Firefly at Dead Lake

If you long to wake up at the lake, but your budget says otherwise, investing in lake property can seem like an impossible dream. With the idea of making lake life more attainable, Fargo’s Jade Nielsen has an idea you’ll love. Introducing Firefly cabins on Dead Lake – a common interest community with your choice of one or two-bedroom cabins, expertly designed by Nielsen and Jackson Strom of Strom Architecture. Own the cabin, but share the 1,000-foot lake lot. When the weekend arrives, don’t waste a minute of it worrying about the maintenance – these cabins come complete with a Home Owner’s Association to take care of the hard work, so you can sit back, relax and leave your worries (and honey-do list) in town. ​

Community-Style Cabins

These days, even the most run-down cabin on the tiniest lot can expect to sell for well above $300,000. If you add in the cost of maintenance, repairs, dock systems, yard work, and the time you’ll need to complete all of this… your weekend and budget may be spent. 

For those who can’t commit to the full-circle investment, Firefly’s community-style cabin living is just what you’ve been waiting for. This summer, Nielsen and Strom are close to unveiling the first of 16 total cabins, offering spectacular views on Dead Lake, with only an hour and 15-minute drive from Fargo-Moorhead. Firefly is located on over 10 acres on the North Shore of Dead Lake, formerly known as White Haven resort. Its ideal location gives all of the cabins access to 1,000 feet of shoreline, a crystal clear lake and mature trees. Eight of the cabins are being built right near the water’s edge, so if you’re interested, it pays to be prompt. The cabins will be assigned a unique parcel ID and have common interest shares of the community use property.

Relax, You’re at the Lake! 

Still worried about the maintenance? Leave your worries in town because Firefly’s community has a Home Owner’s Association that will save you time and money. Each cabin includes one boat slip and an additional 10×10 storage unit. HOA fees are low and include year-round service. For a mere $185 a month, the yard care, dock service, broadband internet to each cabin, firewood, road repairs, trash and snow removal, septic flushing, and more are managed for you. 

Firefly at Dead Lake: Phase #1

Firefly’s community will be completed in two building phases; the first eight cabins are being built right now and sit directly on the lakefront. In 2021, an additional eight cabins will be built with a second story and lake views from the second row. All community members purchase the land under the cabin and 1/16 ownership of the common areas. Eventually, a community room with a wet bar will be available for owners to host larger gatherings, and a playground will be built for the children. ​

Designing Firefly

Nielsen and Strom’s goal was to develop super-efficient floorplans that live big by introducing large windows to harvest natural light and frame the lake view. “To make each cabin feel airy and spacious, we made sure to include vaulted ceilings,” said Strom. “The main living spaces have windows on three sides, which welcome a lot of natural light, while still creating a cozy and inviting space for everyone to congregate in.”

As a benefit to the owners, the team took a thoughtful approach, creating modern, energy-efficient cabins with smart technology which will allow owners to check their property remotely from their mobile device. 

Firefly’s Two-Bedroom

This 958 square foot cabin is designed for two bedrooms, one bath, and an open floorplan kitchen and living room with a wood-burning fireplace. The higher-pitched roof adds another 240 square feet loft for storage or extra living space. The bathroom features a stack-able laundry for convenience and accessibility. High-style finishes on the interior welcome beautiful sunsets on the exterior’s attached deck facing the lake. These cabins are currently listed for $269,900. ​

Firefly’s One-Bedroom 

This version of Firefly’s cabins faces the lake, featuring one bedroom and one full bathroom for a total of 484 square feet. Although this floor plan is smaller, Nielsen worked with Strom to design each cabin with a unique, open-concept approach – creating comfortable lake living, functional flow and modern design features. Among the features, the two chose hardwood and tiled floors, washer/dryer hookups, electric fireplace, baseboard heat and much more. The one-bedroom cabins are currently listed for $169,900. 

Minimal Footprint + Maximum Views

“Jade was looking for a fresh perspective on a traditional cabin that would work with the existing footprints of the original structures of his Dead Lake property,” said Strom. “After walking the site with him, I understood this was a very unique project, and I was really excited to partner with him and his team. I was impressed with Jade’s attention-to-detail and his thought process behind the project.”

“We decided to focus on the amazing view over the lake, introducing windows on at least three sides, vaulting the ceiling, and carefully creating a layout that is conducive to lake life – with the idea that the majority of your time is spent outdoors or in the main living space,” said Strom. From the interior to the exterior, Nielsen and Strom worked together to develop the cabin’s palette, focusing on minimum-maintenance materials that would be able to withstand lake life.  

“I see these cabins appealing to many different people, including young professionals with a small family who may have limited time, but want the full lake experience. Here, they don’t have to spend the energy on an individual lake property that will take more time out of their busy schedules,” said Strom.   

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