Department of Housing and Urban Development/City of Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks Flood Reconstruction Assistance

Camiros, Ltd. provided a range of urban planning services to Grand Forks as part of a HUD Disaster Relief effort, in response to the devastating flood and fire of April, 1997. As a result of adverse winter conditions, the Red River of the North overflowed its banks in the worst flooding ever experienced by this region. Approximately 80% of the housing within this community of 50,000 received flood damage and the downtown was substantially destroyed by the flood and ensuing fire, which gutted several major buildings.

Camiros was asked by HUD to provide a range of planning services in response to these conditions. In addition to providing overall urban planning counsel, its responsibilities included helping to organize the downtown replanning effort and identifying the immediate actions needed to facilitate downtown reuse during this First Season of Recovery. In addition, the firm prepared site plans for a new development to accommodate the immediate construction of approximately 200 new single-family homes, built to replace units made uninhabitable by the flood. A plan for the development of a new neighborhood to accommodate housing needs, resulting from the new flood protection measures and persons wishing to relocate within the city, was also developed by the firm. This work was prepared in the context of the city's recently completed comprehensive plan, which provided an overall guide for community development.