Insider's Guide
The International Downtown Association has awarded its highest industry recognition to Downtown Sioux Falls Inc. for its work related to Jacobson Plaza.
The IDA annually recognizes outstanding projects as winners of the Downtown Achievement Awards, which identify advances to urban centers by organizations worldwide.
The industry’s highest recognition, the Pinnacle Award, represents the most inspiring innovations in urban place management.
Photo courtesy of Co-op Architecture
Jacobson Plaza won in the category of Public Space Management and Operations.
“We are incredibly honored to accept the International Downtown Association’s Pinnacle Award for Jacobson Plaza,” said Brandon Hanson, CEO of DTSF. “This recognition reflects the power of partnership and what can be achieved when the public and private sectors come together around a shared vision for a stronger, more vibrant downtown.”
DTSF accepted the award this week at IDA’s annual Downtown Achievement Awards, presented as part of a conference the organization held in Toronto, Ontario, to discuss emerging trends in place management.
“We are deeply grateful to the Jacobson family for their extraordinary generosity, as well as the creativity and dedication of our local leaders, architects, developers and countless community partners who helped bring this transformational project to life,” Hanson said.
“Together, we continue to make meaningful improvements year after year that enhance quality of life, strengthen our economy and create exceptional places for residents and visitors alike.”
Born from a vision that began in 2021, Jacobson Plaza transformed Falls Park West into a new destination for recreation and community gathering, featuring the region’s largest inclusive playground, Sioux Falls’ first outdoor ice ribbon, the city’s largest splash pad and year-round programming. The 7-acre park welcomed more than 250,000 visitors in its first six months and hasn’t slowed down.
“Downtown Sioux Falls’ innovative project received the IDA Pinnacle Award for setting the new standard for improving cities around the world,” said David Downey, IDA president and CEO. “Jacobson Plaza has made an impact on its community and the people who live, work and play there, and is evidence of the continued commitment to champion livable, vital and thriving urban centers.”
The park is drawing more than 500,000 visitors annually, and 80 percent of them are Sioux Falls residents, according to the Sioux Falls Parks & Recreation Department.
“It’s continued to be wildly popular in its second summer,” park development manager Mike Patten said. “It’s an anchor of our downtown now. I would say it’s the most popular public space downtown, and I’m glad they submitted for the award because I think it deserves it.”
A public-private partnership totaling $19 million was led by Garry and Dianne Jacobson, with additional support from T. Denny Sanford, the Craig and Pat Lloyd family and most recently Rob Everist, who partnered with the Jacobsons to bring additional landscaping, a new scenic overlook and more play equipment to Falls Park West.
Photos courtesy Gavin Cotter, Urban Oasis Outdoor Living, the project’s contractor
The donation covered all design and construction for connective pathways, green space, landscaping, drainage and utilities.
Construction is on track to wrap up by the end of the month, Patten said.
“It’s been a nice summer for construction as far as keeping crews on-site working every day,” he said.
“We’re able to make some amazing things happen thanks to our partnerships. We’ve built this big community park and place to experience downtown, and people flock to it from all over the city.”
