Sioux Falls | Development

[skate342]

i have a friend that worked at sioux steel last summer. he told me there are already plans of moving out to allow room for new construction. it'll open up a ton of land by the river all the way down to the start of the Falls.

[Wolfmanfromsufu]

Sweet, thanks Skate342. Hopefully they don't leave town completely. Them moving out of DT will mean more room for development.

[Justin_144]

Sioux Steel leaving the downtown area will be the first major step to redevelopment of the riverfront area for downtown as a whole. It will be a landmark transition period .... now to figure out the Railroad issue in that area.

[Justin_144]

Sioux Falls is one of the fastest growing cities in the Midwest, but with that growth, comes a price tag. The mayor's proposed Capital Improvements Programs for 2008 total $137 million.

It calls for a $10 million renovation of the main library and a new fire station on the northwest side of town. But most of the money will be used to meet the growing infrastructure needs.

Dirt roads may be paved and rough roads will get a makeover in the next year, if the city council approves Mayor Dave Munson's proposed Capital Improvements Program.

Mayor Dave Munson says, "Our big projects are going to be in streets and continue to work on streets."

As Sioux Falls grows, Munson says the city needs to support that expansion. On the south side, more homes are being built but the closest street is not even paved. Munson has set aside $10 million to pave 85th street next year and put in sidewalks.

Munson says, "Eighty-fifth Street is going to be a really growing area for Sioux Falls, so to be out ahead of that we want to get the infrastructure and the streets."

Water is also another need for Sioux Falls. The mayor wants to spend fifteen million dollars in 2008 for upgrades at the water purification plant. The city will also make a $20 million payment next year for the Lewis and Clark water pipeline project.

Munson says, "That's going to be one of the projects that we look back for infrastructure of this city that's going to be the major public works project this city has really seen."

And in the next year, the mayor hopes the city sees much of that infrastructure improved.

Munson says, "We need all the infrastructure to really make the city grow."

These projects have not received final approval yet. The mayor and the city council will have several meetings over the next few months and make a decision on the plans by September.

[Justin_144]

It'll bring 16 basketball teams to Sioux Falls, thousands of fans and millions of dollars.

Wednesday, the Summit League announced its 2009 championships will be held in Sioux Falls.

The games are more than a year and a half away, but with Wednesday's Summit League Announcement, Sioux Falls businesses are already hearing what kind of boom the games will bring.

Tom Douple with the Summit League says, “We will use a minimum of 1,500 room nights just for the teams, our officials and our VIPs."

And while that may sound overwhelming for hotels, that figure doesn't include fans, cheerleaders or bands. Hotels alone should see more than a million dollars in revenue.

And thanks to live television coverage, the city will also be in the national spotlight.

Terri Ellis Schmidt of the Sioux Falls Convention Bureau explains, "We're into multi-millions of dollars of economic benefit that is even hard to put our finger on. You can't buy that kind of advertising. At least we can't buy that kind of advertising."

And organizers say the benefits will likely go beyond city limits... travelers will eat, sleep and shop as they travel to and from the tournament.

Douple says, “We envision that they'll be a lot of folks traveling from around this area to see Division-One college basketball."

And no matter what the outcome of the games, it's a win-win situation for South Dakota.

[sodak]

New Census number for Sioux Falls is 142,396 in increase of just under 3,000 people. Like I said in an earlier post, that number seems to be about 4,000 people short of what the City itself is estimating. The Bureau has the following for the immediate adjacent towns around Sioux Falls.

Brandon....7,643 up 463 from 2005
Tea....2,744 up 270
Harrisburg....2,507 up 599

[Justin_144]

That number seems to be too low

[SmileyBoy]

I think 143,000 or so seems pretty accurate to me. I expect SF to reach 154,000 by the 2010 Census, which would be just a hair above the rate of growth of the 1990's. At least you guys don't have the same issues with the Census that Fargo has right now...

