In the summer of 2021, the Development Foundation and the Chamber of Commerce (co-owners of the Zeal building on Southeast Tech’s campus) walked forward discussions with Startup Sioux Falls regarding the organization moving downtown to better “fit” the needs of the region’s entrepreneurial community.
After conversations with the City of Sioux Falls regarding the former Parks and Rec building located next to the Levitt downtown, it was decided the building would be an excellent location for the new model of Startup Sioux Falls. Concurrently, we began having conversations with Southeast Tech about the transition of the Zeal building to a new facility that could assist in training needs for more healthcare professionals. The concept of the Health Sciences Clinical Simulation Center was born.
The development of this concept would allow Southeast Tech to expand their health sciences programming, providing hundreds of new health sciences graduates (including nurses) to help fill the needs of our medical and health sciences community.
Working in partnership with the Development Foundation, the Chamber, the City of Sioux Falls, Startup Sioux Falls, the state legislature, Avera and Sanford, the plan included obtaining a lease agreement with the City for the Parks and Rec building, obtaining funding for the build out of both facilities and obtaining funds from the state legislature for equipment in the new simulation center. In addition, the project needed additional funding from Forward Sioux Falls to make the lease/purchase arrangement of the Zeal building by Southeast Tech possible.
During the winter of 2021-22, the partnership was successful in obtaining a lease from the City for the P&R building, obtaining funding for the buildout of the Zeal building, obtaining funding for the equipment, and gaining a commitment from Forward Sioux Falls for lease payment assistance.
In the spring of 2022, the Sioux Falls School Board approved a lease of the Zeal building, sealing the dream of moving the Startup Sioux Falls Community into a newly renovated facility in downtown Sioux Falls and creating the Health Sciences Clinical Simulation Center at Southeast Technical College.
Design and construction is currently underway at both facilities, with Startup Sioux Falls planning a January opening and the Simulation Center targeting fall of 2023 as their opening date.
Sioux Falls and Forward Sioux Falls are well known for their strategic visions, but even better known for turning those visions into reality. This is a perfect example of organizations coming together for the betterment of the community and the long-term success of all organizations involved. In short…we love it when a plan comes together.