Photo of the Month -- Williston Herald Posts Aerial Photo of Williston Activity -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA -- August 12, 2011

Last year there was a total of $100 million in building permits issued by Williston. That was a record and everyone was amazed.

This year the total should surpass $300 million. I am at loss for the right adjective that hasn't already been used.

Link here.

What the photo shows
First: the medical center -- Mayo west -- smile

• Mercy Medical Center's new Ambulatory Care Center -- according to the Herald (see note below, at end of this post)
• Hampton Inn and Suites -- next door to the hospital; hospital interest
• Trinity Health Clinic -- across the bypass from the hospital -- from Minot, ND; I wouldn't be surprised if the clinic leases out some space to non-medical businesses; it is huge -- 3-stories, I believe
• Motel 6 -- behind the clinic
• Commerical and residential development (see more below)
• New housing behind the clinic

Second: the residential areas northwest of Williston

• The Timbers Subdivision
• Granite Peak Subdivision
• Harvest Hills Subdivision
• New apartments and housing to the north of Timbers, east of Harvest Hills

Most interesting is the "commercial and residential development" labeled as #10 in the photo. This is a huge parcel of land and it seems the folks "in the know" are being a bit coy about what will go there. No sign has been erected that says what is going on there. The fact that the Herald does not further define the activity suggests a number of things (which I won't speculate on openly). The topsoil has been removed, so there is activity and development is going foward, but apparently it is zoned for commercial and here I see the Herald reporting it as commercial/residential. Sitting along the bypass, one might think it should be commercial -- everything else along the bypass is pretty much commercial (unless "grandfathered in"). Nursing homes or assisted living, however, would make sense right next to the medical complex, and if done right would work out very nicely. My hunch is that if everyone works together on this, this parcel of land could be a great win-win for everyone. If it's a tax issue for the city, ... I will keep my thoughts to myself. If it's an issue of residential along a bypass, that should not be a problem. If developed correctly, and trees separating the highway from the residents, there should be no problem. With the recent story of seniors seeing their rent go from $700 to $2000/month, senior housing might be a great fit right there.

What the photo doesn't show:

• The Schlumberger annex west of town along state highway 2&85
• The Baker Hughes SuperSite west of town, a mile or so back from the road (state highway 2 & 85)
• The very clean, modern series of buildings on the east side of Highway 85 south of 4-mile corner; those really are super; a very nice first impression of the city coming from the south
• The new buildings going up north of 4-mile corner which I have not seen but am being told they are going up
• The cryo centers west of Williston; I'm told there are three; I've seen one
• The proposed site for Sand Creek Retail Center, south of Harvest Hills and west of the hospital

Data points from the article:

• As of September 30, 727 building permits issue by the city in calendar year 2011
• Total value: $235 million
• Estimate: >$300 million by the end of the calendar year
• This shatters the previous record, set in 2010: $106 million

There is a time lag of about two years between getting projects completed and being placed on tax rolls
Not in the story: it is my understanding that the Bakken is the largest industrial park in the US -- not just the county, but the entire Bakken is being defined as one huge industrial park; it is the second largest industrial park in North America -- the Canadian oil sands are #1

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With regard to Mercy Medical Center: I received a note today from their facilities director. It should be noted that Catholic Health Initiatives will be funding the Birthing Center. The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust will be funding the equipment for the new Cancer Center at the hospital. The Cancer Center is the hospital's next project and will be sited on the opposite side of the hospital from the birthing center.