[Justin_144]

I trust our city numbers more than the census numbers....we are growing so quickly I think they have a better idea. (we are the only top 50 fastest growing metros in the midwest right now btw)

[Justin_144]

Sioux Falls might find out today if it's in carrier's regional service plans

By Megan Myers
memyers@argusleader.com
Published: July 3, 2007

Sioux Falls airport officials might find out today if Frontier Airlines will start service to and from Sioux Falls.

And in a last-minute attempt to help seal the deal, Oregon-based airport consultant Mark Sixel on Monday asked area members of Frontier's frequent flyer program to e-mail the company to show support.

The airline took notice.

After Frontier official Neal Neehan received 200 e-mails within two hours Monday afternoon, he sent Sixel a response reading "ENOUGH!"

"We're right on the fence," Sixel said.

Sioux Falls Regional Airport officials want Frontier - which serves destinations in 29 U.S. states and Mexico from its Denver hub - because the lower-priced airline could increase competition and lower fares for Sioux Falls travelers.

More than 60 communities in the region have been shooting for the Frontier regional service known as Lynx Aviation. Aspen, Colo., and Wichita, Kan., are thought to be frontrunners, thanks in part to hefty incentive packages they've offered.

The federal government last week gave Frontier the go-ahead to start the service, and an announcement naming the first four cities to receive service is expected today.

Frontier spokesman Joe Hodas did not respond to a request for comment Monday.

The recruiting of airlines to Sioux Falls is meant to keep people flying from here instead of from Omaha and Minneapolis. About 40 percent of travelers from the Sioux Falls area choose to fly from Omaha, according to a recent survey compiled by the airport.

The reason: Lower prices.

"You can't have too many airlines, you can't have too much service, and the price can't be too low," said Mike Marnach, the airport's executive director.

Frontier would be competing directly with United Airlines' Denver route, which flies almost full. That airline last week announced a trial plan to start flying larger Boeing 737 jets to and from Sioux Falls and lower prices for a limited time in order to accommodate more passengers.

United told the Sioux Falls Regional Airport Authority that it would drop one of its five flights through Denver and replace two regional jets with a 737, which seats 115 people. Its regional jets can seat either 50 or 66 people.

The deal would be made permanent if the airport board gave it a one-time incentive of $100,000; the board will decide that later this month.

United's proposal might have been prompted by the airport's recruitment of Frontier, and that shows the potential effect of increased competition, said airport board chairman Mike Breidenbach.

United adding seats to Denver also might translate to lower prices, he said.

"I think it doesn't help us in getting Frontier," Breidenbach said of United's plans. "But at the same time, if our efforts with Frontier (have prompted) United to come with a better deal, then we've won too."

But United can always change its mind, Sixel said, making the Frontier deal as important as ever.

"If we're not in the announcement (today), it doesn't mean they're not coming," Sixel said. "But we're going to have to go back to the drawing board and come back with some better incentives."

The airport board in March approved a $250,000 revenue guarantee for Frontier, which would be paid by Forward Sioux Falls. Frontier also is eligible for free landing and rent fees, $50,000 in marketing and promotional money from the authority and another $35,000 from Forward Sioux Falls to help with startup costs.

Those deals also are available to any airline that comes to Sioux Falls this year.

[Justin_144]

Frontier Passes On Sioux Falls



Rapid City, Sioux City, and Wichita, Kansas have been selected as three new hubs for Frontier Airline flights to Denver.

Frontier President and CEO Jeff Potter says, “We had to narrow down this great list of opportunities to what will ultimately be about nine new cities that we will serve with the Q400 by December 2007. The first of those new markets, Wichita, Rapid City and Sioux City, are dynamic communities that are clearly underserved for low fare service and the citizens of those cities absolutely deserve the high-quality product that Frontier can offer.

The Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce had been working hard to get Frontier to come to town, with an e-mail campaign where travelers write in and show their support.

[sodak]

Ya that's disappointing. It makes sense for Frontier though, for a couple reasons.

