Churches United Plans Purchase of Moorhead Warehouse

The organization aims to expand shelter capacity by buying the Coca-Cola sales center.

Updated on Oct. 30, 2026 in Commercial

Bold vector editorial illustration of a large industrial warehouse, representing the expansion of community shelter and pantry services. — Churches United has finalized the purchase of a 60,000-square-foot warehouse in Moorhead to expand its local shelter and food pantry operations. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Churches United has signed a purchase agreement for the 60,000 square-foot Coca-Cola warehouse in north Moorhead. The acquisition is intended to address the persistent wait list at the organization's existing shelter facilities.

Why it matters

The organization currently struggles with a daily wait list of 12 to 15 families at its primary shelter. This new property provides the necessary square footage to increase food pantry services and emergency housing capacity.

The four-acre property contains a 60,000 square-foot warehouse that will eventually house the Dorothy Day Food Pantry. The site currently hosts 105 people nightly at existing locations, with plans to add 40 beds for single people at the new site.

The players

Churches United

This non-profit organization provides emergency shelter and food pantry services to the local community.

Coca-Cola Bottling Company High Country

The beverage distributor owns the current Moorhead sales center and is relocating its plant to West Fargo.

The details

Churches United intends to renovate the warehouse structure to add a second floor to accommodate the expanded operations. Once the move is complete, the organization will consolidate the Dorothy Day Food Pantry and Open Doors 65 into this single location.

October 29, 2026: Churches United announced plans for the warehouse purchase.
June 2027: Churches United expects to close on the property purchase.

Culture Shift

The transition reflects a growing move toward urban adaptive reuse of industrial commercial space to meet local housing demands. This allows social services to leverage legacy infrastructure as populations in the area shift and corporate facilities move toward newer industrial parks.

Residents currently relying on the Dorothy Day Food Pantry or emergency shelter services should anticipate a future shift in service location to the new warehouse site. Families on the current daily wait list of 12 to 15 households may see increased availability once the facility expansion and renovation are completed.

The takeaway

The move demonstrates how non-profits are increasingly securing industrial real estate to address capacity gaps in social services. Organizations looking to expand should consider how existing commercial footprints in suburban areas can be repurposed to serve local family housing needs.