Watford home to state’s first indoor RV Park
By Kate Ruggles
Farmer Staff Writer
A concept thought up by two builders from Cloquet, Minn., may not only be the first of its kind in North Dakota, and possibly the country, but may also be just what workers living in campers are looking for.
To address the issues the cold North Dakota winters can bring, and the fact that many people who move here are forced to live in campers and RVs, two builders from B & H Construction thought up the idea of making an indoor space where people could park their RVs. After much time designing, fine-tuning and the gathering of investors, their concept has become a reality just south of Watford City.
“This is the first of its kind in North Dakota, and possibly the country,” states Tyler Sperling of NETA Property Management, one of the investors in the ND Indoor RV Park.
According to Sperling, the great thing about the project is that it gives people the option to live in their RVs while being protected from the harsh North Dakota elements.
“People won’t have to change out propane tanks in the dead of winter or replace burst or leaking hoses from freezing,” Sperling states. “Once they hook in, they are good to go.”
Each tenant will move their camper into a secured bay, complete with electric, sewer, water and propane hook-ups.
Additionally, Sperling states that the buildings will be insulated to the point that residents shouldn’t even need their heaters in the winter, and the spaces will be secured with locks to eliminate the fear of personal items getting stolen or ruined by the weather.
Tenants will also have use of a laundry facility, mail service, and a common building complete with pool tables, darts, TVs and an on-site manager who will be available to address concerns and deal with maintenance issues.
“Our hope is to provide those who live in their campers and RVs with better living conditions,” states Sperling.
But even more than improved living conditions, Sperling and his partners desired to provide a safe environment for everyone.
“Fire and carbon monoxide can be a danger in a space like this,” Sperling states. Which is why the designers created a centralized smoke and carbon monoxide detection system for each building and each bay within the building.
“Each bay has an alarm that is hooked to a centralized system. If the alarm is triggered, the system will alert the local fire department and trigger a forced air device designed to flood the space with fresh air and flush the carbon monoxide out,” states Sperling. “Each resident must also follow specific rules such as no smoking or use of personal propane heaters inside the space, and no combustible materials.”
Throughout the process the developers of this project worked closely with the Lodging Division of the North Dakota Department of Health to make sure they were in compliance with all the state safety regulations.
“At first, they didn’t know how to classify us, because we were such a new concept,” Sperling states.
Having worked with the Department of Health, though new territory, they are licensed by the Department of Health as a Trailer Park and campground, and have passed all the safety inspections.
“In the summer, the wind and dust can be relentless, along with storms that bring hail and tornados,” states Sperling. “This way, tenants can put a table and chairs outside their camper without worrying about whether it will get ruined by the weather or stolen.”
Sperling states that they plan to have 10 buildings, with 24 units per building, when the project is completed. Currently, the ND Indoor RV Park has completed four buildings and hopes to have the rest done before the winter.
The monthly rate for anything under 40 feet is $1,000 per month, all utilities included. Anything 40 feet and over will cost $1,100 per month, including all utilities. Additionally, Sperling states they will offer 12-month, six-month and month-to-month leases.
“To be able to ensure climate control through the winter, we would really like to have these complexes as full as possible before the winter hits,” states Sperling. “Moving someone in, in the cold of winter, will affect the climate of the other tenants, and we really don’t want that to happen.”
For more information, contact the ND Indoor RV Park at 701-293-7909.