Ho-Chunk, Inc., a tribally chartered corporation that is wholly owned by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, envisions a walkable, mixed-use neighbourhood that is strategically located on the west bank of the Missouri River, in close proximity to the centre of the Siouxland region. This neighbourhood, named “Flatwater Crossing,” will bring much needed energy and excitement to South Sioux City, Nebraska. The goal for the site is to construct a neighbourhood that will create a sense of community with the ability to attract a variety of residents, ranging from millennials, young professionals and families to empty nesters and retirees. The design team of planners, urban designers, architects, civil engineers and landscape architects developed the plan for Flatwater Crossing during a three-day charrette near the site.

Flatwater Crossing is comprised of two parcels that are owned by Ho-Chunk, Inc. and one long parcel of city property that contains stormwater conveyance and a settlement basin. The new neighbourhood will contain approximately 220 acres, including the nearly mile-long “panhandle” that hugs the west bank of the Missouri River. The goal for the neighbourhood is to ensure that residents are close to, and have easy access to, nature and the outdoors. To that end, the neighbourhood will be bisected by a series of interconnected greenways. The primary greenway will be developed along the Missouri River frontage, containing trails, extensive plantings and unique river overlooks. Two additional greenways will run perpendicular to the Missouri River Greenway, and intersect with it. These greenways will provide direct routes for residents to take from their homes to access the river or the neighbourhood’s Village Center. Additional green space is well-dispersed throughout the site. Larger residential lots front onto small estate greens and two pocket neighbourhoods front onto common open areas ideal for gardening, playing or simply interacting with neighbours. 

The Village Centre will be the focal point of the neighbourhood and will contain a variety of mixed-use buildings and apartments with ground level retail. These buildings will front onto a grand civic space called Flatwater Commons that has the potential to be programmed with community activities throughout the year. Away from the Village Centre and within the neighbourhood, much of the proposed development will be residential in nature, with a variety of housing typologies envisioned, including estate homes on large lots, standard suburban-style front-loaded lots, rear-loaded village lots nearer the Centre, cottage homes located in pocket neighbourhoods along the river, attached townhouses and apartments. This range of typologies and densities allows residents to move up or down the housing scale as their life and family circumstances dictate, all without leaving the neighbourhood. On-street parking for guests and visitors is available along the street. Additionally, there is a desire to incorporate a variety of architecture styles throughout the neighbourhood, from contemporary, mixed-use buildings and village homes to more traditional single family homes. Flatwater Crossing is projected to contain more than 1,000 housing units, including approximately 600 apartments and 400 single family homes. The village centre and other mixed-use nodes contain 67,000 square feet of commercial (retail, restaurant, etc.) space, and a 2-½ -acre civic site is reserved for a church or other similar use. These uses and the activity generated by them, combined with the open space amenities and the lifestyle opportunities created by the pedestrian-oriented, mixed use nature of the neighbourhood, will help ensure that Flatwater Crossing quickly becomes the neighbourhood of choice for the Siouxland region. To date, interest in homes has been extremely high and initial site/civil design work has been completed. The preliminary plan was submitted in mid-March 2016, and the initial phase of utility and street construction commenced in summer 2016.