FARGO - There’s a new sign of the times coming to Broadway, inspired by a different day and age.

A two-piece 30-foot-tall sign with the word “BLACK” in red neon letters, outlined with white LEDs, is expected to arrive Wednesday morning, May 1. It will then be lifted by crane and attached to brackets already installed on the Black Building. By nightfall, the “new-old” sign should be ready to light up Broadway, much as its predecessors did for decades, a Kilbourne Group official says.

“We’re really excited about re-introducing this sign. It’s an iconic sign,” said Mike Zimney, project manager for Kilbourne Group. “When you’re walking up or driving up and down Broadway, it’s going to be tough to miss. That’s exactly what we want..”

The southbound lane on Broadway will be closed May 1 between First and Second Avenues North during installation.

The Black Building was purchased by Kilbourne Group in 2016 and is undergoing a nearly $13 million top-to-bottom renovation and modernization.

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One of the first things project planners did was look at the history of the Fargo landmark. It was through the North Dakota State University archives and other sources that they learned of the sign, which had been removed in the early 1970s. It was then decided to re-create the original sign on the east side of the building along Broadway.

“The sign is … signifying kind of the rebirth of this building,” Zimney said. “It’s exciting times for downtown and this is one of the small pieces for it.”

The $35,000 sign was made by Scenic Sign Corp. of Sauk Rapids, Minn, Zimney said. “It’s the original size. We want something that will draw people’s attention," he said.

“We (Kilbourne Group) very much want to respect the history,” Zimney added. “That’s why the letters BLACK will be in red, just like they were originally.”

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The Black Building was built by George M. Black. The cornerstone was laid in 1930 and construction of the eight-story structure was finished in 1931. The first reference to the sign, which also included the words “Sears, Roebuck and Co.,” was found in “The Blue Print” newsletter for the Black Building from 1934, Zimney said.

It was a sign of Black’s confidence in and commitment to Fargo that the building was erected not long after the great stock market crash of 1929, at the start of the Great Depression, Zimney said.

At some point in the 1940s, Zimney said the sign was changed to advertise “Sears.”

The Black Building “was the premiere office space when it was originally constructed,” Zimney said. He said the ongoing renovation promises to once again make it one of the best office spaces in town.

The sign should add character to the downtown streetscape, he said. It also includes the words “Est. 1930. Fargo, No. Dak,” to make it another selfie stop for visitors to the city.

“Some of these things are very intentional that we’re trying to do to promote downtown Fargo and all the excitement” happening here, Zimney said. “We’re trying to create a fun, unique, authentic experience down here. These signs are a small piece of that.”



