Annabelle Homes -- The Back Story -- The Oil Patch -- The Bakken, North Dakota, USA -- February 20, 2012

Another great human interest story coming out of the Bakken.

I was probably the first to blog about Annabelle homes -- I have it tagged/labeled which means this story impressed me from the beginning. 

But it's a great story about a unique developer -- an "urban architect" and Harvard graduate, based in Minneapolis, changing the landscape of Stanley, North Dakota, in the heart of the Bakken.

City leaders here knew right away that Dean Dovolis was different than the 417 developers who came before him.

For one thing, he wasn’t a developer. Not yet anyway.

Dovolis was a Minneapolis architect who heard about North Dakota’s oil boom at a time when the economy elsewhere was struggling.

He also had a Harvard degree in urban design, financial backing from investors and a vision for creating communities.

“I could tell in the first few minutes that he had a spark of brilliance,” said Stanley City Council member Dennis Lindahl.

Today, Dovolis’ company, Annabelle Homes, has three housing developments under construction and plans to expand to numerous other communities affected by the oil boom. 

The rest of the story is at The Dickinson Press.

Plains Reporter: The County Cannot Keep Up -- Losing Control of Their City, County

There is a great story about Annabelle Homes that I just posted. I have posted several stories about Annabelle Homes (and I think I am the only "Bakken blog" that has this type of information, thank you very much).

I have also just read a great article in the Williston Plains Reporter about how the Williston City commission says it can't keep up with development. (If I can find the story on the web, I will link it.)

I also keep hearing about the road situation.

And I keep blogging about Halliburton's presence.

I don't think it's too late, but it soon may well be, for the right folks to connect the dots.

Wow, Wow, Wow -- The Story Behind the Story -- Annabelle Homes -- Bakken, North Dakota, USA

I posted a story some time ago on Annabelle homes but today I was sent a story on the background to that story.

Awesome.

One day last November, Minneapolis architect and developer Dean Dovolis walked into a pizza shop in Stanley, N.D., owned by city councilman Dennis Lindahl.

"I went right to my pizza-delivery map on the wall and showed Dean what land the city had available," recalled Lindahl. "Dean was the 418th developer who had come to us. I know, because the city coordinator logs them all. Dean sketched out a plan, but he also wanted to listen. He wasn't talking about building houses and what he needed. He was talking about us taking charge of our community, our future, in the middle of this oil boom.''

Lindahl asked Dovolis to come to the city council meeting with him that night.

Nine months later, Dovolis, through his development company Annabelle Homes, broke ground on a $10 million-plus development of more than 50 single-family and town-house units, and a small office-retail complex. It's the single largest development ever in Stanley, a town of about 1,400 in the oil patch of northwestern North Dakota.

Nine months later; sounds like ... and planned at that ....

Is Annabelle Homes of Minneapolis "Betting the Farm" on the Bakken?

With the housing market essentially moribund nationwide, it almost appears Annabelle Homes of Minneapolis is "betting the farm" on the Bakken.

The Minot Daily News reported that Minneapolis-based Annabelle Homes could have projects under way this summer in Columbus, Plaza and Kenmare, and is visiting with officials in Tioga, Crosby, Watford City, Velva and Berthold about potential projects in those communities.

If Annabelle is making decisions based on solid consulting analysis, this speaks volumes.

Search this blog for other Annabelle stories and you will see where I am coming from.

Annabelle Homes, Minneapolis, Expanding in the Bakken -- North Dakota, USA

Link here. From the June 9, 2011, edition of the Minot Daily News -- I would have missed it. A big thank you to "anonymous." For an earlier story on Annabelle Homes in Stanley, North Dakota, click here.

A developer building a 54-home and retail complex in Stanley is bringing more construction to area towns, including Columbus, Plaza and Kenmare.

Annabelle Homes, Minneapolis, could have projects under way yet this summer in those towns and is visiting with Tioga, Crosby, Watford City, Velva and Berthold about potential projects.

Annabelle Homes plans to build as many as 100 single-family homes, 48 townhomes, a convenience store and two retail buildings in Columbus, a Burke County town of 133 people. The city has yet to annex the 80-acre parcel south of town. That could come at a special meeting in a couple of weeks, Mayor Scott Kihle said.

Kihle said another developer has proposed a 214-home development northwest of town. If both projects are fully developed, it would mean more than 350 new homes.

Columbus, North Dakota, is located near the Canadian border, north of Ray/Tioga.

Another Huge Development Project in the Heart of the Bakken -- Stanley, North Dakota, USA

Updates
May 22, 2011: Minot Daily News with nice update. Annabelle Homes will pay for all infrastructure; will pay police and fire departments $500/month for their costs.


Original Post
Link here. Regional links break early and break often.

The city of Stanley is moving forward with a sizable development that will address housing concerns as well as revitalize the city's appearance.

Minneapolis development firm Annabelle Homes has received approval for a project consisting of more than 50 homes, office and commercial business space as well as two parks.

Some data points:

• 20-acre tract
• 28 energy efficient single-family homes
• 25 townhouses
• A 16,000-square-foot office complex: a two-story building to house a visitor center, Mountrail County Historical Society and entrance to Flickertail Village Museum
• A 12,000 square foot retail building next to the office complex
• Developer: Annabelle Homes out of Minneapolis, Minnesota; the firm approached Stanley; told them it was a "50-year decision"

The population of Stanley, North Dakota, was 1,458, in the 2010 census. Stanley is north/northwest of the two best fields (right now) in North Dakota: the Sanish and the Parshall. The town sits in Ross oil field, near Alger and Stanley oil fields. All of them are very good fields.