Lifescape breaks ground on new $98 million dollar campus

It’s been ten years in the making, but today was a day of celebration for Lifescape as crews broke ground on a new multi-million dollar facility; one that officials with Lifescape say will be life changing.

With the turn of shovels Friday is the beginning of a new era for Lifescape.

They broke ground on a $98 million new campus in the northwest part of Sioux Falls that will better serve the region’s growing population.

“The coolest part of it is really addressing kind of a silent problem and that is autism some of the different individual disabilities that really occur throughout the state and as we’ve seen the population grow and seen the complexity of the kids grow this is going to give us this opportunity to start addressing some of the those bigger challenges we either have or know are coming,” Lifescape CEO Steve Watkins said.

Before the ground breaking, numerous dignitaries got up to speak to a full house of people who have helped make this dream a reality, including Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken.

“I think you can judge a community and the culture and health of a community by how they care for their most vulnerable residents and the mission of Lifescape and the vulnerable people who they serve they are some of our most vulnerable residents,” TenHaken said.