Cone's Corner: Rising From The Ashes

SIOUX FALLS, SD - It's been nearly a year since that huge fire that destroyed several businesses on East 10th Street in Sioux Falls, commonly known as Cone's Corner.

It's located very close to I-229, in a busy part of town. After the fire, neighboring businesses had to look at what they said was an eye sore and wondered for months what was going to happen to that prime piece of real estate. They don't have to wonder any more.

As smoke billowed into the air on a cold March day, people shivered at the thought of what they were seeing. 

"It was shocking, I was saying what the heck," Ron Heidzig, of AAAction Locksmith, said.

Heidzig, who owns AAAction Locksmith across the street, remembers watching the businesses burn and the intense heat. 

"It was so hot we could have left the door open and we would have gotten warmer in the shop than outside almost it was amazing how hot it was I'm surprised the propane tank over there didn't go up," Hedizig said.

What's going up now is a 14,000 square foot strip mall. Peska Construction is building it and area businesses couldn't be more excited. 

"It's exciting to watch what they're doing, to see what's going to happen you know," Jeff Cone of Crown Propane and Storage said.

Cone operates the business right next door. He said the fire left a gaping hole in the neighborhood. 

"It kind of ruined things is what it did," Cone said. "I think once they get the building up things will get better and people will realize something is gong on"

The developer says there are several tenants interested, but wouldn't go into detail. Neighbors are okay with that. 

"Any kind of business over there would be an improvement rather than seeing the open lot," Heidzig said.

Officials with Peska Construction say they hope to have the strip mall complete by the July first.