T’s Corner
Geez what happened to June? I was looking forward to a long, slow summer….but so far it ain’t been either.
We got the chance to get the boat on the water for the first time a few weeks ago. Water at Pactola is crazy low, but the sun was shining and it was a great family day.
Vacation is incoming! My wife and I are headed to Florida for a sit on the beach relaxation. Well….she is. I might spend some time surfing and checking out the Space Museum.
Enjoy the rest of June and have a safe Independence Day!
Bi-Weekly roundup
What news caught the most eyeballs or stirred up the most trouble?
The construction you see is laying the groundwork for a commercial development. I don't have more info at this time - but that usually means the creation of lots for businesses to buy and set up shop at this very busy corner.
This means we'll start seeing roads, water and sewer, and utilities being added for future businesses. With a general commercial zoning in Rapid City - this allows for all sorts of potential businesses
Six buildings. Seven acres. 252 total units. Northeast side of town, just west of East North Street, north of East Anamosa. In the final stretch to lease out the first 2 buildings SOON!
Granite countertops throughout. In-unit washer and dryer. Dishwasher, garbage disposal, smart thermostat, and every single unit has its own water heater and its own rooftop HVAC system. No shared mechanicals.
The Rapid City Arts Council has officially selected two large-scale mural projects for downtown, as part of the ongoing Downtown Beautification effort.
Out of multiple artist submissions from across the region, the Arts Council chose Mural On The Wall. This will be in art alley - above and below the staircase on the south facing wall near 6th street entrance.
The second choice was Rapid City artist Dani Dodge. Her mural will be the 29' x 20' wall located in the alley south of St. Joe behind St. Joe's Antique Mall.
The City Had Meetings…
June 4, 2026: Rapid City Planning Commission
GCC Cement Plant Rezoning: The Commission discussed rezoning several GCC Dakota Inc. cement plant properties to formalize their long-standing use under a newly created "Cement Plant District" and a "Mining and Earth Resources Extraction District". While most rezoning requests were approved, one highly debated parcel on Hidden Valley Road was delayed to the July 9th meeting after neighbors raised serious concerns about constant dust, blasting noise, groundwater contamination, and the impact mining would have on nearby schools and residential areas.
Catalyst District TIF Amendment: The Commission approved Amendment No. 1 to the Rapid City Catalyst District Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District. This amendment adds Elevate Rapid City as a developer to help fund public infrastructure for a new 128-acre business park.
June 9, 2026: Rapid City Special City Council
1972 Flood Remembrance: Council members observed a moment of silence to commemorate the 54th anniversary of the June 9, 1972 Rapid City flood, honoring the 238 lives lost and recognizing the community's rebuilding efforts.
Election Canvassing: The Council approved resolutions canvassing the votes for the annual municipal election held on June 2, 2026, across Wards 1 through 5.
June 9, 2026: Rapid City Public Works Committee
143rd Avenue Extension Design: The Committee approved a $118,675.55 professional services agreement with AVID to provide preliminary engineering design services for the 143rd Avenue extension. Staff clarified a typo on the agenda, confirming that funding for this project comes from the Catalyst TIF District, not the defunct Destination District.
June 10, 2026: Rapid City Legal & Finance Committee
Land Transfer for Women's Housing: The Committee approved a request to transfer city-owned property near Denver Street and North Second Street to Passages Women's Transitional Living Inc. via a restricted deed for $1. This will allow the organization to construct a $1.2 million, six-unit low-rent apartment complex so women who graduate from their recovery program can reunite with their children.
Reasonable Accommodation Procedure: The Committee recommended the first reading of an ordinance to create a "reasonable accommodation procedure" complying with the Federal Fair Housing Act and ADA. This change allows entities like Oxford sober living homes and Black Hills Works to operate group residences in single-family neighborhoods without undergoing a highly scrutinized conditional use permit process, provided they meet specific management criteria.
Traffic Signal Optimization: To address resident frustrations with red lights, the Committee approved a $257,554.28 study with JEO Consulting Group. Funded 82% by the state, the study will help synchronize city and state highway traffic lights along corridors like Omaha Street, Jackson Boulevard, and Highway 44 to improve traffic flow during various times of the day.
Micro-Transit Feasibility Study: Approved a $119,180 study with Agape Mobility to explore the use of smaller shuttle buses to serve areas of the community that the larger, fixed-route city buses currently cannot reach.
June 15, 2026: Rapid City City Council
Major Award for City Planners: The Rapid City Community Development team was recognized with the 2026 American Planning Association Vernon Deines Comprehensive Plan Honor Award for their extensive public collaboration and work on the Rapid City 2025 Comprehensive Plan.
