Building projects top 2017 top stories list

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HURON – Not since 2005 has Huron seen such a resurgence in local economic development as it did in 2017.
With well over $3 million in building permits issued, the city enjoyed a year in which new housing and commercial enterprises sprouted up in two areas of town.
Huron’s industrial parks also saw increased activity with new and expanded industrial facilities and the start of a long-awaited public works building.
As 2018 dawns, expectations are running high that the previous year was no fluke, and that more development will come Huron’s way.
Here, in no particular order, are 10 of the biggest stories of 2017:

Construction, Construction
• Visitors arriving at city limits at the southern entrance to town have been marveling at all of the construction going on between Coborn’s and the First United Methodist Church.
In March 2015, after the property was deeded to the city by Beadle County for nonpayment of taxes, 36 of the residential lots were auctioned.
Known as the Southtown Addition, it is home to single- and multi-family homes, already built or under construction. Three businesses, including Dakotaland Federal Credit Union's administrative offices and drive-up bank, and a new Ground Round Grill and Bar, are already under construction, while ELO Prof. LLC accounting office announced plans in December to build new offices, which it will share with Huron Title Company.
City commissioners are planning a second auction in 2018 to hopefully interest more parties in developing projects in Southtown.
• One of the major projects under construction in Southtown is known as WheatGrass Village.
Owned by Eagle Construction of Sioux Falls, it includes a three-story, 69-unit apartment building and two six-unit town homes on 10 acres. Apartments will be available at non-subsidized, market rate rents.
The City Commission approved rezoning the property to multi-family, but that approval was referred to a public vote, which took place in May. Construction began a short time after voters approved the referendum to rezone the property. The apartment building is constructed and enclosed, as are one of the townhouses and one of two planned enclosed garages for the facility. Construction of the other garage and townhouse are mid-stream.
Initial work also began in the fall to develop 24th Street Southeast that will run along the south side of WheatGrass Village.
• A second apartment complex under construction in Southtown is called Jefferson Village, a 40-unit, senior-living apartment complex located at 21st Street and Idaho Avenue Southeast.
While work began late in the year, workers with BlackWing Elite Builders of Sioux Falls will continue the project throughout the winter.
Apartment units in the three-story complex will be offered to qualifying tenants who earn up to 60 percent of the area’s median income.

• One of the major projects in another part of Huron – in the West Industrial Park – is under way as well. After being on the city’s wish list for a number of years, construction has begun on a new public works building for the street, traffic and water-sewer departments.
Funding for the $5.5 million project has already been secured through reserves and second penny sales tax revenues that have accumulated for the project.
Construction is scheduled to be completed in the fall.
• Dakota Provisions is nearing completion and the opening of a new facility in the West Industrial Park as well that will increase its cooked, ready-to-eat production capacity.
Called DP West, it will begin production with close to 100 employees, eventually expanding to 250 total workers.
The production facility at 2020 Center St. is in an expanded and renovated existing structure. Company investment is about $30 million.
Since 2005, Dakota Provisions has invested more than $130 million in equipment and infrastructure in the city.

• It was a joyous day in the fall when the men and women of the 153rd Engineer Battalion returned home to a huge community celebration at the Huron Arena.
City and state leaders addressed the soldiers, their families and friends after their nearly one-year deployment to several Middle East countries, where they performed a number of missions.
• When funding can be secured, the city of Huron plans to move forward with a project to improve safety at the Third Street dam by eliminating the deadly undertow and placing large boulders below the dam to create rapids, all while maintaining public access for fishing.
Stockwell Engineers of Sioux Falls has been working the past few years on components of a James River Recreational Area Master Plan for city-owned land along the river and Ravine Lake.
Two earlier projects included demolition of the former municipal swimming pool and water treatment plant after alternative uses for those facilities could not be found.
• While it didn’t attract a lot of attention, a multi-party land swap led by the School and Public Lands commissioner in the fall was important to the State Fair because it ensured that property it uses to temporarily park livestock and carnival trailers will be available for years to come.
Nearly 60 acres of public lands owned by the state in rural Hand and Spink counties were traded for 7.5 acres of private property listed for sale in Huron not far from the state fairgrounds.
The land in Huron includes the former Huron University practice football field along Ninth Street Southwest and the south half of the former cement plant property at Ninth Street and Nevada Avenue Southwest.
It was the first time in a couple decades that the School and Public Lands office had done a land swap in the state.
• The State Fair released its logo for 2018 and announced that plans are underway for a celebration at this fall’s fair for the State Fair Speedway Grandstand, in recognition of its 100th birthday.
Several upgrades - including bathrooms and shower facilities throughout the fairgrounds, as well as seating and grandstand bathrooms continue at the Fairgrounds.
The 2017 S.D. State Fair attracted more visitors than the year before, partly due to the entertainment lineup, which featured the popular Country Western duo Big and Rich and Southern Rock icons Lynrrd Skynrd to this year’s grandstand shows.
• A partnership announced in November that will involve Southeast Technical Institute of Sioux Falls, the Huron Regional Medical Center Foundation and other Huron health care facilities will enable nurses to continue their education without leaving their homes and jobs.
It will get under way this summer.
Huron area licensed practical nurses (LPNs) will be given the opportunity to obtain their registered nurse (RN) degrees while continuing to work in the area.
STI will offer the classroom lecture component of the requirements, while the clinical, hands-on work will be done at Huron Community Campus, HRMC and other health care facilities in Huron.
• A change in the Beadle County Courthouse has begun with the hiring of Taylor Jans as the first individual to serve as both the veterans service officer and the emergency management director.
County commissioners decided to consolidate the two offices into one after Emergency Management Director Zach Nelson resigned to accept a position in Pierre and Veterans Service Officer Michael Lueck left to go back to school for a nursing degree. Nelson had been hired by the commission to replace longtime EM Tom Moeding, who returned to the office for a short time after Nelson's resignation.
Although some local veterans questioned the move, commissioners said they wanted to try combining the positions, saying they didn’t believe there was enough work for two separate full-time individuals.
• A pair of other retirements took place, as Lynn Schneider, a longtime figure in the banking industry in Huron, and Greater Huron Development Corporation executive director Jim Borszich each announced their respective retirements, effective at the end of 2017.

Photo courtesy of Eagle Construction
This overhead photo of Wheatgrass Village, taken from the northeast side of the project, shows progress on the construction earlier this month. Work on the Dakotaland Federal Credit Union offices and Ground Round Grill and Bar are in the upper right corner of the photo, while on the left side, some of the recently constructed two-level twin homes can be seen. Work on these and other housing and business construction projects will continue into 2018.

Photo by Mike Carroll/Plainsman
The country duo Big and Rich entertained a huge crowd at the South Dakota State Fair Grandstand Friday night, along with Cowboy Troy.

Photo by Angelina Della Rocco/plainsman
Jim Jacobsen, the Vice President of Academic Affairs for Southeast Technical Institute, shares information on the new hybrid nursing program that was announced Tuesday. Seating behind Jacobsen and also speaking at the announcement are, from left: Paul Rann, the executive direcor of the Huron Regional Medical Center’s Foundation, David Dick, HRMC Preisent and CEO, Laurie Solem, adminstrator for SunQuest Healthcare, Kristin Possehl, Nursing Program Director for SE Tech and the president of the S.D. Board of Nursing, and Brooke Sydow, the HRMC Foundation’s Program Director.