Freedom Works Here.
Colman, deemed a “Busy Little City,” is located on South Dakota Highway 34 and just minutes from Interstate 29.
With a population just over 600, the town may be small, but various ideas and proposals are pushing Colman forward to be the best community it can be.
The Colman Economic Development Corporation is vital to helping the community grow. Volunteer members sit on the six-person board and have three goals for Colman: promote the benefits of living in Colman; expand opportunities by providing future growth; and promote the benefits of locating a business to town.
To meet their goals, the board is working to fill their new industrial park and add more housing.
Just east of Colman, and three miles off I-29, are multiple commercial lots ready for development at Hillcrest Industrial Park. The park was awarded over $450,000 in grant money from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development’s (GOED) Local Infrastructure Improvement Program (LIIP).
“GOED has helped in so many ways. Their LIIP grant helped build roads in the Hillcrest Industrial Park,” said Colman Economic Development Corporation board member Lori Hansen.
With five businesses already in the park, Hansen explained they are seeing growth with their Dollar General, Colman Building Center, Landis Ag, and others. But there is room for more.
“People are taking notice that we are centrally located, being three miles off the interstate and right on Hwy 34,” said Hansen.
According to South Dakota Department of Transportation 2021 numbers, nearly 4200 cars a day go through Colman.
Housing needs is another item the board wants to address. Hansen explained that Colman is working to expand their housing options.
“There are local developers working on the process and infrastructure of the new housing developments,” she said.
Sunrise Ridge Estates, which sits across the road from the town’s golf course, is already working on Phase 2 of their housing development, with 19 lots sold in the past two years. Redrock Addition, another housing development on the golf course, will have 13 lots when completed, with 10 already spoken for.
As Colman continues to expand, the city is making plan to accommodate that growth. And Colman’s Economic Development is working alongside the city council to promote the community.
“We are growing and there are jobs available. We are very excited to see how the future looks,” said Hansen.