Downtown updates: Accenture clinic, the Loop, Spark Center programming and Center Avenue construction concerns

Matt Lyseth (Downtown Moorhead) and city staff gave an economic-development report highlighting several downtown initiatives. Lyseth said Accenture Health plans a health clinic at the old Wells Fargo site with an internal groundbreaking target around September and an opening aimed for early 2027.

Lyseth also described the Loop ribbon cutting and strong initial usage: staff reported more than 700 new library cards taken out in the first week after the Loop opened. He said the Spark Center is already hosting activity and that programming aimed at entrepreneurs will expand as the center grows.

Commissioner Deb White pressed staff about the upcoming Center Avenue construction, noting the area has endured multiple projects over recent years and that businesses will face another difficult summer. Staff and business partners described planning for a business "crawl" and coordinated social-media efforts so business owners can highlight open locations and mitigate construction impacts.

Joey Ness of the Greater Fargo–Moorhead EDC (earlier in the meeting) had urged continued focus on workforce and business-retention work, saying roughly 60% of businesses surveyed plan expansion in the next one to two years and identifying workforce availability as the primary barrier to growth.

The EDA did not take action on these briefing items; staff asked members to stay informed via the City of Moorhead email updates and to help promote downtown businesses through planned promotional efforts.