000-square-foot space with a covered stage, sound, concessions and vendor utilities, estimated at roughly $1 million to $2.5 million.
  • Parking and utility work: roughly $200,000 to $500,000.
  • Land, design and demolition: based on the figures above.

The final cost will depend on the building's size, design and construction prices when it is built. Bakken Media has requested the city's cost estimate and will update this story when it is received.

What's next

The Oct. 5 City Council agenda listed a draft design, a donor packet and a press release for Area 2, a sign the fundraising campaign for the plaza may be close to starting. The city is targeting a groundbreaking in 2027 or 2028 and a ribbon-cutting in June 2029.

"City Council is excited for the future redevelopment plans to improve Area 2," City Administrator Curt Moen said in the release and asked residents for patience during construction.

Questions about the redevelopment can go to Watford City Community Development at 701-444-8857.

Bakken Media corrects errors promptly. To report an error or share a tip, email bakken.media.z@gmail.com.

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