On city’s far north side, Granite Valley neighborhood comes together, plans improvements

Doria Esche experienced life in two separate areas of Sioux Falls before putting down more permanent roots. While she appreciated the Dawley Farm Village and Explorer Elementary areas, Esche and her future husband, Adam, wanted something different.

They looked at houses for more than a year, taking a break of several months because of work demands and wedding planning. But when they were six or seven months away from their wedding day, they started looking again.

“We decided it would be really nice of us to find a place we can call our own,” Esche said. “I really love old houses, and Adam really likes newer houses, so we looked at a variety of houses from Canton to Dell Rapids in our search.”

It wasn’t until they walked into a house on a quiet street in the Granite Valley development that they knew they had found a home. When they walked inside, Esche said, “it just felt right. It was a blank canvas we could make our own.”

They have settled in and now have a new goal: to meet their neighbors — both next door and farther away — and turn the neighborhood into one where residents work together to build a community and make beneficial changes.

The Granite Valley Neighborhood now is registered with the city of Sioux Falls, making it eligible to apply for the annual grants awarded to fund projects important to the people who live within their boundaries. According to Diane deKoeyer, neighborhood and preservation planner for the city, an estimated 57 groups have been established but only 24 or 25 have registered.

The Granite Valley area is primarily residential with some industries on its eastern border. It is the northernmost neighborhood, with a boundary from 72nd Street North that loops from Gold Nugget to Cliff avenues on the west and down to the interstate ramps.

Granite Valley Neighborhood had its first meeting in March and elected officers. Doria and Adam Esche agreed to serve as president and vice president respectively with another married couple, Allysa and Trevor Heinemann, the secretary and treasurer.

Doria Esche turned to Councilor Miranda Basye, who has represented the city’s Northeast District since 2024, as her determination to make an impact in her new neighborhood grew.

“In a quieter environment, it’s harder to meet people,” Esche said. “I reached out to Miranda and asked her a few questions about the area since we had moved to the complete opposite side of Sioux Falls.”

Basye then connected Esche with deKoeyer, who shared additional information about what an established neighborhood group could do.

In her time on the City Council, Basye has seen what she calls a resurgence in what used to be called neighborhood associations and now are just neighborhoods as deKoeyer defines them. Some groups are doing neighborhood activities without registering with the city.

Any effort is positive, but city support can make a difference, Basye said.

“Myself and a couple other city councilors have latched onto neighborhoods because, holy cow, when people in pockets of the city are engaged and good neighbors, building community, it makes our jobs as a city councilor easier,” she said. “We can point people in the right direction, tell them who to be in touch with and have good relationships with them.”

The resurgence of established groups could be a one of the offshoots of the pandemic’s isolation, when people couldn’t freely gather, the city councilor said. She said she has perceived a shift in people’s priorities and the realization that the folks right next door matter.

The Riverside area, where Laura B. Anderson Elementary sits, shines as an example of a neighborhood that is well connected, Basye said. She has encouraged residents to establish an official neighborhood group so they can have access to the city grant funds awarded each year.

Granite Valley neighborhood was able to receive grant funding this year, even though the official organization meeting took place only recently. Esche assumed an interim presidency so the grant application could be filled in time.

In her initial meeting with deKoeyer, Esche learned the importance of involving as many residents as possible who want to take part. Neighborhoods with dozens or hundreds of supporters can do much more than a handful of people can.

That’s why over the winter, the Esches sent out an assessment survey. More than 40 residents returned responses, and a dozen people came to the kickoff meeting. Many of those who responded or attended have lived in Granite Valley for several years and obviously are invested in making it a community, Esche said.

Some of the suggestions included signage development and road development since a small section of street near Interstate 229 remains gravel. Others want to see developments to Granite Valley Park, such as soccer goals and new equipment.

Walkability also is a concern.

“People ride bikes, I’ve seen little kids on scooters, and they want to see things just to make it safer for people who might want to walk their dogs or take their baby out on a stroller,” Esche said.

Esche dreams of someday establishing a community garden, but with the first grant money the Granite Valley Neighborhood has received, the focus will be on letting people know where they live. An existing sign will be replaced and made more visible with landscaping and solar lights.

“For new residents who have not been here as long, it will make them feel part of the neighborhood and community,” Esche said.

Another sign has deteriorated to the point that only pavers remain; it will be replaced in a later grant cycle.

The city awarded a $500 grant for National Night Out programming in early August, giving Granite Valley a chance to meet in a social setting and learn about city services such as police and fire protection.

Basye calls the Granite Valley Neighborhood and other such groups “quality-of-life investments.”

In July, the Esches will celebrate their one-year anniversary as Granite Valley residents. They moved on July 4, and when they walked outside that evening, they could see fireworks displays in both Sioux Falls and Brandon. Their neighbors had gathered around a firepit, so the Esches walked over and introduced themselves.

That, Esche said, is a neighborhood.