Planning for new home to begin in the fall

Frazee Economic Development Authority board member Drew Daggett, City Administrator Stephanie Poegel, City Council Liaison Andrea Froeber, EDA Consultant Karen Pifher, EDA Vice Chair Ashley Renollet, Fuller Center for Housing of the Detroit Lakes Area Board members Deana Westberg, Pat Sauer and Nathan Christensen.

By Robert Williams

Editor

The Frazee Economic Development Authority officially signed over a deed for 1107 Red Willow Circle to Fuller Center for Housing of the Detroit Lakes Area on Tuesday, July 22, at the site of the new development.

Lots nine and 10 of the Red Willow Heights Twin Homes addition were combined to create the lot of 1107 Red Willow Circle, located in the southwest corner of the subdivision.

Fuller House will build a new house in Red Willow Heights for a family in need, and they also will work with five homes to provide up to $5,000 in needed repairs, according to EDA Consultant Karen Pifher in a December EDA meeting announcement when the agreement was proposed.

Millard Fuller founded Habitat for Humanity with his wife Linda in 1976, but both departed from the board in 2005 after clashes with how corporate the organization had gotten. In turn, the Fullers created The Fuller Center for Housing to continue their mission.

“This is the start of something pretty cool here,” Fuller Center Board member Deana Westberg said.

Fuller House plans to meet with Frazee-Vergas High School faculty and students from the Career and Technical Education (CTE) program for potential assistance with design and framing of the future home.

“I think it’s really important to get the youth involved,” said City Council Liaison to the EDA Andrea Froeber.

The process is expected to be a little slow at first and expectations are asked to be tempered the next few months as all parties come together to plan for the future construction, according to Fuller Center Board member Nathan Christensen.

Construction is likely to being after winter in 2026.

Lots nine and 10 of the Red Willow Heights Twin Homes addition were combined to create the lot of 1107 Red Willow Circle, located in the southwest corner of the subdivision.

The EDA also held their monthly meeting on Tuesday.

Final inspection on the downtown infill building is scheduled for this week after a final walk through with tenants on Wednesday, July 23. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health inspections still need to be completed, pushing the likely opening of the new businesses: Solberg Insurance, Mamma’s Pizzeria N’ Scoops and Home Sweet Bakehouse to mid-August at the earliest.

Solberg’s completion date is scheduled for the week of Sept. 1, depending on arrival and installation of doors.

The lease of the Welcome to Frazee sign on the west side of town expires in six months. Plans were for EDA to complete a vinyl wrap to resemble the sign on the east side of town.

The current sign is a decade old and the wrap was suggested as the most cost-effective option.

A bid from local signmakers for the wrap will be sought.