Jan. 28, 2026

This piece is sponsored by Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.

More than 70 acres of former wastewater lagoon property is set to become a new destination entry point into the community of Hartford.

The new nonprofit Gateway Hartford Inc. has been formed by five local business and community leaders to facilitate the cleanup and future use of the former lagoon site, which is part of a roughly 158-acre area between 464th and Western avenues along Interstate 90.

The Hartford City Council recently voted to transfer the former lagoons to Gateway Hartford. The lagoons are no longer needed after the community opened its new mechanical wastewater treatment plant.

Gateway Hartford intends to pursue state and federal funds to help remediate the lagoons and redevelop the property over the coming years.

“We believe that property has strong redevelopment potential once we remediate the wastewater lagoons,” said Keith Matthiesen, president of Gateway Hartford. “We envision a corporate business park, new retail offerings and expanded housing along I-90 between 464th Avenue and Western Avenue.”

“With our new wastewater treatment plant up and running, we now have a once-in-a generation opportunity to redevelop the lagoon property,” Mayor Arden Jones said. “We get one chance to create a new front door for our community. It is important we get it right.”

TetonRidge Consulting will assist with the Gateway Hartford master plan, including guiding an EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant application that is due this month. The grant could cover 100 percent of the nearly $3 million estimated cost to remediate the property.

“We talk about this being a gateway into the community, a front door for Hartford, so we’re going to be very strategic with how it develops,” managing partner Steve Watson said. “We want the right aesthetic, the right tenants and partners.”

A business park similar to Interstate Crossing in southwest Sioux Falls could be a fit for regional and corporate tenants, he said.

“Hartford has been positioning itself to accommodate those kind of projects,” Watson said. “I think its proximity to Interstate 90 is significant. It’s a growing community in the Sioux Falls MSA, and this is a process that started several years ago through a community engagement effort. Now we’re ready to take the next step.”

While waiting on word for funding, Gateway Hartford is moving ahead with forming a steering committee to help create a master plan to guide future developers and tenants.

“We’ve got a blank slate,” Watson said.

“We want people in this larger development that align with the vision we’re creating. A thoughtful plan that accounts for different landowners and uses should result in cohesive and complementary transportation networks, stormwater management, community amenities and more.”

In addition to the business park, the community anticipates a mix of retail and residential development, he said.

“We want to adopt some covenants and restrictions to create the right aesthetic for the development: tasteful signage, building materials, foliage, etc.” Watson added.

“We also envision this as a walkable ‘district’ where visitors can hit a nature trail on their break or walk to a nearby eatery versus having to get in their car.”

The West Central School District owns 25 acres north of the former lagoons for its future growth needs, while C&C Ventures owns 86 adjacent acres.

“As a neighboring landowner, we’re delighted at the prospect of seeing the wastewater lagoons redevelop and are enthusiastic about participating in a master plan for the area,” said Laurie Cressman of C&C Ventures.

“It is important we establish the right covenants and restrictions in the planning process in order to create the right look and feel for the area long term. Our properties really are a window into the community from Interstate 90.”

The property owners will work together “so we have a congruent vision,” Watson said. “They too want to create the right look and feel and are willing to be patient and very community-minded. We’re going to be able to optimize the vision with their participation.”

In the meantime, Gateway Hartford is open to visiting with businesses that have an interest in the development, he added.

“Getting in on the ground floor while we’re creating a master plan for the development could create a real win-win,” Watson said.

The approach Hartford is taking can serve as a model for other metro-area communities, said Tyler Tordsen, president and CEO of Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.

“When land development opportunities like this become available, making the most of them requires partnerships and expert guidance like Hartford is utilizing with this concept,” he said. “This community has significant potential to grow its residential and commercial base, and it will be exciting to watch the vision for Gateway Hartford come together.”