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continued from page 13 not surrounded by anything else that would be considered vibrant and walkable and cool.”

In Fargo, he said, a business gets all of that and more.

“You have all of these other amenities that are right around you,” he said. “I think there was a vision 20 years ago (of what downtown could be) and we’re trying to continue that vision and find out what the next project is that makes sense and to fill any voids, any gaps. We’re trying to see it all the way through: ‘Why does Fargo stick out from the next closest similar-sized town? Why would someone choose Fargo over that?’”

Tara May knows why: Not only is downtown Fargo vibrant with its array of shops, restaurants, and entertainment options, but it is attracting like-minded individuals, companies that are on the cutting edge of technology and change. People are innovative and they are able to meet easily, feeding off each other’s creativity and ambitions.

May is vice president of communications and external affairs at R.D. Offutt Farms, a family-owned and operated potato farm headquartered in Fargo but with stores in several states. The company is enjoying its new building downtown, where some 400 employees work. To make that happen, it consolidated four offices into one.

She said the company has always been a great place to work, but the new building and its downtown location helps cultivate an environment that encourages collaboration and teamwork.

“We’re located right downtown, so there’s a lot of vibrancy right outside,” she said, noting the building’s floor plan is one of transparency that is accentuated with conference rooms and smaller collaboration spaces. Technology plays a big part in its operations, and team members can virtually meet with colleagues farther away.

The building has a fifth-floor cafe and commons area “with beautiful views of the Fargo Theater and of downtown,” May said. “We think that there are a lot of exciting things happening in downtown Fargo, and as far as cultural and social events that take place in this area, we are at the center of all of it.”

Outside the office is Broadway Plaza, where programs of different varieties take place all year long. In winter there’s an ice skating rink, and in the summer it might be used for movies or live performances. “There are many nights out of the week where there’s something happening downtown and people are sort of excited and motivated by that energy,” she said.

That energy crosses into the daily grind at the office, making it not seem so burdensome or routine. It helps spark creativity just being in that environment, she said.

The draw to downtown Fargo has been happening for years, according to Joe Raso, president and CEO of the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation. But its popularity has only grown. He said it is a benefit for many businesses to have a downtown presence.

“Years ago, I had a CEO of a manufacturing company that was going to locate in the industrial park in the community I represented

IN THE DOWNTOWN SETTING, WHAT PEOPLE ARE SHOWING A LOT OF INTEREST IN IS THE IDEA THAT ALL OF THE AMENITIES ARE ALREADY AROUND. THEY’RE ALREADY THERE. ... IT BECOMES MORE OF AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR BUSINESS TO THRIVE IN A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT THAN IT WOULD IF IT WAS IN ANOTHER AREA OF TOWN OR A LITTLE FARTHER AWAY. WHEN YOU’RE DRIVING FROM MEETING TO MEETING YOU’RE NOT INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE EVERY DAY.

— MIKE PESCHEL, MANAGING BROKER AND COMMERCIAL ASSET MANAGER WITH KILBOURNE GROUP

and he asked about the development in downtown, which was not where his business was locating,” Raso said. “I asked why his interest in downtown and he said, ‘Your downtown is the heart of your community, and it says a lot about how you feel about yourself if you focus on and take care of your downtown.’

“That has always stuck with me, and while we visit with companies in the greater Fargo-Moorhead area, I hear frequently the importance of downtown to their business even though most aren’t located downtown. They say it is hugely important to their recruitment of talent into the region.”

For Altenbernd and his team at H2M, being downtown helps feed the creative spirit, he said, and it attracts like-minded individuals and businesses where they can feed off each other’s energy. That’s a bonus for the ad firm and its clients.

As downtown continues to evolve, so does H2M. It is starting to attract clients closer to home.

“I would say 65% of our clients aren’t even in our area, but we make an impact,” Altenbernd said. “We’ve actually gained a lot of local clients here just in the first quarter of this year, which is really rare for us.”

Not all of H2M’s team works in the office; some still work remotely, and Altenbernd said plans are in the works to move into a smaller building. But he doesn’t expect to ever leave downtown. The location has become part of company culture, as much as it is for some companies to throw holiday parties.

“I’ve said before, I’ve said it for years, that to retain people – and when you bring people in if they happen to be from a different part of town or even out of town – downtown Fargo is attractive,” he said, noting the winters are not always fun “but we’ve got five and a half months that is quite enjoyable. And if you’ve had a hard day, you’re only 20 steps away from a cocktail.”