JLG Architects received three awards from AIA North Dakota on Thursday, October 8. The firm earned an Honor Award for the Moorhead Community Center & Public Library in Moorhead, Minnesota; a Merit Award for the Fergus Falls Aquatic Center in Fergus Falls, Minnesota; and a Community Impact Award for Dickinson Legacy Square in Dickinson, North Dakota.
A total of eight AIA North Dakota awards were presented during the organization’s 2026 conference at Brewhalla in downtown Fargo.
Honor Award: Moorhead Community Center & Public Library | Moorhead, MN
The new Moorhead Community Center & Public Library, a project pursuing LEED Silver certification, held its grand opening on April 18, 2026. This milestone marked the completion of the first phase of downtown redevelopment, designed by JLG Architects, the Miller Hull Partnership and the City of Moorhead.
Today, the community center and public library’s “All Under One Roof” design has forged a 46,000-square-foot destination that not only creates space for the Moorhead Public Library but also serves as the headquarters for the Lake Agassiz Regional Library offices. Beyond traditional library offerings, it’s designed to invite gathering via community program rooms, The Spark co-working center for entrepreneurship, an indoor play area, and a suspended walking loop, which was an amenity identified as important to the community.
The library’s multi-generational design and resources have been well received by the community. Just over six months after its April grand opening, the library has noted that 50% of Moorhead residents now have a library card. Other confirmed success metrics include:
- 3,233 Library card registrations — a 141% increase over last year
- Physical items checked out: 117,256 — a 41% increase over last year
- Digital items checked out: 71,703 — a 19% increase over last year
“This isn’t just a library or community center; it’s the catalyst for dynamic change that grew from years of community discussion, collaborative partnerships, and a vibrant vision of what could be. The Loop is exactly what our community asked for: an open invitation to come together, utilize its resources, play, learn, find new inspiration, and stay active year-round.”
—Rob Remark, AIA | Principal Architect, JLG Architects
Completed May 1, 2025, the 30,000-square-foot Fergus Falls Aquatic Center was designed by JLG Architects in collaboration with aquatics design consultant Reengineered Inc. A 2021 feasibility study and the passage of a local option sales tax made the new outdoor aquatic center possible. Located at the heart of Roosevelt Community Park, the center is positioned across from Kennedy Secondary School and adjacent to the Fergus Falls Ice Arena.
Merit Award: Fergus Falls Aquatic Center | Fergus Falls, MN
The Aquatic Center combines a dynamic array of features, including a zero-depth entry pool with interactive children’s play elements, a climbable structure, two exhilarating waterslides, and a dedicated four-lane lap pool and climbing wall for fitness enthusiasts. The center is anchored by a thoughtfully designed bathhouse that offers modern lockers and changing rooms, lifeguard and staff spaces, pool equipment storage, and concessions.
The Fergus Falls Aquatic Center project is already considered an overwhelming success. According to Fergus Now, the facility recorded 19,065 visits during its first season and generated $234,457 in total revenue, including concessions. At the closing of the center’s second summer of operations, the city noted an increase of nearly 8,000 visitors.
“This project is designed to be more than a family aquatic center; it’s a multi-generational destination that invites tourism, attracts new residents, and keeps this growing community active and socially connected. Its completion is also a testament to the City of Fergus Falls’ ongoing commitment to health, inclusivity, and quality of life.”
—Adam Barnett, AIA | Principal Architect, Sports & Rec Studio – JLG Architects
Community Impact Award: Dickinson Legacy Square | Dickinson, ND
Designed by JLG Architects, in collaboration with Tallgrass Landscape Architecture and the City of Dickinson, Dickinson Legacy Square is a downtown public gathering place that embodies the vision of an active and flexible community “living room.” Completed in 2023, the town square supports year-round community life with a performance stage, large digital screen, multi-use pavilion, public restrooms, shade pergolas, a play area with dinosaur sculptures and splash pad, and landscaped spaces for gathering, play, concerts, and events.
JLG worked with the City of Dickinson and community stakeholders to develop the project’s master plan and design, reflecting the community’s character and the distinct forms of the surrounding landscape. The resulting design at the heart of downtown has created a community centerpiece that strengthens connections among residents, visitors, and local businesses.
The AIA North Dakota Community Impact Award is the project’s second recognition. In 2024, Legacy Square received a Governor’s Main Street Excellence Award, recognizing its contribution to a healthy, vibrant community.
