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An old government hub in downtown Buffalo could soon make way for a new lakefront development. 

A Fargo-based developer, Buchholz Properties, has agreed to purchase the old Wright County Government Center in the city’s downtown. It has stood vacant since the county moved its operations to a new center just north of Buffalo in 2022.

The developer plans to tear down the old center and build two five-story apartment buildings with about 200 units, plus 16 patio homes, commercial space and possibly a marina on the 7-acre site overlooking Buffalo Lake. 

Those plans got a boost recently when the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development awarded Wright County $867,500 for the demolition.

David Kelly, Buffalo’s community development director, said the project could be “transformational for the city.”

“I think the impact of this on the long-term health of the downtown is massive — to support a lot of our retail business owners, and to just get more, frankly, bodies in the downtown,” he said.

The city of Buffalo with a population of almost 17,000, has been growing since the COVID-19 pandemic, when more people began working from home. Its location about 40 miles from downtown Minneapolis is attractive, Kelly said. The city also invested $10 million in its fiber network to improve connectivity.

A recent study found the city has a significant need for market-rate rental housing, Kelly said. Another developer has proposed a large housing development just south of Lake Pulaski in Buffalo.

Many people have opinions on what they’d like to see on the government center property, Kelly said. The city created a 

“We want people to know that we want you to have opinions, and we want you to share those opinions and not feel that we won’t listen to them,” he said.

The public will have more chances to weigh in on the project before the city decides whether to approve it. The developer is close to completing an environmental review.

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Kirsti Marohn

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The developer plans to tear down the old Wright County Government Center and build two five-story apartment buildings with about 200 units, plus 16 patio homes, commercial space and possibly a marina on the shore of Buffalo Lake. 

City of Buffalo hopes plan to replace old government center with housing, businesses will boost downtown

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