With new donations, city to fast-track entire Jacobson Plaza project

In less than two years, downtown’s new Jacobson Plaza is scheduled to be done — and filled with even more to do than originally envisioned.

The development at Falls Park West, which was funded by a lead donation from Malloy owners Garry and Dianne Jacobson, will still include an ice ribbon and accessible playground. Now, thanks to a total of $8 million in private donations, it also will be built with a large dog park and splash pad.

“We’re finally able to go to bid and get these projects moving forward,” Mayor Paul TenHaken said.

The plaza will become a one-of-a-kind regional experience that will set Sioux Falls apart, said city parks director Don Kearney, adding the $8 million in private funding is the largest private donation that the Parks and Recreation Department has received.

“It just never ceases to amaze me the amount of philanthropic interest in this community,” he said. “If there’s a need, someone always seems to step forward.”

The T. Denny Sanford Splash Pad at Jacobson Plaza

The splash pad is being funded with help from T. Denny Sanford, who will donate up to $1.75 million. It will be about 15 percent larger than the one recently opened at Hayward Park.

Lloyd Cos. is contributing up to $1 million to fund the dog park, which will be turfed and about 15 percent larger than downtown’s Kirby Dog Park at Fort Sod.

It will be called Pawsible Park at Jacobson Plaza.

“The Jacobson family shares our passion for Sioux Falls and for downtown and has stepped up in a big way philanthropically to make this plaza a reality,” Lloyd Cos. co-founder Craig Lloyd said in a statement.

“Pat and I and our entire team are grateful for what they’ve done and honored to be able to contribute and make a great project even better.”

The park will serve the growing number of pets that live and visit downtown, the Lloyds said. The area is filled with apartments, including many their company developed or is building at the nearby Steel District.

“When it comes to Sioux Falls, we’re all about what’s possible – or ‘pawsible’ if you will,” Pat Lloyd said. “We think the name of this park builds on the inspiration of the Arc of Dreams, which symbolizes those who saw and believe in the possibilities Sioux Falls holds for all – and, of course, that includes the animals we love as well.”

The city plans to finalize design in the coming months and get construction bids on the project later this year. If all stays on track, it could open by the end of 2024 or early 2025.

“It’s important that we as a city step up and continue to be good partners and think about these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities they present,” Kearney said.  The city will bring forward its request for additional funding to the City Council next week as part of a budget supplemental. The total project cost is estimated at $16.5 million, so the idea is a 50-50 public-private split.

“It will minimize the future disruption of this area,” Kearney said, adding there is efficiency achieved by doing the whole project at once.

The city brought in consultants who had worked with New York City in developing its Bryant Park.

“They were absolutely blown away with the plan and the vision,” TenHaken said, adding that they had very few suggested changes.

“We now have winter activities … we have summer activities … we have a year-round dog park that’s going to get used. This will be a year-round activated space.”

As economic conditions have made projects more expensive, the city has relied on private support, he added.

“If you want it good and fast, it won’t be cheap. If you want it cheap and fast, it’s not going to be good,” TenHaken said.

“We’re very lucky to have a philanthropic community that continues to step up and support projects like this.”

An additional donation for the Downtown River Greenway was announced today. Click below for that story.

Lloyd Cos. announces gift to support Downtown River Greenway project