Catalyst District TIF Officially Approved: The Council passed the Catalyst District TIF amendment, which provides $19.4 million in gap financing for grading and street infrastructure (including North Maple Street and Maul Drive) for Elevate Rapid City's 128-acre business park. Several council members questioned the financial risk, but city staff confirmed that Elevate Rapid City is responsible for any shortfalls and taxpayers are not on the hook.
GCC Rezoning First Reading Passed: The Council passed the first reading of an ordinance to rezone the GCC Dakota Inc. properties to the Cement Plant District and Mining and Earth Resources Extraction District.
Reasonable Accommodation Ordinance Delayed: The council voted to continue the second reading of the ADA and sober living "reasonable accommodation procedure" ordinance to the July 20th meeting to allow staff more time to work on the matter
The Deep Dive
Why Don’t We Get _________ in Rapid City?
Any time I post a new development or business being built or coming to Rapid City, the comments are almost always filled with
“why don’t we get something different?”
“when are we getting Costco/Hy-Vee/Raising Caines?”
“Aldi would make a killing here!”
(People were not happy with the new McDs by South Walmart LOL)
Unfortunately businesses don’t come here because we want them. They come when the all the pieces line up. Financials, real estate, infrastructure, distribution, and demographics…
The Demographics Matter
When I first started working with a commercial realtor in 2006, she handed me this THICK book. It had all the companies requirements for moving into a city - things like population density, average income levels, age demographics (Trader Joe’s isn’t gonna come into an older generation town - not their people!)
A company like Aldi isn't sitting around with a map saying, "Rapid City sounds nice." They're looking at population density, household income, traffic counts, distribution costs, available real estate, labor availability, and whether a store can be profitable for the next twenty years.
It’s About the Money
Sorry kids - businesses say they exist “for you” but they ain’t gonna do nuthin’ (yes that’s the appropriate grammar for this convo) if it ain’t makin’ them money.
A full-size Hy-Vee isn't just a grocery store. It's a massive investment. They use sophisticated demographic and geographic analysis before ever considering a market. They're looking at who lives there, how often they'll shop, where competitors are located, and whether the market can support another large grocery chain.
Rapid City is Weird
We all know that most any company coming here would make a killing. Remember when they had to build a bigger Walmart back in the day because the original one was the highest grossing store in the country?
We have a unique roll here - alot of business in our town comes not only from tourism but also from the 200 mile trade radius. Where else are people in Cottonwood SD gonna go for bulk items? The demographics say we only got 80,000 people, but the reality doesn’t fit into a store’s normal box. They have to look at the data outside of just our population. And sometimes they have easier fish to fry.
Distance plays a Huge Role
We are remote ya’all. Do a Google map search of all the Hy-Vees in the country. They hang around I-25. For them to create a store 400 miles west of their present group of locations and figure out the supply lines and trucking and travel costs, etc etc etc…it would REALLY have to work out numbers wise. Same thing for Raising Caines. Or potentially any other cool place that you’d like to see in Rapid City.
Unless they are already in Casper and Billings and Bismarck (or plan to set up that distribution network), it’s gonna be tough for the numbers to play out to set up shop in our area.
When we Gettin’ a Costco?
This is the rumor mill of all rumor mills! There have been no official reports of Costco saying they gonna come this way. I think they will at some point, but they’ll need pretty specific things to make it happen.
And for you TIF haters, prepare to be mad again when they finally say yes to Rapid City. It’s just the way things roll to get them out here. 🤷♀️
Local Business Highlight
Winky’s Coffee
Have you tried Winky’s Coffee Shop off Canyon Lake Drive?
Situated in the corner of the Steele Retail strip mall is Winky’s Coffee. Tootie, the owner, is excited to meet with you and share their tasty coffee drinks, lotus energy drinks, pastries (oh I need a caramel roll), sandwiches and salads. They do door dash for lunch!
Also really cool is the coffee cart - have a group function and want something other than boxes of coffee? Winky’s will come to you with a fantastic array of drinks and fun.
Plus they are blocks from Canyon Lake - a perfect stop before the picnic or after the kayak paddle.
Real Estate Corner
Price Reduction of the Week
6202 Poppy Court
Rapid City SD
listed by Amy Klock, RE/MAX Advantage
3 Bedrooms
3 Bathrooms
2,221 Total Sq Feet
3 Car Garage
$499,000
Was listed at $519,000. Nice Red Rock Meadows Home.
Looking to Buy a Home or Check out Home Values?
How’s the Market?
Watch my 10 min video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/z_Sbx4vjDo8
Analysis, numbers, buyers market vs sellers market, and more….
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That’s a Wrap
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Your Rapid City REALTOR®
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Tristan Emond
The Emond Team
Mindful Living Realty
1511 West Blvd
Rapid City SD 57701
605-391-7086
www.rapidhomesonline.com
