River + Ranch Magazine is a collaborative effort to showcase the creativity and design of the West. The two publishers of Bismarck Magazine decided to embark on a new adventure and create a different magazine focusing on design, art, and western living.
River + Ranch Magazine Corporation, Copyright 2018 River + Ranch and riverandranchmagazine.com. All rights reserved. This periodical cannot be reproduced without the written permission of River + Ranch Magazine. River + Ranch Magazine will not be held responsible for any errors found in the
Hannah Haynes
hannah@bismarck-magazine.com
Caroline Crary
caroline@bismarck-magazine.com
Jenna Kluting
Jennifer Kranz
Maria Brezny
Melanie Sioux Photography
Caroline Crary
caroline@bismarck-magazine.com
Hannah Haynes Publisher/Co-Founder
Jennifer Kranz Editor
Caroline Crary Publisher/Co-Founder
Jenna Kluting Layout Editor
Karel Sovak Writer
Maria Brezny Director of Communications
Next Level Neighborhoods
Melanie Sioux Photography
LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHERS
There’s something special about the neighborhoods we call home—the streets we drive daily, the trails we walk, and the parks and porches where we gather with neighbors. In this issue of River + Ranch Magazine, we celebrate the character, community, and comfort of some of the most beloved neighborhoods across Bismarck and Mandan.
Whether you’re seeking wide open spaces, family-friendly developments, or a place where your dream home can take root, the neighborhoods featured in this issue offer something for everyone.
We take you inside Honey Hills in Mandan, where rolling landscapes and large lots create a peaceful, country-like retreat with city amenities just minutes away. In Paradise Valley, on the southern edge of Bismarck, discover a blend of new growth and natural beauty—where families flourish and prairie sunsets still take your breath away.
Silver Ranch, an ambitious and fast-growing community in east Bismarck, showcases thoughtful planning, new schools, and accessibility that’s perfect for young families, snow birds, and even retirees. In north Bismarck, Elk Ridge and Promontory Point are redefining modern living with stunning views, upscale designs, and nearby recreation that draws people in—and keeps them connected.
Throughout this issue, you’ll find not only beautiful homes, but also the people, stories, and amenities that make these neighborhoods more than just places to live—they’re places to thrive.
Here’s to finding the corner of the world that feels like home.
Connor Picard
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Next-Level Neighborhoods
Next-Level Neighborhoods
What goes into a neighborhood? What seems like a simple process actually involves complex groundwork long before any groundbreaking. The developers of Bismarck-Mandan work behind the scenes, navigating a myriad of details you would never realize. Join us as we dive deep into what it takes to develop the neighborhoods we call home.
Renderings: Provided
Northwestern Bismarck has seen a rapid period of growth in recent years, including beautiful new neighborhoods being developed like Elk Ridge. “The full masterplan of Elk Ridge development encompasses over 600 acres and includes a detailed focus on walkability, trail connectivity, [and] access to nature,” describes Cam Knutson, a developer with Elk Ridge.
story: Maria Brezny
Photos: Melanie Sioux Photography
The first addition of Elk Ridge was 34 lots and finished in 2020. The second addition started a year later and included almost 100 lots and the construction of Elk Ridge Elementary. The third addition is now close to completion as well with plans for a public trailhead with access to the trails in Tyler Coulee from Horizon Middle School down past Valley Drive into the Clairmont Conservation Park.
A few things distinguish Elk Ridge from other neighborhoods. First, is the park that was intentionally included in the first part of the project. Larger than most neighborhood parks, the 5.4 acres are all usable.
“There isn’t a big chunk that’s a stormwater pond. We did those in different areas of the project,” explains Cam. The design process for the park was done almost entirely by Bismarck Parks and Rec who brought in pickleball courts, a community garden, and more. “They really did a fantastic job on the design and working with the space that was allocated for this neighborhood park.” says Cam.
The second is the accessibility residents will have to the Tyler Coulee and connecting trails. “We got to tap into these resources of nature and beauty,” Cam describes. “You get down into that coulee and it’s like a different world.”
