The Sioux Falls Historic Home Renovation Guide
What is the Cathedral Historic District in Sioux Falls?
The Cathedral Historic District was Sioux Falls’s first residential historic district and among the earliest in South Dakota. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 5, 1974, and its boundaries were expanded by NRHP action on June 29, 2023. At the time of original listing, the district contained 223 buildings, nearly half constructed before 1900.
The district covers roughly 79 acres — 14 full blocks plus the eastern half of 6 blocks — bounded by:
- North: West 4th Street
- South: West 10th Street
- East: Spring Avenue
- West: Prairie Avenue and Summit Avenue
The neighborhood sits on a summit hill sloping toward downtown Sioux Falls, which is why the district-defining St. Joseph Cathedral, completed in 1919 with 185-foot twin spires designed by French architect Emmanuel Masqueray in Romanesque and French Renaissance styles, is visible from most of the city.
Architectural styles represented in the district include Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Richardsonian Romanesque, Mediterranean Revival, and roughly a dozen other late 19th and early 20th century styles. The prevalence of locally quarried Sioux Quartzite — used for residences, retaining walls, hitching posts, curbs, and street pavers — gives the district its distinctive material character.
Do I need approval to renovate a Sioux Falls historic home?
The answer depends on whether the property is a contributing structure within a designated historic district, and whether the proposed work affects the exterior.
Contributing structures in the Cathedral Historic District
Exterior work on contributing structures requires a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Sioux Falls Board of Historic Preservation. The board was established under the city’s 1986 historic preservation ordinance and reviews:
- Window replacement or restoration
- Door replacement
- Siding replacement or major repair
- Roofing changes (material or profile)
- Additions to the structure
- Porch modifications
- Exterior painting for the primary elevations (some cases)
- Site work visible from the public right of way
- Demolition of contributing structures
Interior work
Interior work on historic homes does not require preservation review. You can renovate kitchens, baths, and interior finishes without seeking board approval. Standard City of Sioux Falls building permits still apply.
Non-contributing structures
Some structures within the district boundaries are classified as non-contributing (typically post-1930 buildings or heavily altered older buildings). These generally have lighter preservation review requirements. Verify status with Planning and Development Services before starting exterior work.
What tax benefits apply to Sioux Falls historic home renovation?
South Dakota provides one of the most valuable historic rehabilitation incentives in the Upper Midwest: an 8-year property tax moratorium that exempts any increase in assessed value resulting from rehabilitation of historic buildings. The mechanism is important to understand:
- You perform rehabilitation work on a qualifying historic property
- The county assessor identifies the increase in assessed value attributable to the rehabilitation
- That increase is exempt from property tax for 8 years
- After 8 years, the exemption phases out and full assessed value applies
The financial impact can be substantial. A $150,000 rehabilitation that increases assessed value from $300,000 to $400,000 means the added $100,000 in value would not increase your property tax bill for 8 years. On a typical Sioux Falls property tax rate, that saves $1,500 to $2,000 per year for 8 years — $12,000 to $16,000 in total tax savings.
Federal Historic Tax Credits (HTC) may also apply for income-producing historic properties through the National Park Service program. This is generally not applicable to owner-occupied residences but relevant for historic Sioux Falls buildings converted to rental or commercial use.
How much does historic home renovation cost in Sioux Falls?
Historic home renovation typically runs 40 to 60% more than modern home renovation for equivalent scope. Realistic per-square-foot costs:
- Cosmetic refresh with period-appropriate finishes: $75 to $125 per square foot
- Moderate renovation preserving historic character: $150 to $220 per square foot
- Full renovation with lead paint remediation, plaster restoration, systems updates, period materials: $200 to $325 per square foot
- Major restoration with structural correction and preservation-quality work: $275 to $450+ per square foot
Practically, a 2,500 square foot Cathedral District Queen Anne receiving a full renovation with sensitive preservation runs $500,000 to $1,100,000 depending on scope.
Why is historic home renovation more expensive?
- Lead paint remediation — homes built before 1978 typically contain lead-based paint; EPA-certified handlers required; adds $8,000 to $25,000 depending on scope
- Plaster restoration — plaster and lath walls cost 3 to 5 times more to repair than drywall; skim-coating adds meaningful expense
- Knob and tube wiring replacement — most pre-1940 Sioux Falls homes have some knob and tube; full replacement runs $8,000 to $18,000
- Undersized structural framing — floor joists and roof rafters often fail modern code; sistering or replacement adds significant labor
- Period-appropriate materials — historic wood windows, slate roofing, quarter-sawn oak flooring, and Sioux Quartzite matching all carry premium pricing
- Preservation review requirements — limit material substitution options and add design time; may require custom fabrication
- Undersized electrical service — most pre-1960 homes have 60 to 100 amp panels; 200 amp service upgrade runs $2,500 to $5,500
- Cast iron drain lines — reaching end of service life; replacement runs $8,000 to $20,000 depending on access
Should I replace or restore historic windows?
Restore when possible. Original wood windows in Cathedral District and McKennan Park homes are typically 100+ years old — and if properly maintained, they will outlast modern vinyl replacements. Original wood window restoration achieves comparable energy performance to modern replacement while preserving architectural character and property value.
Restoration approach
- Weatherstrip the sashes properly (spring-bronze strips or modern equivalents)
- Re-glaze with modern glazing compound
- Repair or replicate rotted sill wood (usually 5 to 20% of a window’s wood)
- Add interior storm windows (permanent or seasonal) for the winter energy performance boost
- Consider laminated glass replacement in sashes for security and sound if needed
Restoration costs $400 to $1,200 per window depending on condition and scope. Full replacement with historically appropriate wood windows runs $1,200 to $3,500 per window. Modern vinyl replacements (usually not approved for contributing structures in Cathedral District) run $600 to $1,500 per window.
What is Sioux Quartzite and why does it matter?
Sioux Quartzite is a distinctive pink-red metamorphic stone quarried near Sioux Falls beginning in the late 1800s. It was used extensively throughout the Cathedral Historic District for residences, exterior walls, retaining walls, hitching posts, curbs, and even street pavers. Some of the original Sioux Quartzite streets still exist in the district.
For historic home renovation, Sioux Quartzite matters in two ways. First, existing Sioux Quartzite elements — foundations, exterior walls, hitching posts, walkways — are typically considered contributing features requiring preservation review before modification. Second, matching new work to existing Sioux Quartzite is difficult because the quarries that produced the original material are no longer active. Sourcing salvaged Sioux Quartzite from demolition sites is often the only viable path.
How do I hire the right contractor for a Sioux Falls historic home?
Not every contractor is equipped for historic work. The right contractor for Cathedral District or McKennan Park renovation should demonstrate:
- EPA Renovator certification (RRP) for lead-based paint handling in pre-1978 homes
- Experience with the Sioux Falls Board of Historic Preservation review process
- Skilled plaster repair capability (either in-house or trusted subcontractors)
- Recent Cathedral District or McKennan Park project references you can visit
- Familiarity with period-appropriate material sourcing
- Understanding of the South Dakota property tax moratorium and how to document rehabilitation for it
Standard remodel contractors without historic experience often quote lower prices because they underestimate the discovery items and preservation review requirements. Their projects frequently run over budget by 40 to 80% when reality sets in.
Related pillars
Historic home projects almost always involve these adjacent pillars:
- home envelope for windows and roofing →
- system replacements in older homes →
- kitchen updates in period-appropriate ways →
- bathroom modernization while preserving character →