1. Sioux City is a vastly underserved market having only a couple flights a day to MSP on Northwest. If SF passengers are as excited about Frontier as people seem to make out, they probably will make the 80 mile drive down to Sioux City.

2. Sioux Falls simply can't make a very good argument that it is an underserved airport. Right now, SF has the best airline service in its history with nonstops to eight cities on four major airlines. Most cities of around a quarter million or less would kill to have that kind of service.

3. United just announced plans to upgrade four of its daily flights between Denver and Sioux Falls to 737's from the 50 seat CRJs. That is a vast improvement in service on United's part, and it may have been spurred by Sioux Falls going after Frontier so aggressively.

For those reasons, and probably others, I can see the situation as Frontier probably sees it. It would be really nice to have competition, especially on the Denver run, so its disappointing, but understandable.

[Justin_144]

Rapid City, Sioux City, and Wichita have been chosen as Frontier Airlines new destinations... Sioux Falls didn't make that list.

Across the country, 62 cities tried to lure Frontier to town, but the company is only adding service to 15 cities. A spokesman for Frontier says it's always a tough decision, and many things factor into it.

"What does the overall package look like for us financially? What are the facility fees, the landing fees, what's the competitive nature of the market?" said Joe Hodas, director of corporate communications for Frontier Airlines.

Sioux City has fewer airlines and flights than Sioux Falls, so Frontier may have considered it an opportunity to gain a larger share of travelers. Rapid City also has less competition, plus it’s close to Mount Rushmore and the Black Hills.

“If there's a tourist attraction that creates demand for travel, then yes, it fits into or figures into the whole process," Hodas said.

But what about Wichita? Just like Sioux Falls, city leaders there led a large e-mail campaign, to show Frontier that people supported the idea of the company coming to town. The difference is, Wichita is bigger, and was able to offer a larger incentive. Where Sioux Falls offered $250,000, Wichita offered $600,000.

"Kind of came down to the economics, what we felt like the demand would be for that market," said Hodas.

Frontier says it's not a personal decision, but can feel that way because so many people have taken part in the e-mail campaign.

"It's one of those things where we wish we could fly to all these places,” Hodas said. “There's a bond to the community and a commitment from the folks out there in Sioux Falls."

But at least the airline knows Sioux Falls is interested, and may look to it in the future.

Frontier is planning to announce more locations in the next few weeks, but the company spokesman couldn't say whether Sioux Falls would be in the running for that.

The head of the Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce says he's disappointed in Frontier's decision, but just found out from United Airlines that they'd like to bring in bigger planes and offer lower fares to Sioux Falls.

But they're not counting Frontier out.

“We're still open to that at any time, we've had them in here,” said Evan Nolte, Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce. “We'd like to show their top decision makers as a city, we're growing rapidly and there's development, make them realize what this market is all about these days.”

The Airport Authority will consider United's offer at their next meeting.

[Justin_144]

Despite not making the cut with Frontier Airlines, those in charge of the Sioux Falls Regional Airport are not giving up. Frontier named Sioux City, Iowa, Rapid City and Wichita, Kansas were named today as three cities the airlines will set up hubs in. Sioux Falls is rallying to make sure it is not passed over again.

People at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport check in and board flights with Delta, Northwest and Allegiant Airlines, but not Frontier. And Mike Marnach, the airport's executive director, says he's not surprised.

Frontier still plans to announce six more cities it will provide service to, so Marnach says he'll keep promoting Sioux Falls. "Without a doubt, we'll continue our negotiations with Frontier. They made the comment that some of these airports have offered them a lot more money than Sioux Falls has brought."

He says the airport is trying. The amount it's allowed to offer is regulated by the FAA, but he says the community can help. "The best way to get more air service is to use your local airport. As we grow our market, I think Frontier will become more interested."

Marnach says even if Frontier doesn't come to Sioux Falls, the airport is always working to improve service for travelers. "We have million dollar projects and we'll grow the airport with our existing airlines."