Another unique part of the development is having its own elementary school, Elk Ridge Elementary School. Cam and the team developing Elk Ridge began conversations with Bismarck Public Schools (BPS) in early 2019. They knew northwestern Bismarck was only going to continue growing, so they compiled permit data to provide proof of this growth. In the end, the school district decided to build two new schools, and Elk Ridge Elementary became a central consideration of developing Elk Ridge’s neighborhood. “We were really intentional with exactly where it got located and thinking about how traffic flows in and out of the site now and in the future as you get hundreds of homes within walking distance, like, how do we make this a walkable school again?” describes Cam. West of the school is a widened landscape boulevard that buffers it and connects it to the neighborhood. Nearly 1200 feet with over 80 trees and 200 shrubs and ornamental grasses, the project was recognized by Bismarck Forestry
and presented with Beatification Award.
The streets in the second addition are also compliant with the new street width standards that help keep traffic moving slowly through residential neighborhoods.
“It’s going to make a huge difference on walkability for what will be hundreds and hundreds of homes in the future,” Cam says.
Work is not complete on Elk Ridge, with plans to continue building and developing the neighborhood over the next 20 years.
Cam is excited to continue giving back to the community he grew up in and loves so much. “We love the community. We’re going to be here forever, so we want to be proud of the work we’re doing,” he says.
“By putting more time into planning and collaborating, it makes a big difference.”
For more information and to stay upto-date on Elk Ridge’s progress, visit knutsondevelopment.com/residential/ developments
Northwest Bismarck
Elk Ridge Elementary School
Single family lots
600+ acres
Finishing second and third additions
Close to many amenities within north Bismarck
Views of Tyler Coulee, trailhead for hiking or biking
First homes built in early 2020
Lots as low as $94,900
Elk Ridge features
Community
Amenities
Playground
Open play area
Six pickleball courts
Picnic shelter with an accessible picnic table
1/3-mile figure-eight trail loop
Community garden
5.4 acres
Country West
Elk Ridge Elementary School
Horizon Middle School
Heritage Ridge Heritage Park
Future Neighborhood Mixed-Use (NMU)
Proposed Trailhead
670 Acres
from the homeowner
The homes in Elk Ridge are built with thoughtful detail to make the most of the natural beauty of the area. This featured home was a spec home built by Hallmark Homes. Homeowners Bob and Pam Eastgate had lived in the area before and when they found this home on the market, knew it was a perfect fit. “We like being close to the park here,” Pam explains. “Just the whole area.
Open concept floor plan
Close to Park and Pickleball
Courts
Beautiful view of Tyler Coulee
It’s close to everything for us. We have family up in this area, and for us, it just works perfect.” Bob and Pam have twelve grandchildren who all love spending time with them at their home. “Frankly, this home is too big for Pam and I,” Bob says. But with the twelve grandkids... It’s always full.” With a pool in their backyard, pickleball courts right next door, and weekly family dinners, it’s no wonder their home is always full.
Bob and Pam also love the natural beauty of the area. “We love living in Elk Ridge,” Bob says. “We were reminded this morning while sitting on the deck enjoying our coffee. The view, the landscape, seeing pheasants, coyotes, birdwatching and deer gazing. To have that while living in the city is a blessing.” 5 beds
Honey Hills in rural Mandan is a residential neighborhood developed by MBR Properties that is breaking ground late summer. Located along the historic Old Red Trail, these lots offer country living within minutes of Mandan. The views are what convinced MBR Properties to develop this land. “This area of Mandan has one of the most beautiful views,” says Brad Balreud, one of the developers with MBR Properties. “Overlooking the rolling hills and the Missouri River is definitely something to see.”
Each lot offers something different, from flat 1 acre lots with room to build on, to hilly lots that cover three to four acres with space for horses. There are even a couple larger lots that span 20 or 30 acres. “The reason we did that is because of the terrain,” explains Randy Rhone, developer with MBR Properties. “It’s kind of for a different potential buyer, somebody that wants to be close to town, but have a larger piece of property.” Many of the larger lots also won’t have backyard neighbors, thanks to the topography of the lots. With scenic views, room for horses, and space to build on, these properties have it all.
