By Jodi Schwan

The next few years could bring a lot of development to the area of 69th Street and Southeastern Avenue, from housing to commercial activity.

The 40-acre town home community Whisper Ridge South is being developed by Clint Ackerman and Signature Cos. It’s under construction on the northwest side of the roundabout intersection.

“They’re ranch-style and loft-style town houses, plus two-story. And we introduced, hopefully, a very affordable product, which is a one-bedroom town house with a one-stall garage,” Ackerman said.

The town houses range from $130,000 to $225,000. There will be about 208 units built with a small community room, play area and common area.

“That development is going very well for us so far. Our activity has increased a lot,” Ackerman said. “I don’t think the owner-occupied town house market in Sioux Falls is going to change dramatically in the next two to three years.”

Whisper Ridge South town houses are under construction at 69th and Southeastern.

So far this year, the city has issued permits for 54 town houses, compared with 59 during the same time a year ago.

“I don’t see it taking over the entry-level house for a long time, but I see us continuing the rate we’ve been able to absorb for the last five years, and it’s been a constant market for us,” Ackerman said.

The plan is to develop office space along 69th Street and commercial property north of the nearby GreatLIFE Performance & Fitness Center.

Commercial, office planned

On the southeast side of 69th and Southeastern, Tim Stenberg, the owner of Joshua Homes, has plans for 25 acres of a mixed-use development called Maple Rock.

“It’s exciting. There’s going to be a lot of activity,” he said.

69th and Southeastern looking to the southeast

Ten acres will be used as small office lots, targeting business owners that want to own their own building.

“That could be an insurance person, an investor, a lawyer, anyone who wants to own their land and building,” Stenberg said. “I think it will be someone who lives in the south part of town and wants an office there and doesn’t want to lease.”

The property is listed with Reggie Kuipers of Bender Commercial Real Estate Services.

“It’s a unique opportunity to own a small office building,” he said. “It’s designed to provide a 2,000- to 3,000-square-foot user paying a significant amount of rent who wants to step out and have their own office and no other tenants, so you don’t have overhead or risk carrying excess space for lease.”

Stenberg is allowing buyers to use their own builders.

Joshua Homes will build two acres of twin houses nearby starting this fall.

The remaining portion of the land – 13.5 acres – is planned for commercial development.

“I would imagine you’ll see a neighborhood bar and grill and maybe some medical services,” Kuipers said. “We’ve had inquiries from appraisers, insurance, wealth managers, a salon, so I think we’ll be able to hit the ground running to some degree.”

Streets and utilities will be put in this year, and the first office buildings will start construction this fall.

Kuipers expects it also won’t be long before the southwest corner of 69th and Southeastern follows a similar path.

69th and Southeastern looking to the southwest

“I imagine that will be a similar development with some commercial, office and multifamily,” he said.

The development is pushing up against the southern edge of Sioux Falls sewer service, so whoever builds likely will be on the edge of town for a while. Land to the south is planned as a new Harrisburg middle school.

Stenberg, who has been building in the area since 2009, senses the population has grown enough to support more neighborhood services.

“We love this area of town,” he said. “That’s why we want to continue to be there, and we’re looking forward to fantastic things happening in the next five years.”