BEMIDJI — After four years in development and two years of construction, the Bixby Condos on the south shore of Lake Bemidji held its grand opening on Friday.
The event featured a ribbon cutting and a tour of one of the 32 units, as the Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce welcomed the completed project into the community and congratulated Tim Mrazek on his success.
Mrazek, of Jonzek, LLC, is the one who came up with the development and has been working on the project since its inception in 2019.
“I got to thinking about it, wondering ‘How big is the price tag? How big is the lot?'” Mrazek said. “I started thinking about where I would want it to be.”
Mrazek’s choice to build his project on Lake Bemidji’s south shore came after a decision by the Bemidji City Council to retract a 30% retail requirement for new development in the area.
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“I saw the night that the city council did that, and I said ‘That’s where I want it to be,’” Mrazek explained.
With scenic views of the lake, the location on the south shore was perfect for the high-end condos Mrazek envisioned. He purchased 1.9 acres of land from the city, worth $435,000.
His plan was to build a 32-unit, 19,500-square-foot complex where half of the units would be leased and the other half could be purchased.
After securing financing, Mrazek’s goal was to have six of the units sold before he began construction, especially since the development would be something new for Bemidji.
“This is a little different than anything Bemidji has,” he said. “Most people have houses, and I wasn’t sure if they’d be willing to move into a community building like this, but they were.”
With one, two and three-bedroom units, heated indoor parking and a central location in Bemidji, the Bixby Condos were just what several residents were looking for.
“This project really took off,” said Russell Moen of First National Bank in Bemidji. “A lot of people bought (units) before it was finished. Bemidji needed something like this for a long time.”
But even with early interest the project wasn’t without its challenges. Hampered by the pandemic in 2020, construction didn't begin until 2021. Then there were supply chain issues that delayed the project further.
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“We had some challenges to get things,” Mrazek said. “Drywall was a big one, getting all of that here.”
But now that the building is complete and residents have moved in, Mrazek feels a sense of accomplishment.
“I get a little chunk of pride every time I drive in and stop by,” he said. “It’s hard to describe.”
Mrazek has also enjoyed getting to know the building’s residents and has come to consider many of them friends.
“People walk by and ask to get coffee,” he shared. “They’ve all turned into friends. Everyone that’s here is someone you’d have over for dinner.”
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