This development is a continuation of the development work Donald Entzel has been doing for the last 20 years. “Donny has done a lot for this side of the river for the growth of rural residential,” explains Randy. “A lot of this land was all homesteaded land by the Entzel family way back in the old days, and then he just started subdividing as the city grew.” The land Honey Hills is on was originally homesteaded by the Shaw family. “There was a lady by the name of Honey Shaw,” Randy explains, “so I’m like, let’s name it Honey Hills.
...Because there’s hills over there. And the father calls his daughter Honey, and there’s nothing sweeter than honey.” The name honors the legacy of the land and the people who came before.
While the development will mainly be residential, there is one 5 acre commercial lot. “We’ve been kind of selective,” says Randy. “We just don’t want some commercial thing that might devalue our development. We want it to tie into the whole development.” In total, there are 46 lots available with price points starting at $90,000 up to $125,000 for the lots overlooking the railroad and the river bottoms.
The process to get the first Honey Hills home built has been three years in the making. While in some ways rural developments can be easier than urban development, it is still a long path with complex details. “You just have to go through all the approval,” Randy describes. “You have to have storm water plans approved by the county, and it’s a process. Everything we have built to engineer specs on this development, and then the county actually approves the final plan and then the DOT, if you’re tying to the roadways, they’ll approve it, too.”
Rural within minutes
Residential lots
Overlooks Missouri River Valley
Some lots can have horses and stables
1 acre lots to 30 acre lots
46 lots
Lots range from $90,000 up to $125,000
Located in Mandan
On the Historic Old Red Trail (1806)
of Mandan
Roadways are especially important in rural settings to make sure there are multiple ways for emergency services to get in and out. Even the curve of the roads matter. “We’re rerouting this road,” says Randy. “We changed the angle per the DOT. They always want it to hit at a 90 degree corner for public safety.”
Utilities also influence several decisions when developing a rural community. “Counties and cities don’t want to create urban sprawl,” Randy explains. “Counties want [developments] next to blacktop, next to electricity, and rural water… They want to be contiguous to rural water, infrastructure. This development will have natural gas, and there’s not a lot of rural developments that have natural gas. Most of them have propane tanks.”
The amount of work and detail that has gone into the development of Honey Hills is outstanding. For more information, please visit growingmandan.com
from the builder
An exciting opportunity for anyone who purchases a lot within Honey Hills is the ability to build a “shome” or a “shop home” with Homes & Shomes, owned by Todd and Lindsey Freitag. These “shomes,” or “shouses” as they’ve been called, have been exploding in popularity in the United States. These shop homes are perfect for buyers who need less living space, but want a larger garage space for a workshop or for storing campers and boats, or anything else. Shop houses are also lower cost and quicker builds, without sacrificing style or comfort.
Homes & Shomes is unique in that they service a 180-mile diameter from Bismarck. “We see the need out there for ‘Small Town USA,’ rural, and Sakakawea that need a company that is large enough and open to building outside of just Bismarck and Mandan,” says Todd. This makes them an ideal builder for shomes in Honey Hills, with the target demographic being buyers who want to be on the north side of Bismarck-Mandan for a shorter commute to work and to Lake Sakakawea.
Perks of a Shome
High-quality materials
Affordable luxury living
Option for shop, house, shouse, or barndominium
Quick Build Time
information
For more information about your custom home, shop, or shome, contact Homes & Shomes at 701-222-0783 or visit HomesandShomes.com Customizable
“There is no rural area in Bis/Man that quite compares,” says Todd. “This area is a closer commute compared to ‘The Ranch’ to central Bismarck by utilizing Highway 1806 and interstate and complies with the 20-minute rule for the hospitals. Honey Hills is a 15-minute drive to a hospital. Honey Hills is an equivalent commute time to central Bismarck as Lincoln but has a way higher average household income than Lincoln with way better views of the Missouri River Valley.” This is also likely the last development in north Mandan for a while since another water tower would need to be built which could take up to ten years.
Homes & Shomes is a company powered by Sparling Construction, so the team brings well-rounded experience to their shome building company. “[We are] extremely excited about partnering with Honey Hills development and will begin breaking ground with a stunning shome the first part of August,” says Todd. “Whether you want a gorgeous home or shome, we can make it happen!”
