Celebrating the Cooper House community room renovation

Members of the community recently came together to celebrate the recent remodel of the Cooper House community room in Fargo, 414 11th St N. An open house was held last week to showcase the beautifully renovated space—now named in honor of a longtime resident, Mike Beaton. 

The update included a new kitchen, flooring, paint, window coverings, appliances and furnishings. BIA-RRV Remodelers Council members led the labor effort alongside other Association volunteers. Materials were donated by area businesses.

This project is a wonderful example of the strength of our industry when we come together. We are incredibly proud of the BIA members who donated their time, talent and materials to make this transformation possible. The updated space now offers Cooper House residents a welcoming space to gather—whether it's to watch tv, share a meal, or simply spend time together.

Thank you all who contributed to this meaningful project and to those who came to the open house to celebrate. We appreciate your generosity and dedication to this community. 

Above: Tyler Holland, Holland Enterprises, and Cecelia Jorud, Bell Bank, standing in front of the plaque in honor of Mike Beaton.

More about the Cooper House and its ties to the BIA-RRV and Home Builders Care Foundation:

The Building Industry Association and its charity, Home Builders Care Foundation, donated money to the project when it was first built and sponsored one of the 42 fully furnished apartments.

The Cooper House’s mission is to break the cycle of homelessness in the Fargo-Moorhead area. It was the wish of a former resident, Mike Beaton, who passed away, to create a community room that residents would be proud of, where they could come together to watch movies, big sports games and share food. Mike had ties to the Building Industry Association of the RRV through his sister, Nancy Kelly, Labor Masters, who is a long time BIA-RRV member, volunteer and former Home Builders Care of F-M Foundation president.

Cooper House opened in 2010. It offers supportive housing, featuring a community room, computer workstations, onsite laundry, an onsite nurse and a 24-hour front desk. Applicants are selected and prioritized through the Coordinated Entry system, with households paying 30% of adjusted gross income for rent and utilities. Eligibility is based on background checks and verifications.