Sioux Falls Downtown Greenway Revitalization

For over twenty years, the City of Sioux Falls has pursued a long-term effort to revitalize the downtown greenway corridor along the Big Sioux River and reconnect downtown to the river and falls that define the city’s identity. What was once a largely industrial stretch of riverfront has been transformed through planning, phased public investment, and infrastructure improvements into an accessible civic amenity that supports recreation, economic development, and private reinvestment.

Building on the original 1975 Greenway Master Plan, Confluence was engaged in 2004 to update the Greenway and Riverfront Master Plan and prepare a feasibility study for the downtown corridor. Working with the City, public agencies, private stakeholders, and adjacent development interests, the team helped establish a shared vision for enhanced trails, parks, open space, and river access that would reconnect downtown Sioux Falls with the Big Sioux River.

A key component of this work involved the historic low-head dam upstream of Falls Park. Constructed in 1906, the dam controls normal water surface elevations through downtown, but deterioration over time had lowered water levels and exposed a sanitary sewer crossing. The City’s goal was to restore and raise normal water surface elevations to improve river recreation and aesthetics while also reducing flood elevations. In response, Confluence and Wright Water Engineers developed design solutions that balanced hydraulic performance, long-term maintenance, and public amenity goals.

Phased implementation of the downtown river greenway has introduced new trails, public plazas, and gathering spaces, expanding recreational and entertainment opportunities in the urban core. These improvements have also helped catalyze over $90 million in adjacent redevelopment, increasing visitor activity and downtown spending.

The most recent implementation, Downtown River Greenway Phase III, transformed the former Sioux Steel site into a new public riverfront destination on the west bank of the Big Sioux River. The project creates a direct connection between the Steel District, Falls Park, the Levitt amphitheater, the citywide greenway trail network, and downtown. A lower riverwalk and upper plaza provide gathering spaces, seating, a shelter, and a small dog park, all designed to encourage everyday use and support larger community events. Views to the upper falls and Queen Bee Mill ruins reinforce the site’s connection to Sioux Falls’ history and landscape.

Project delivery required significant coordination and technical problem solving, including two CLOMRs, multiple no-rise analyses, environmental considerations, and careful construction planning around nearby riverfront buildings. The project also included replacement planning for the deteriorated low-head dam, including features for debris removal and sediment management.

Confluence provided design development, construction documents, and construction administration for the $15 million Phase III project, which opened to the public in summer 2025. Together, the master plan and its phased implementation have reshaped downtown Sioux Falls, turning a former industrial riverfront into a vibrant public landscape and lasting community asset.