Rapid City committee weighs rebuilding on Steele Avenue vs. new campus at Black Hills Industrial Park

The Rapid City Public Works Committee on Sept. 9 reviewed two site options for a new streets and maintenance campus and asked staff and legal and finance liaisons to develop funding and design steps. The committee voted to acknowledge the presentation.

City staff presented the comparison as a choice between rebuilding or substantially upgrading the current Steele Avenue site and acquiring and building on about 25 acres in the Black Hills Industrial Park. "To build what is needed for the community out, for about 5 or 10 years beyond our current situation, the approximate construction cost would be about $36.5 million," said Daniel, Public Works staff, who presented the analysis. He said the Steele Avenue option would allow reuse of two existing buildings, including a utility maintenance building constructed in 2015 that staff estimates would cost about $11 million to replace.

The staff analysis said the Steele Avenue site is centrally located and contains existing investments — including more than $22 million in site paving and fencing — but has constrained circulation and limited room for expansion. By contrast, the Black Hills Industrial Park site would provide more land and room to design circulation and future expansion but at a higher…