A business cannot grow without a place to grow.
That simple fact is behind Northline Business Park, a planned 128-acre business park near Haines Avenue and Mall Drive in northern Rapid City.
The goal is not growth for the sake of growth. The goal is to prepare land for businesses that can create quality jobs, invest in the community, and strengthen the local economy.
Northline Business Park is still in its early stages. Planning, engineering, and site work will take place over several years.
Most of the site will be used for business lots which could serve advanced manufacturing, light industrial, office, and other business uses.
The commercial lots will be located along Mall Dr. They could offer amenities like restaurants, banking, shopping, groceries or other daily services for the area, complementary to the Rapid City Sports Complex.
Three lots in the northern part of the site are planned for office-commercial use. Current rules allow multifamily housing in part of that area. Any housing would depend on demand and City approval.
Northline is a business park first. Housing and commercial services may be part of the project, but they are not its main purpose.
Why Does Rapid City Need It?
Land is not ready for business simply because it is empty. A usable site may need roads, water, sewer, grading, and drainage installed before building construction can begin. That work can take years to plan and complete.
Many businesses cannot wait that long. A local company may need more space to add workers or equipment. A company looking at Rapid City may be considering other communities with sites that are ready sooner.
If Rapid City cannot meet those needs, a local company may leave, or a new employer may choose another community.
Northline Business Park will help close that gap. It will give local businesses room to expand and help Rapid City compete for employers that need ready-to-build sites.
A Focus on Quality Jobs
One goal for Northline is to attract advanced manufacturing and related businesses that can bring higher-paying jobs to the region.
Advanced manufacturing uses skilled workers, modern equipment, and new technology to make products. These companies often need space for production, research, offices, storage, and shipping.
They also need the right roads, utilities, and room to grow.
Northline is being planned with those needs in mind. It will not be limited to one industry, but advanced manufacturing will be an important target.
This supports Elevate Rapid City’s goal of growing quality jobs and raising incomes across the region.
Northline is also different from the Black Hills Industrial Center along Highway 79. That area is better suited for heavy industry. Northline will serve a broader mix of advanced manufacturing, light industrial, and office users.
The Role of an Economic Development Organization
Preparing a community for business growth is an important part of economic development.
Elevate Rapid City is the region’s economic development organization (EDO). Its role is to help local businesses grow, attract new employers, and prepare Rapid City for future opportunities.
That work can take many forms.
An EDO may help businesses find workers, connect with funding, understand local rules or locate a site. It may also work with public and private partners to prepare land for future business use.
EDOs help secure land, coordinate infrastructure, and prepare sites for private investment.
That is Elevate Rapid City’s role at Northline Business Park.
Elevate is working with the City of Rapid City, the State of South Dakota, and other partners to prepare the site. Private businesses will then make their own investments in land, buildings, equipment, and employees.
This is different from the work of a traditional private developer. Elevate’s role is to create the conditions that allow businesses to invest and grow.
By preparing land before a company needs it, Rapid City will be better able to support local growth and compete for new jobs and investment.
Preparing for the Next Opportunity
Economic growth often starts long before a new building opens or a company hires its first worker.
It starts with planning, infrastructure, and land that is ready for construction.
Northline Business Park is an investment in that early work. It will give local businesses more room to grow and help Rapid City compete for new employers, private investment, and quality jobs for generations to come.
Interested in Northline Business Park?
Join us on August 18 for an online Elevate Townhall featuring the Northline Business Park. Learn about the vision, progress, and impact of one of Rapid City’s newest developments.