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Renderings: Provided
South Bismarck is an area special to those who grew up there, like Randy Rhone and Brad Balerud, developers with MBR Properties. While north Bismarck has expanded and grown rapidly in recent years, south Bismarck’s growth has been slower. However, the natural beauty of south Bismarck and the peaceful environment continues to draw people to the area. Paradise Valley is a new development coming to south Bismarck, with homes breaking ground this fall.
story: Maria Brezny
Photos: Melanie Sioux Photography
MBR Properties has been working on this project for nearly five years, and lots will continue to be developed in phases. The first phase will consist of residential lots and commercial space. “We’re building Paradise Valley Business Center down there, which will be business storefronts with garages in the back so people can have the ability to have their business in their storefront, but still have a little inventory thing in the backside,” explains Randy. “We’ve had some commercial reach out to us, some restaurants that want to do a neighborhood bar and grill down there,” Randy says. Randy and his team are excited to bring restaurants and other services further south of Expressway in Bismarck.
Paradise Valley is one of the very few developments in South Bismarck that has lots available to build new homes. Any builder is welcome to build on their lots. “We just want it to create some opportunities for everyone, increase the city tax base, county tax base, and create additional jobs,” Randy explains. “I would say affordable housing starts with an affordable lot.” The current plan is for 300 single family lots and 100 twin home lots by the end of development, ranging in price from $80,000 to $249,000 for a premium lot on the water.
Developing land in south Bismarck is difficult as land becomes more and more limited. “There is very little land available to develop in south Bismarck and this development will probably be one of the last on the south side,” explains Brad. “My partners and I purchased the SE corner of the land over 18 years ago and when the Moses family listed the adjoining piece over 3 years ago, we felt it was a great opportunity.” Other challenges include building above the floodplain. MBR Properties created a 15 acre lake to build up the elevation of the surrounding land, so all the lots on Paradise Valley are above the floodplain. It also provides an opportunity for homeowners to purchase land directly on water. “The backyard will be overlooking the water and just give you that nicer feel,”
Randy describes. “It’s just going to be a nice picturesque area.”
While there is a need for development in south Bismarck, developing does not come without risks. “You have a lot of that upfront money on the front side, and you won’t see dividends for maybe 10 years. For example, Paradise Valley, we won’t start seeing a return on investment probably until year 10, where we get it at least half sold out,” explains Randy. Lowering this risk is why developers go in phases. “You can’t bring [the lots] all on at once because then you’d have specials and taxes and everything. Plus, it wouldn’t make sense to bring 300 lots into a market that’s only selling 100 lots a year at best. So it’s a long-term plan.”
Paradise Valley features
225 acres
Single-family homes, twin homes, multi-family residences, and commercial spaces
Parks, walking trails, and a storm water pond
South Bismarck
First home breaks ground this fall
Phase one will consist of 62 units
Lots range from $80,000 to $249,000
Waterfront lots
“It takes a lot of planning and coordination with the developer, working with the city, working with engineers, figuring out feasibility,” he explains. Interest rates also affect the success of development. Higher rates make it harder for homeowners to secure mortgages, making lots move slower, and holding costs go up for developers.
However, for Randy, the risk is worth the chance to further community growth. “I always say growth is inevitable,” he says. “As communities grow, there’s a need for streets. There’s a need for schools. There’s a need for good paying jobs… It’s hard to have all these amenities and services and businesses and retail without starting somewhere and doing what makes sense for the city.” Randy is proud to contribute to the growth of the community he grew up in and is still passionate about: “I like to see the end product and see in the end what you created.”
For more information, visit paradisevalleynd.com
LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE
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Renderings: Provided
Promontory Point in northeastern Bismarck has been in development for over 20 years. One of the more established newer neighborhoods, Promontory Point was carefully planned and meticulously built by Investcore and their partners. Currently, Promontory is in the final stages of development, with work on phases six and seven finishing soon and the final phase eight starting soon.
story: Maria Brezny
Photos: Melanie Sioux Photography
Derek Wachter, VP of real estate development at Investcore, came into this project more on the back end and has the benefit of getting to see the end of a 20 plus year project as a relatively young developer. “I’ve learned a lot on the tail end… I feel I have a one-up in a sense being able to go into something newer, and then when it does come time for closing out, we’ve done it before,” he says.
