Applied Digital helps Ellendale, ND, with partnership for housing

Yahoo

30-03-2025

Mar. 29—Editor's note: This story and accompanying photo are advertorial content in the 2025 "Moving the Community Forward" special section of The Jamestown Sun.
ELLENDALE, N.D. — Applied Digital Corp. is helping a rural community by partnering with the city of Ellendale, the state of North Dakota and Headwaters Development to build 20 homes and a 38-unit apartment complex.
"Since we're bringing in a large new workforce, we need a place to have rentals for a period of time," said Nick Phillips, executive vice president of external affairs for Applied Digital.
He said 18 of the 20 single-family homes for Ellendale Acres are nearing completion and the other two are constructed but not permanently anchored to a foundation. He said those 18 homes will be move-in ready any day.
He said work on the 38-unit apartment complex is expected to begin in June or July.
"The anticipation is that that will also be available this year as well," he said.
Applied Digital develops, builds and operates next-generation data centers and Cloud infrastructure. Applied Digital has blockchain sites that support cryptocurrency mining about 7 miles north of Jamestown and 1 mile west of Ellendale.
Phillips said the housing project leverages dollars from the North Dakota Industrial Commission's Rural-Workforce Initiative to Support Housing (R-WISH) pilot program.
The program utilizes up to $10 million of Bank of North Dakota capital to complement the work done by the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency and the North Dakota Housing Initiative Advisory Committee, according to Bank of North Dakota's website. The maximum amount from the R-WISH fund is the lesser of 30% of the project costs, $3.5 million or the matching contribution from the company.
"In our case, we committed to invest $3.5 million," Phillips said. "Bank of North Dakota will match that through the program. The city of Ellendale is doing a TIF (tax-increment financing) district, which will help with some of the infrastructure improvements, roads, etc. And then obviously we had to find a developer to come in and do this."
Applied Digital's data center was annexed into the city of Ellendale in January.
Headwaters Development will own the homes and apartment complex and rent them to Applied Digital employees.
Once those employees find a different living arrangement, those residences will be available for new employees, Phillips said.
He said Applied Digital is asking its employees to move to Ellendale and the city needs help in order to grow and accommodate that.
He said Applied Digital's partnership with the city of Ellendale and its businesses and the state of North Dakota is vital.
"Having good working relationships is vital," Phillips said.
He said Applied Digital's community involvement in Ellendale is important. He said Applied Digital partnered with businesses for a new $200,000 pin setter for the bowling alley, helped the Ellendale park board by bringing in truckloads of dirt for a park, provided movie nights for families and donated art kits to elementary students in Ellendale.
In Jamestown, Applied Digital has donated to the Two Rivers Activity Center for the outdoor pickleball courts and has participated in other fundraisers. The company also purchases memberships at TRAC for its employees. When Applied Digital officials are in Jamestown, they take employees to local restaurants. The company also donated to the University of Jamestown's sports programs after student-athletes helped unpack items for Applied Digital's facility.