A new kind of senior housing is going up in north Bismarck, and it's giving a Fargo contractor its first multifamily job in the capital city.
Great States Construction has broken ground on the Village Cooperative of Bismarck, a 58-unit community at the corner of Washington Street and Medora Avenue, the company announced in a Sept. 8, 2026, project update. The development is designed for adults 62 and older "who want the benefits of homeownership without the burden of maintenance," the company said.
What's being built
According to Great States, the Village Cooperative will feature 58 single-level residences ranging from about 900 to 1,500 square feet across 17 floor plans. When finished, the building will have three stories plus an underground parking level.
Community amenities include a fitness room, a hobby room and a guest room designed to feel like a hotel room for visiting family. The underground parking level will be heated, with elevator access to all floors.
The project is Great States Construction's first multifamily project in Bismarck and is slated for completion in late 2027. The company has posted aerial photos of the construction site taken July 16, 2026, along with updates on excavation.
The developer is Real Estate Equities Development of Eagan, Minn. Bismarck is Great States' second Village Cooperative project and its second with the developer, following the Village Cooperative in Billings, Mont., which is slated to open in early 2027.
"We sincerely appreciate the partnership and continued trust that Real Estate Equities Development has placed in the Great States team," said Michael Casper, president of Great States Construction.
The developer's community page describes the homes as one-level living in a three-story building with enclosed, secure parking. Standard features listed include community and club areas, a hobby shop, reading areas, a guest suite, garden plots and while-you're-away services. The floor plans posted online range from one-bedroom, one-bath homes of 891 square feet to larger plans with dens of more than 1,500 square feet, and the page tags some plans "Only 1 Left!" Each home comes with all appliances, including a washer and dryer, plus in-home storage, walk-in closets and individually controlled HVAC systems. The developer has an informational seminar scheduled for Oct. 27, 2026, at 1 p.m., and runs a sales office on Clydesdale Drive in Bismarck.
"It's for 62 and better people who are wanting to have a maintenance-free lifestyle and a sense of community, all while having ownership of their home," Christine Nelson, sales manager for the Village Cooperative of Bismarck, told KFYR in July. The developers said the project is meant to bridge the gap between a traditional single-family home and a full-service care facility, the station reported. KFYR reported that the community is expected to open in fall 2027.
That kind of housing is in demand across North Dakota. The 2026 North Dakota Statewide Housing Needs Assessment, prepared by NDSU's Center for Social Research for the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency, projects the number of householders 65 and older in the state will grow from 83,740 in 2024 to 116,762 in 2034, a 39% increase. The report projects the Bismarck region will need 11,621 more housing units by 2034.
The report also notes that most North Dakotans 65 and older are aging in place in their own households, and it describes the aging population as the most significant change in households expected by 2034.
Why it matters for Contractors
A three-story building over a heated underground garage is a big job, and with completion slated for late 2027, the Village Cooperative of Bismarck will keep crews busy through the coming winter and into next year. The underground parking level means significant excavation, concrete and waterproofing work, followed by the building structure, roofing, elevators, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and interior finishes across 58 homes and 17 floor plans, each with its own HVAC system. Great States Construction is the general contractor, so Bismarck-area subs and suppliers who want to work on the project should reach out to the company. The bigger picture is worth watching, too. With the state's senior population projected to grow 39% by 2034, age-restricted cooperatives, senior apartments and accessible single-level homes are a segment Bismarck-Mandan contractors will want to understand.