Simplified: The City Council on Tuesday gave its unanimous support for the city to create a 2035 downtown plan. Here's what happens next.

Why it matters

  • Sioux Falls' current 10-year downtown plan was adopted in 2014, and as its end approaches in 2025, it's time to take another look at how the vision might change in the next decade.
  • The city planning department is overseeing the plan, but it'll be working closely with an advisory committee (approved by the council Tuesday) and seeking feedback from the community at large, too, said Community Development Coordinator Dustin Powers.
  • Ultimately, the goal is to have a single document to help guide decision making in downtown over the next decade.
"We know downtown is kind of booming right now," Powers told Sioux Falls Simplified. "It's a great opportunity for us to leverage that and then use that success to really move to the future and establish the vision for the future."

What's happened since the last downtown plan?

A lot of the growth and development in downtown in the last decade lines up with the goals outlined in the 2025 plan.

One goal was growing the number of people living in downtown. Enter, Washington Square apartments, Cascade Lofts, Railyard Flats and the Jones421 building.

Another was promotion of arts and culture – since then the State Theatre has reopened and the Levitt Shell was built.

Overall, Powers said, there's been $300 million in development downtown in the last eight years, and with the Steel District and Cherapa Place projects underway, that number is set to more than double in the next couple years.

Who's on the advisory committee?

A diverse mix of downtown residents, business owners, artists and city officials.

Here's the list:

  • Ann Nachtigal, director of Sanford Health News
  • Apolonia Davalos, host of "Levitt In Your Living Room"
  • Arthur McCray, CEO of Advie
  • Brienne Maner, executive director of Startup Sioux Falls
  • Chris Daugaard, partner with Ernst Capital Group
  • City Councilor Curt Soehl
  • Dan Statema, Director of Loft Advisors (a division of First Dakota National Bank)
  • Darrin Smith, president and CEO of the Washington Pavilion
  • Del'Inkka Beaudion, owner of Swamp Daddy's
  • Erik Nyberg, attorney at Cutler Law Firm
  • Ivy Oland Dandar, owner of Oland Arts Consulting
  • Joe Batcheller, president of DTSF, Inc.
  • Kevin Tupy, Cresten Capital Holdings
  • Natalie Eisenberg, CEO of Click Rain
  • Penny Klinedinst, owner of Simply Perfect
  • Riccardo Tarabelsi, owner of R Wine Bar

What happens next?

Over the next 12 to 14 months, the city will work on the plan by getting feedback from the public through surveys, meetings, etc. They'll also meet with the advisory committee and ultimately draft a plan for the City Council's approval.