PROGRESS: Riverfront development construction nears completion

Highlights of the project include a recreational pavilion and LED-lit water feature at Floyd Boulevard, a pavilion at Virginia Street that includes an overlook, Stockyards Garden Plaza, a playground at Exploration Ridge, the Great Lawn, a dog park, basketball court and a major regional trail that runs all the way through the development. 

"It's very exciting," Sioux City Parks and Recreation Director Matt Salvatore said of the project coming to fruition. "Once the landscaping started going in late last fall and the light poles went up, we started getting a lot of comments, so I think the community is taking notice of what's being done on the riverfront.

"As we inch closer to the fall, they're going to continue to see progress. It's just very fulfilling to see the community support a project so well."  

Phase 1 of the project broke ground in June 2020 with construction starting just west of Virginia Street and ending at the Floyd River. That phase cost just under $6 million and included the construction of the Stockyard Gardens, a small picnic shelter, Promenade Path and passive lawn spaces.

"The actual completion date is Dec. 31, 2022, but the park will really start to come together this fall, so we'll be planning a ribbon cutting for some time in early October," Salvatore said.

Salvatore said in February that construction of the structures at Floyd and Virginia streets has not yet begun. He said those items will be the focus this year, as well as the water feature at Floyd Boulevard. 

"Either pavilion and the Great Lawn would be a great opportunity for events to take place, either through Parks and Rec or just special event applications that we receive through our office," Salvatore said. 

In October, the Sioux City Council green-lighted a resolution to accept $200,000 from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Land and Water Conservation Fund Program for the construction of the Floyd Boulevard Pavilion. Later that same month, the city received a $1 million contribution from an unnamed donor will allow it to finish the project in its entirety. 

Last June, the council voted to authorize the Parks and Recreation Department's application for a $400,000 Gilchrist Foundation grant to help fund phase 2 of the project.

The council in May awarded a $3.7 million contract to W.A. Klinger, LLC for phase 2 of the public improvement project. But due to the available funding on the bid date, the council voted to only move forward with construction of the Floyd Shelter and the base bid, which includes site preparation and demolition, as well as partial structure removal, site grading, filling, landscaping, trails and a fountain/spray feature.

At the time, Salvatore said the project was facing a $50,000 funding deficit and that several items were not included in the construction bid that were programmed to be purchased and installed separately for the project, including site furnishings for the shelters and park signage.

The council approved a change order to the contract in October in the amount of $973,704 for the addition of Virginia Overlook and Plaza, as well as Virginia Shelter, which brought the new contract sum to $4,687,113.