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BEMIDJI — The Rail Corridor redevelopment project took another step forward as representatives from Marco McLane Development provided an update to the Bemidji City Council Rail Corridor Committee on Thursday.

Tim Marco and Mark McLane, partners in the development firm, shared the latest on the grants being pursued and the ongoing design and planning efforts.

Marco reported that the redevelopment grant application was submitted by the Aug. 1 deadline. He also noted that the grant round turned out to be competitive, with many applications being submitted.

"The process now is we've had some back and forth with the folks at (the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development) and asked some follow-up questions," Marco said, adding that they hope to hear back by the end of September.

The team is also working on a cleanup grant application, which is due on Nov. 1. Marco mentioned that much of the necessary work has already been done, reducing the need for additional efforts.

"Much of the work that the city has authorized historically is the basis of that application," he explained.

The cleanup grant is intended to cover all the necessary cleanup across the entire Rail Corridor site.

In discussing the design of the project, Marco explained that the placement and design of the YMCA facility have been adjusted.

"As we were toggling the potential locations for the building, what we found was pushing it closer to the bridge side helps with that larger span and the height of that building to blend more into the backside of that site," he said.

The building will be located near the Irvine Avenue bridge that goes over the railroad tracks at the south end of Bemidji's downtown area.

"This is very much a concept plan still," Marco said, acknowledging that there is still work to be done before the plan is finalized.

Looking forward, Marco suggested that the team will continue to refine the details of the project and work closely with city staff. They plan to bring more detailed information to the council once they have finalized estimates and funding details.

The development team at Marco McLane emphasized that they remain engaged with the city, ensuring that the project stays on track as it progresses through its planning and funding stages.