Derek Wachter is the sixth generation of a long line of developers who have helped shape the Bismarck-Mandan community. While there are challenges that come with working in the family business, Derek considers himself lucky to share offices with his family. “I get to see my family every day which is pretty cool,” he says. “You have to make sure you have a fine line between personal and business. It’s challenging, but it’s great.”
After family, Derek’s favorite part of his work is earthwork. “I’d say my favorite part is once they start stripping the top soil and really get into the earthworks,” he says. “I like the dirt side of it.” However, most of the difficult work happens before any ground is broken, as the process of development is more complex than most people realize. Searching for the right land to develop, working with city departments, and planning for water, sewer, and storms, are all just some of the steps before any foundations are poured.
Development takes an intense level of communication and partnership between the developer and the City of Bismarck. “There are around 13 departments within the City of Bismarck,” says Derek. “The only two departments I can tell you that we don’t work with are the Event Center and the airport.” Once the plans are all approved, work can begin on water, sewage, roads, and more. At the very end of that process, homebuilders are brought in to begin construction.
At this point in the development, the main challenge comes from filling in the last homes being built. “By that last third, you don’t have the urgency anymore,” Derek explains. “There’s supply elsewhere, so buyers have more options.” However, there are many different features of Promontory
Point that incentivize buyers in the market to make Promontory their new home. The location ensures quick accessibility to elementary and middle schools, restaurants, stores, and businesses in north Bismarck. The neighborhood has a lot of of green space, walking trail access, and a playground with a picnic shelter. “That park is the first park in this entire area,” says Derek, “which is kind of cool.” Promontory is also unique among recent developments for its focus on building single family homes.
“I don’t think there’s more than 20 units that are considered two separate dwellings, like a twin home,” Derek describes. “It’s all essentially just single family residences.” These residences are beautiful houses built by some of the most talented builders in the area.
Process before groundbreaking
1. Find suitable land for development
2. Due diligence on land
3. Purchase land
4. Work with engineer to make preliminary plats
5. Work with City of Bismarck, Parks and Recreation, Burleigh County
6. Submit plats
7. Get plats approved
8. Annexation of county land to city land
9. Sewer and water plans, storm water plans, and grading plans
10. Approval by planning and zoning
11. Approval by City of Bismark
12. Record plat and begin earthworks
from the builder
Jay Wickline, owner of Artisan Homes, built this gorgeous home in Promontory Point. "Building in Promontory Point was an easy decision for Artisan Homes,” Jay explains. “The development offers a higher-end appeal, great amenities and beautiful northwest views." The home itself is open and bright, exuding comfort and luxury. The large windows invite sunlight highlighting the warm woods, light colors, and modern conveniences.
While not all homes in Promontory Point are built by Artisan Homes, this build shows the level of craftsmanship that each builder brings to the Promontory Point Development.
photo by Jenna Kluting
• 56 total lots
• 4 green spaces
• 1 park with playground, trail loop, and picnic shelter
• 2 stormwater ponds
• 1 coulee
• Nearby elementary and middle schools, Missouri River, Hawktree Golf Course
• Average Lot Size: 16,000 square feet
Promontory Point Development
• 8 phases
• Finishing Phase 7, with Phase 6 starting soon, and Phase 8 coming later
• Started in early 2000s Phase 6
Renderings: Provided
Rapidly growing in northeast Bismarck, Silver Ranch development is going on year five with over 400 houses already built. With accessible price points and an emphasis on builders rather than homeowners buying lots, Silver Ranch has distinguished itself from other developments in the Bismarck-Mandan area. “Price point wise, I mean, you can’t beat this… I think it is the fastest growing development,” says Jamie Schmidt, vice president of Investcore, one of the developers of Silver Ranch along with Chad Wachter. The master plan for Silver Ranch spans 30 years and will develop nearly 3,000 lots that will be both residential and commercial.
story: Maria Brezny
Photos: Melanie Sioux Photography
There are ten phases planned for Silver Ranch. While phase five is currently under development, there is still work to be done on earlier phases. “We don’t actually have all of it done because we’ve had to skip around,” Jamie explains. “We did one and two, then we were going to do three and then when the school came, we had to jump across 43rd Avenue. So that’s kind of created some difference.”
