05/28/2026
IRRR APPROVES FUNDING FOR HOUSING, CITY HALL UPGRADES & TWO NEW BREWERIES
The Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation (IRRR) Board approved funding this week that will pave the way toward the construction of new single-family homes in downtown Grand Rapids.
The funds to Grand Rapids are part of more than $10.7 million in projects the IRRR approved to grow new business, modernize infrastructure, increase housing inventory, support schools and advance future mining operations.
Among the $993,000 set aside for housing grants, Grand Rapids will receive $350,000 to demolish the Independent School District 318 (ISD 318) administration building and construct utility infrastructure to support eight new single-family Community Land Trust homes on the site through the Itasca County Housing & Redevelopment Authority.
The Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA) also received funding support for housing. The IRRR approved $500,000 to continue the tax-forfeited housing rehabilitation initiative (known as the Second Chance Homes program), which acquires, rehabilitates and sells tax-forfeit homes to first time home buyers or those in need of moderately priced workforce housing. The project includes rehabilitation of three homes in St. Louis County and one in Itasca County.
The City of Taconite will get $143,000 in funding to construct a sanitary sewer and waterline extension to serve eight lots for new single-family market rate housing in the Tudor development addition.
Public works grants totaled $2,498,374. Local projects include replacement of infrastructure at Garden Court Chateau, a 24-bed residential assisted living facility in west Grand Rapids. The project will get $53,000 to connect to municipal sewer and water service, which was unavailable when it opened in 2006.
The cities of Nashwauk and LaPrairie were among many townships and municipalities to receive funding for city hall repairs, including accessibility improvements. Nashwauk was approved for $150,000 to fix a failing boiler system and reconstruct a ramp. LaPrairie is to get $25,000 for ADA-compliant bathroom and kitchen upgrades and repairs following flood damage.
Higher education funding of $880,000 was approved for Minnesota North College’s Iron Range Engineering Program (IRE), to allow students to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering. This award includes money for the Itasca Campus to rebuild the engineering program to align with transfer to IRE.
All of the $714,300 in funding set aside for business development will go to brewery projects. MoonLyte Brewing Company LLC and Twin Lake Properties Inc., is building an event venue and taproom in Chisholm and Border Lakes Brewing LLC (BLB) is working on a brewery and taproom in Ely’s historic train depot.
