cbk

The Baker House, formerly Scott Heidepriem’s residence (I believe this photo, to your far left, was taken while Scott still owned it).

I guess if you can’t get a TIF to fix up your mansion, you can always get a historical designation;

A 98-year-old house and two other buildings constructed in the 20th century in Sioux Falls have received eight-year property tax moratoriums to help with maintenance and rehabilitation (through the South Dakota State Historical Society).

A home in the McKennan Park Historic District also received a property tax moratorium. The Baker House at 503 E. 21st Street is a Tudor Revival style of architecture that needs replacements.

While I think the State Theatre could use it, I am struggling with a private residence. Not only is it a behemoth three-story mansion, but besides being worked on (for over a year now) it is also been added onto. I think it is great that someone is ‘fixing up’ a historical home (for the record my house is 125 years old and could use some repairs) but to ask for a property tax cut? Seriously?

The wealthy already enjoy low taxes in South Dakota and NO income tax, now when they buy (an already well-kept) mansion, they want a tax break?

Oh, I can hear it already, I’m a hypocrite because I posted in the past about TIF’s for cleaning up older homes in the central part of the city. Trust me, when I talk about fixing up homes in the core of the city, this place DOES NOT come to mind. I live about a mile from the home and walk past it weekly with the dog. When Scott owned it, it was well taken care of, and after he sold it, I noticed the new owners doing a massive rehab on it. Don’t believe me, just drive by. It is straight EAST of the Tennis courts at McKennan Park on 21st Street.

Wonder who the new owner knows on the Historical Society’s board of trustees 🙂

5 Thoughts on “More property tax cuts for the rich in Sioux Falls

  1. AL Reader on February 13, 2014 at 1:23 pm said:

    What is up with the Baker house?

    I drive 21st Street everyday. This property was on the market for $1.2m before the addition/remodel was started. It is now so over-built, I don’t see how they will ever re-coup what they have invested in it.

    It also appears they may have run out of money as there is almost no construction activity happening. The house is unfinished, and there are piles of excavated dirt and unused construction material laying all over the yard! I’m surprised the neighbors in this exclusive Mckennan Park area are not complaining to MMM!!

    Also, a property tax moratorium for the The Farley-Loetscher Co. building OWNED BY Ericka Billion!!!!!!!!

  2. I wondered about that one also, but at least you can say Billion will be using it for retail and helping to drive more business DT while cleaning up an old building. The Baker house, on the other hand, very questionable.

  3. Have applied for grants for various projects on historical properties with the Sate Historical Society before. Hasn’t got anything to do with “who you know” – it’s more “how much time and patience do you have” to put in the effort to complete the many steps and details of the process PROPERLY.

    Have started working on another one to replace windows in a 99-year-old house that is on the National registry of Historical Buildings. Of course, that means the windows have to be replaced with ones constructed of like materials and methods – i.e., each one hand made to custom fit, not just some pop-in prefabs.

    Maybe you should apply DL – who knows, you just might succeed. I would even help you with the paperwork if you want.

    Or are you insinuating that homes have no historical value to a community/city/state/nation – that ONLY commercial or maybe publicly owned properties do?

  4. PrairieLady on February 13, 2014 at 7:32 pm said:

    NO, NO, NO TIFs for private residences. Heck, we need to quit giving them out to all the big contractors. NO. I am soooo tired of this ****.

  5. Winston on February 14, 2014 at 2:52 pm said:

    Maybe the City should establish a McKennan Park Regional Center (EB-5), so we can get some funds to finish the Baker House and pay its long term property tax costs….

Post Navigation