“We still have Silver Ranch second left to develop.” Silver Ranch Elementary was built in 2022 and is already almost full. “We’re very fortunate,” explains Jamie. “We started off with development, getting the houses going, and then Bismarck Public Schools (BPS) came to us and wanted to put an elementary school up here.” Now, BPS has plans for a new Career Academy north of Silver Ranch Elementary which should be opening in August of this year. Jamie also has plans for more commercial development. “We definitely want to start working towards some commercial stuff,” he says. “That’s all based on rooftops, so as we get more rooftops, then we will get more of that hopefully.”
Developing northeastern Bismarck comes with its own unique set of challenges.
“There’s just no infrastructure,” Jamie describes. “We had to bring the actual sewer underneath I-94. That’s why the east side of Bismarck never really took off residentially because we had to bring the infrastructure over.”
Not only did Jamie and his team need to worry about bringing in an entire sewer system, but also water lines, electricity, gas, internet, and more. The paving, curbing,
lights, and everything else that the average person takes for granted comes next, before a home can finally be built. “There’s so much to think about,” Jamie says, “And not a lot of people realize all the stuff that happens beforehand.” Thanks to the hard work of developers like Jamie, Bismarck continues to grow and expand, bringing new opportunities to its residents.
For more information, please visit silverranchnd.com
Silver Ranch Features
1,200-acres
Northeast Bismarck
2,800 single family homes and multifamily units and commercial plots
Silver Ranch Elementary School
Homes are $390,000 to $500,00
Six distinct neighborhoods
Walkable and connected to parks and trails
Year five of 30 year development
Partnered with 9 local homebuilders
from the builder
“We’ve been kind of chasing this for a while, trying to put this together. We felt there’s a need in Bismarck and Mandan for a true 55 plus community,” says Brian Eiseman, owner of Stoneshire Builders. This 55+ community named Meadowlark Crossing, located within the Silver Ranch development, will have a clubhouse with access to a pool, pickleball courts, fitness center, and more. Meadowlark Crossing will consist of 132 single family homes and 13 twin homes. “We’re trying to cover basically every price point,” Brian explains. “Bringing a more affordable option all the way up to our floor plans that range up to 2,800 square feet.” Each home built will be designed with a 55+ demographic in mind, including single-level living and an HOA to take care of your snow removal and yard work.
To ensure every detail is thought of, Brian has partnered with Epcon Communities, a company that specializes in planning 55 plus communities. “They actually started as a builder, so they continue to build today… and then they also offer franchise opportunities. We are the franchisee in
Meadowlark Crossing
Age restricted (55 and older)
Clubhouse with pool, pickleball courts, and fitness center
132 single family homes
13 twin homes in six buildings
Floor plans up to 2,800 square feet
Bismarck,” explains Brian. Epcon provides them with information to help them succeed, sharing floor plans that have worked time and time again for the 55 plus demographic. “They bring a tremendous amount of institutional knowledge, not just on floor plans, but what works from a community aspect, what works with the clubhouse, the amenities, all those things, how to put it together, to make it a true livable community,” he says. Some of these details include private outdoor living spaces, energy-efficient windows, and open concept living areas.
Brian chose to develop with Silver Ranch development because he knew the location was ideal for his demographic.
“You need to be close to the grocery store, clinics, hospitals, things like that,” Brian explains. “If you actually look at it on Google Maps, it’s close to all the needs that that demographic wants.”
Brian’s project will go in phases. The first phase which is in the process of planning is expected to be built in June 2026. “The first phase we have is 26 lots. The clubhouse will be the first thing that goes vertical,” he says. This ensures the very first residents of his community will have the amenities they are paying for from day one. The timeline for the remaining phases will depend on demand.
from the builder
Another project currently underway in Silver Ranch is a series of twin homes built by Aspire Homes. While Greg Meidinger, owner of Aspire Homes, always wanted these twin homes to be a part of Silver Ranch, when he bid for some land south of their current location to build fourplexes, he realized the cost wasn’t realistic. “One thing that we hear people ask for a lot is no backyard neighbors. That’s really, really difficult to find. And after that fourplex project didn’t work, I was actually just going to forget about it.”
