Phase 3 of River Greenway downtown project to kick off this fall, improving low-head dam
While large private developments like The Steel District and Cherapa Place are prominently shaping downtown, the city is doing its part as well when it comes to revitalizing the Big Sioux River.
The River Greenway is a project the city has developed over the last decade. Phase one completed in 2012 and runs alongside the redeveloped Cherapa Place site. Phase two finished in 2013 in front of the Hilton Garden Inn.
Construction for phase three, a $16.5 million project, will begin this fall near the Steel District and could be completed by June 2025, which is the same time that the new Jacobsen Plaza is set to be complete.
“In the past, we’ve had a tendency to turn our backs on the river, but in recent years, I think we’ve done a really good job of embracing the natural resource that the Big Sioux River is and trying to take advantage of that," city Parks and Recreation director Don Kearney said.
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Part of the project, about $750,000, comes from the Lloyd family of Lloyd Companies, who agreed to help provide some of the improvements in what's now going to be called Lloyd Landing.
Phase three to bid, start construction soon
This latest phase of the River Greenway project is a 1,100 foot-long section spanning the southern boundary of the Steel District development to the site of the future Jacobsen Plaza, adjacent to the Big Sioux River on the west bank.
Work will begin with moving the earth, pouring concrete, fixing the low-head dam and doing an edge treatment along the river for bank stabilization, Kearney said. The plant material, seeding, irrigation and other finishing touches will all be done in the spring of 2025, and extensive landscaping will help “beautify” the riverfront, he said.
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Along with the trail system, an elevated boardwalk section will run from the dam back to Falls Park and feature sculptures and seating along the way. There will also be a dog “run” area and a shelter in front of the Steel District.
A significant portion of the greenway project will go toward replacing the low-head dam that goes across the river. Kearney said the dam, which is meant to back the water up into the downtown area, is over 100 years old and has failed multiple times in recent years with all the flooding the city’s experienced.
“Right now it's kind of low in the Big Sioux River,” Kearney said. “We need the dam to raise the water levels so that when you look at it, you're not just looking at a small stream. It will be a pool of water that people can recreate on, allowing for people to canoe or fish and just really have an outdoor experience downtown.”
The future of public-private greenway development
The Lloyd Landing will include synthetic turf and a space for entertainment, games like bean bags, yoga on the lawn or even food trucks and other vendors in front of the Steel District.
“This is a public space we really want to activate,” Kearney said. “Kiwanis Park wasn’t really that before, but now it can be. I think it's just really a matter of not really wanting to put any limitations on ourselves and letting people experience it.”
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Confluence, a landscape architecture design firm, is the city’s consultant on the Greenway project. Kearney said there’s a lot of cooperation between the city and Lloyd Companies’ design teams.
He said the goal is always to make a smooth transition between the public and the private land so it looks coherent and inviting. The two also share power, water, sewer, electric and easements that have to be coordinated along the property lines.
“When private companies make plans to develop adjacent to the river, we try to time our permits with their permits so we can make a seamless transition, making it look like it was designed and built as one big project,” he said. “There are always new developments happening downtown and in Sioux Falls, so we’re anticipating that we would do a phase four and a phase five, and who knows how many more phases to come.”
While there aren’t any more phases planned for the River Greenway right now, Kearney said it’s just a matter of time before there are. The city hopes to develop both sides of the river from the south of Falls Park to Fawick Park, as well as connect to the Arc of Dreams.
“For now, we're just really excited to be able to get another phase of the Greenway done,” Kearney said. “I think it's a great draw for the downtown area and allows for connectivity…. The river really serves as the spine of our downtown, and making it a focal point more so than we ever have before by doing this project will help make downtown more attractive.”
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Here's a detailed look at the River Greenway project downtown