And it appears people are noticing. Marnach says the number of passengers boarding was up by nearly 10 percent in June. Airport projects planned include a new taxiway, a larger ticket counter area and Delta Airlines expansions.

[Justin_144]

Sioux Falls council to hear report July 16; ramp, meter fee increases among suggestions
By Jonathan Ellis
jonellis@argusleader.com
Published: July 5, 2007

Downtown Sioux Falls will need about 1,500 new parking spaces during the next 10 years if development trends continue, a study has found.

An inventory of downtown's parking needs is expected to be presented July 16 to the City Council.

The six-month study was completed by Walker Parking Consultants, a national firm specializing in parking studies.

The firm concluded that the city needs to begin planning now for more parking stalls, and it recommends the city consider increasing fees on existing parking ramps and meters.

Monthly lease rates on the city's public lots and ramps vary from $22 a month to $71. Parking meters range from 40 cents an hour to 75 cents.

The numbers are based on several assumptions. First, it assumes the city will tear down the River Ramp and Eighth Street lot. The 500-space lot has been deemed an aesthetic blunder and is tentatively scheduled to be razed.

It also assumes rapid growth in residential and commercial units downtown.

Randy Bartunek, director of the city's public parking facilities, said the study is based on the best available information about proposed and continuing development projects.

Some of those projects might come through, while others could be shelved. Still others that aren't on the list could be developed in the next 10 years.

"There are a lot of variables when you do a 10-year projection," Bartunek said.

Businesses and individuals lease 2,779 parking stalls from the city. The city has just 2,764 spaces, however, meaning it rents more spaces than it has in capacity, Bartunek said.

Jim Dunham, who leads the city's public parking committee, said he wasn't surprised by the study's findings. Nor is he surprised by the recommendation that the city needs to increase fees for parking.

Without fee increases, the public parking department will be running at a deficit. That can't happen because it's an enterprise fund, which means it operates on the revenue it collects rather than with general tax dollars.

In other words, Dunham said, users pay for the system, not taxpayers.

Fee increases would help maintain existing ramps and build reserves to help finance new parking areas, Bartunek said.

New ramps wouldn't be cheap. The study identified seven sites downtown where ramps could be built, or where existing ramps or parking lots could be expanded.

Cost estimates put the projects between $3.1 million and $9.2 million.

The study identifies three sites downtown that rank highest for accommodating future parking spots.

The first area is between Third and Fourth streets and Main and Phillips avenues.

The site is a 132-space parking lot, but a four-level parking garage could be built there for $5.2 million.

The second site is an existing private ramp adjacent to the Wells Fargo Building at Eight Street and Main. The study says the site could be expanded to accommodate an additional 511 spaces at a cost of $9.2 million.

Another potential site calls for removing the Acme Building, which the city owns, and replacing it with an eight-level structure that would accommodate 544 spaces. It would cost $8.7 million.

One thing the study didn't recommend was the creation of one large ramp downtown. Instead, Dunham said, the city is interested in placing smaller ramps in strategic locations of the city where future growth is expected.

"We don't believe it makes sense to build one humongous ramp," Dunham said.

[Wolfmanfromsufu]

1. Sioux City is a vastly underserved market having only a couple flights a day to MSP on Northwest. If SF passengers are as excited about Frontier as people seem to make out, they probably will make the 80 mile drive down to Sioux City.

the Sioux Falls airport is try to get people to stop driving to other towns to get cheaper fares. Though it's been getting better from what I hear, a lot of people still drive to Omaha or Minneapolis. It's technically still not over though, Frontier still has a few more cities to announce.

[NewDetroit1]

Does anyone have any pics of the Acme Building or info about that building.....that that article talked about removing for the parking garage plans?

[skate342]

acme used to be a nightclub. it's only 1 story i think, pretty small building on a larger lot. i'll try to get some photos of some stuff going on in town this weekend.

[sodak]

wasn't the city going to use some of the acme building for the central library expansion?

[Justin_144]

The acme building was not going to be used FOR the library but as a location parking could be added due to the lost spots caused by renovation.