Hope Center’s new location plans halted amidst community concerns

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - Plans to move the Hope Center to a new location have come to a halt.

With more people using the Hope Center over the last three years, a new location with more space would be needed for more services to be available. The plans are to increase additional support services such as adding showers, a laundry room, and a larger kitchen, and bringing back mentoring services for those guests using the center.

Still, after approval from the planning commission, an appeal for the plans ensued, only elongating the process.

“At best, we are looking at two to three years once we receive permission to provide the services that we provide at that location,” said Hope Center executive director Melanie Timm.

During that time frame, it would include the capitol campaign, which would lead to the building renovation of the possible new location. But with the Hope Center’s lease at its current location coming to an end in about a year, opposition to the center moving to the new location is making it hard to start the transition process.

“Some of the concerns that they had were that the neighborhood is already experiencing some increase in violence, and they’re concerned that some of the individuals that we serve would add to that,” explained Timm. “There was also some concern about after-hours. We are open Monday through Friday, eight to four Monday through Thursday, and eight to two-thirty on Friday, so the concern wasn’t what we do at the Hope Center but what would the individuals that we serve do after we close for the day.”

The new building the Hope Center would be moving to, if the plan is approved by the Rapid City Council, would be at 630 East Blvd N.

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