How Dell Rapids is keeping City Hall downtown

Megan Raposa -

This is a paid piece from the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.

Simplified: The city offices for Dell Rapids will be moving into a new home next fall, but City Hall will still be on the town's main thoroughfare. Here's a look at what's to come.

Why it matters

  • The existing City Hall has been in use for decades, and it no longer has enough space to accommodate the growth Dell Rapids is seeing, City Administrator Justin Weiland said.
  • Now, the city is moving into a 9,000-square-foot site on Fourth Avenue that was formerly occupied by Wells Fargo. Over the next year, the building will be renovated to create office space. The best part, Mayor Tom Earley said, is the city is keeping City Hall on its main business street.
  • The basement of the building will also be renovated, Weiland said. It'll be gutted and redesigned as an event space where community members can host banquets, family reunions, wedding receptions and more.
"It's a loud statement that this main street is going to continue thriving and is a place that draws people in," Weiland said.

Tell me more about the new City Hall

The renovated building will also create a new office space for the Dell Rapids Chamber of Commerce and the Minnehaha County sheriff's deputies who serve as the town's primary law enforcement.

  • Sioux Metro Growth Alliance Economic Development Manager Sheldon Jensen will also have an office space in the new building for the work he does to help Dell Rapids continue to grow and prosper.
"The new city offices show Dell Rapids' commitment to its community and continued growth," Jensen said.

The total cost of purchasing the building and renovations is expected to be about $3.5 million, and the city is working with Architecture, Inc. on the design.

The existing City Hall building has been purchased by the adjacent First National Bank, which plans to tear it down and use the space to expand its footprint.

Tell me more about the event space

The 4,500-square-foot basement of the building will be able to host gatherings of up to 200 people, Weiland said.

  • The space will have a full bar, a prep kitchen a flexible event space that can be used for everything from family reunions to business annual meetings to wedding receptions.

What happens next?

Construction is expected to start after Labor Day, Weiland said, and the building should be move-in-ready by August 2024.