Downtown Improvement Meeting to be Held Soon

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Rapid City’s downtown is getting closer to some big changes.

Voters approved the Downtown Improvement District in the June election and Mayor Hanks announced its appointed board members.

Those members will make recommendations to the city council regarding proposals such as Main Street Square.

Mayor Hanks expects the board to meet for the first time sometime next week.

“They will be responsible for the management, and really the oversight of how those BID funds are actually spent.  It's projected to generate around $180,000 a year in annual revenue,” says Hanks.

One concern of those opposed to the Business Improvement District was the availability of parking. 

Hanks says he is now working with the Public Works Department to improve parking in the Downtown Area.

"With the city-owned lots that we actually lease out, after 4:00 p.m. we would like to make it uniform and allow those to be free public parking after 4:00 p.m. weekends and holidays.  Currently, depending on which one of those lots they are currently available but it depends on which lot, whether its 4:00 or 5:00 p.m.," says Hanks.

Construction is likely to start this fall, but the project still needs to go out for bid, which officials say will likely happen as soon as possible.