Aug. 7, 2025

Tre Ministries is hoping to move forward with a scaled-down development in central Sioux Falls between Minnesota and Dakota avenues.

The concept would combine retail, expanded space for its young adult programming and apartments for those connected to its programs.

Tre Ministries has owned the land between 18th and 19th streets and Minnesota and Dakota avenues since last year and has cleared it of some aging homes and commercial buildings.

The original redevelopment plan had called for up to a five-story building on Minnesota Avenue with a parking ramp to support the development and about three dozen apartments along Dakota Avenue.

The adjusted plan keeps the apartments, eliminates the parking ramp, adds a stand-alone retail site on the corner of 18th and Minnesota and adjusts the office building to two stories. It primarily would be used by Tre Ministries for its programming but also could lease out space.

“We’ve been trying to find the right place to land, and now we have a concept,” said Doug Berven, vice president of the nonprofit organization’s board of directors.

His wife, Sandy, leads the organization, which was founded in 2018 and is headquartered at 900 W. 11th St. Last year, she estimates it served more than 10,000 young adults, primarily age 23 to 28.

“We’re growing every day and full most every night,” she said.

Tre Ministries operates from a 6,500-square-foot space, which potentially would double in the new location. While it’s a faith-based ministry, programming includes everything from life skills to entertainment.

“Part of the objective of this entire (development) concept was to have the rental income from the apartment complex and the retail and if there is office space fund the ongoing operations of Tre,” Doug Berven said. “So Tre doesn’t have to every year go out and raise significant dollars.”

The 36 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments would involve a year lease for residents completing Tre’s leadership program, which includes leadership and personal development through mentorship and community service.

“Our young adults here in Sioux Falls or anywhere else from cities moving into Sioux Falls are interested in the type of programming we offer throughout the week,” Sandy Berven said. “I think people are ready for a good community and support to grow wherever they need to grow, whether it’s career or faith.”

The apartment community has been named 18:19 — a nod both to the streets that border it but mostly to Psalm 18:19, which varies according to the translation but talks about how “He brought me out to a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.”

The retail site on the property is designed to offer a drive-thru “that we anticipate is going to be coffee or sandwich retail,” Doug Berven said.

The building for Tre is being moved more to the center of the site, allowing for parking off Minnesota Avenue as well as parking behind the building and on Dakota Avenue.

The plan also continues to call for vacating 19th Street, “so that will be some green space, and we’ll try and incorporate some green along Minnesota and potentially in the parking lot as well,” Doug Berven said. “Wherever we can do green space, we will do green space.”

The adjustment will require a rezoning from the city’s midtown mixed-use density district to live-work and commercial. It’s scheduled to be considered by the City Council in the coming weeks.

Assuming it’s approved, the plan is to move forward with fundraising for the building project and ideally break ground next spring or summer.

“We’ve been coordinating with the architect, engineers, investors, donors, city planning, and Sandy has had a number of meetings with people in the neighborhood,” Doug Berven said. “I think it might seem like it hasn’t been moving very fast, but from our standpoint it has.”