Chad Wachter, the developer, and I met and started talking some more and saw these lots,” Greg explains. The location was perfect for Greg’s vision. The only problem was
the lots were zoned single family, not twin homes. Thankfully, Chad supported Greg’s original plan. “Chad’s been really easy to work with… I wanted twin home lots and he was willing to listen to that and agreed to help rezone it.” With this rezoning, Greg was able to move ahead on the project and has begun pouring the twin home foundations.
One of the issues that has come up since working on rezoning is getting power to these new streets.
“Because this is so new and we wanted to get the foundations in, the city worked with us,” explains Greg. “We got these few lot lines moved, we got them changed to twin home lots. That was all great.
Aspire Homes
11 buildings or 22 units
No backyard neighbors
Two and three stall garages
Three bedrooms, two bathrooms
Handicap accessible
Landscaped
Future HOA
Single level
Triple stall garage units will be $500,999 with landscaping
Double stall units will be $489,999 with landscaping
Builder information
...We got our permits. We have the foundations in, we’re going to be backfilling soon, and then we’re going to need power. We do not have power on these streets yet. So now we’re working with MDU trying to figure out where we can bring power in… And then with the re-zoning and these originally being developed as single family lots, we have to do some adjusting to the sewer and water mains.” These behindthe-scenes steps make all the difference when it comes to developing a new neighborhood.
could use it as storage, you could set up a woodworking shop. You could keep it wide open and have a boat or classic cars or motorcycles, wherever you might have... The garages will be fully finished and heated, so it’s a space they could use all year.” The units are all single level, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, with a tile shower and double vanity in the primary bathroom. The kitchen will have an island and corner pantry. Whether you are an empty nester or a family, these twin homes can accommodate a wide range of buyers.
The finished project will be 11 twin homes or 22 units. Many of the twin homes will have a three stall garage, a rarer option in a twin home. “The third stall in these garages is 58 feet deep” says Greg, “you
• Heritage Development: Four different communities (Heritage Ridge, Heritage Park, Heritage Reserve, and Heritage Cottages) tailored to unique lifestyles with carefully thought out amenities in Bismarck
• Cottonwood Parkview Addition: A mixed-use development with modern amenities spanning 70.2 acres along Washington Street in beautiful south Bismarck
• Whispering Bay: A water-front development of singlefamily homes in south Bismarck with direct access to the Missouri River, neighboring golf courses, biking and walking trails, and Downtown Bismarck
• Clear Sky Addition: Single-family residential development in Bismarc with a friendly neighborhood feel and streets named after local fallen heroes from the ND Army National Guard
• Shores at Lakewood: A carefully curated neighborhood in Mandan with water access and private access to Prairie West Golf Course
• Eagle Crest: A new northwest Bismarck neighborhood with luxury homes and quiet living
• Boulder Ridge Additions: First developed in 2004, the seventh addition features stunning homes and comfortable living
Neighborhoods to follow
• Sunrise View Estates: New residential development with homes built for families along the northern edge of Mandan
• Rockwood: A new development in north Mandan, where convenience meets modern living
• West Hills 5th Addition: A new family-focused community in Mandan with customizable ranch and two-story floorplans
• Rock Prairie Estates Addition: Residential and commercial development with a variety of lot sizes in beautiful northwest Mandan
• Keidel’s South Heart Terrace Fifth Addition: One of southwest Mandan’s fastest growing communities with beautiful homes that sit high in the hills
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CHI ST. ALEXIUS HOSPITAL the history of
story: Jen Kranz photos: ND State Historical Society
‘An Abbott, a Benedictine Sister, and a businessman walk into a hotel…’ It may sound like the beginning of a joke, but in the case of St. Alexius Hospital, it is almost exactly the beginning of its 140 years of healthcare service rooted in the Catholic tradition.
