New Underwood prepares for growth with Curtis Creek Development

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - New Underwood hasn’t seen any major growth in the past two decades, but that could change. Curtis Creek, a proposed housing development, is just the start for the small South Dakota town.

Teresa Hall, Mayor of New Underwood, is proud to be a New Underwood Tiger. Hall has served on the city council since 2012; she graduated from New Underwood High School, as did her kids.

Rolling into the town from Interstate 90, the Wild Springs Solar Farm catches your eye, but beneath it is the small town. One that has mostly stayed the same in the last 20 years. “BJ’s used to be Steve’s, but before that, it was Melmar’s. It was just a small mom-and-pop,” Hall reminisces.

The town is quiet during the week; you can hear cars rushing by on Interstate 90. Many people use that same road to commute to work.

“The nursing home, I believe, is our largest employer right now in New Underwood. A lot of local people work there, but they still have to bring in people, too,” says Hall.

The current city council is preparing for growth. They have been in talks to build 58 single-family homes.

“Filling a need. Not trying to change the community in any other way than a little slow growth and a little bit of housing to bring in some new young families,” says Daene Boomsma, owner of Boomsma Construction.

Boomsma, the developer of Curtis Creek, hopes to have lots ready for construction within the next calendar year.

This is the first step in attracting new businesses. Wall Meat Processing will open a shop that could bring 50 jobs to the town of 616. “We’re still looking forward to that. [Owner of Wall Meat] is still tying up loose ends,” shares Hall.

That’s not the only loose end; the New Underwood City Council has yet to formally approve the housing development, Curtis Creek.

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