When the Benedictine sisters arrived in the Dakotah Territory in 1878 via the St. Benedict monastery in St. Joseph, it was to teach German immigrant children. Soon after their arrival, the community came to the Sisters and asked them to consider providing organized healthcare. “We knew nothing about healthcare, but the business community knew what they needed and there was already a doctor or two present. The need had become robust,” explains Sister Nancy Miller, Market Director of Mission Integration for St. Alexius.
In 1885 the Lamborn Hotel was constructed, but with
the help of Abbott Alexius from Saint John’s in St. Joseph, Minnesota and the support of area business leaders, the Lamborn was acquired by the Sisters and never opened as a hotel, instead becoming the first organized care facility between Minneapolis and Seattle, the Lamborn Hospital.
Seven sisters were chosen to found the hospital, and it was eventually renamed St. Alexius after both Abbott Alexius and Sister Alexia, the first hospital administrator.
Sister Bonafice Timmons, a true visionary, served as the hospital’s administrator for 42 years. “She was the one who moved St. Alexius into more technology and programs and processes that were needed to be at the top of healthcare,”
Sister Nancy explains. “She wanted St. Alexius’ to be the best.” Sister Bonafice brought x-ray and sterile processing to the hospital. She brought the first telephones to the city of Bismarck and had them put in doctors’ homes, making
healthcare accessible around the clock.
Through the years, healthcare has made advances and systems have grown. What has remained steadfast is the sponsorship of St. Alexius by the Benedictine Sisters. This sponsorship gives the hospital its Catholic identity and helps the hospital remain true to the Rules of St. Benedict, specifically ‘Let all be received as Christ’.
“This is a ministry, and we must never lose sight of that,” Sister Nancy says. “A lot of people look at healthcare as a business and a way to make money, but when it comes to Catholic healthcare that just isn’t true. It’s a ministry, a calling, a way to serve people when they are in need.”
‘Let all be received as Christ.’ You’ll see those words as you walk the halls of St Alexius’, and most importantly, you will see their meaning in action through what is done and what is said.
Formation of Excellence with
story: Maria Brezny | photos: Melanie Sioux Photography
Being exceptional is not easy. It requires hours of hard work and unwavering attention to detail. Not all companies can achieve it. But Wade Wessling and his team at Coldspring Stoneyard do every day.
Just one example of this excellence is the pool Coldspring collaborated on with Integrity Landscapes. “Brandon [Bailey, owner of Integrity Landscapes] came to us with a rendering and a plan of what the customer wanted to accomplish,” explains Wade. “When we get the chance to work with Integrity, it’s always an exciting challenge because more often than not the projects are outside of standard scope of work.” The home was already built, so it was important to match the already existing color tones. “We put together a few options and settled on a natural stone that is quarried out of Kalispell, Montana,” says Wade.
To ensure the stone was not only the perfect color, but also the perfect shapes and sizes for stacking, Wade asked for photos of the different stone pieces before the quarry shipped them.
”They’re used to somebody saying, send us a semi load, and that’s it. So when we ask them to go out of their normal realm of work and take photos of stone and a quarry, and we sign off on them, that’s them also going above and beyond to make sure that we’re not going to get material
here that we can’t use,” explains Wade. Beyond just communicating about color and size, Wade also communicates about textures, cost, logistics, and workability. “Without hours of intentional research, it doesn’t happen,” says Brandon.
Projects like this might seem simple on the outside, but such a perfect end product requires hours of background work that no one sees. “When we come to him with a more extravagant or outside the box project, he’s going to have to put in two hours instead of two minutes,” says Brandon.
“What’s so unique about Wade and Coldspring in general is that they are willing to invest all that time and effort with multitudes of people.” Their hard work ensured the process was so easy and smooth for the homeowner, that it seemed like magic when it was finished. “I said, this is the color I like, this is the style that I like, and then it just kind of magically appeared in my backyard,” says the homeowner. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE
Crafting Dreams, Building Futures
J.E. Builders’ philosophy is to build homes with a team approach, addressing the client’s wants and needs. We emphasize and achieve practical results in a timely and skillful manner.
