Perspective Office
Sioux Falls, SD
Illinois Central Railway Roundhouse,
As the first of two roundhouse in Sioux Falls, it was built in 1918 but the wooden structure burned down within the first year. A second structure was built in 1920 using brick, steel and heavy timbers and functioned as a two-bay roundhouse for servicing and repairing locomotives until the late 1970s when Illinois Central Railway discontinued service to Sioux Falls.
Perspective Architects renovated the Roundhouse building to serve as its design studio. They bought the building in 2015 where the firm has since restored the building including a large window on the end of the roundhouse, opening the building up to make it similar to a gallery space. The original 18-foot doors have been retained where locomotives would enter the building. Gone are the smoke jacks that were opened to release the exhaust, now replaced by skylights that mimic the old smoke jacks to provide additional natural light.
An addition to the original building provides two more bays to keep the symmetrical look of the roundhouse.
“The history of the railroad and its presence in downtown and proximity to the Fall’s makes the building a rare and important piece of history to the city”
—Jim Bruget , Owner
The project introduces a vision of redeveloping Weber Avenue as a gateway to the falls and the history of the railroad downtown. Now over 35 years later, city leaders and private developers have a new vision for the Weber Ave. district. A corridor plan produced by city planners reveals possibilities for redeveloping Weber Avenue that includes an artist colony, reclaimed city quarry and potential private investment. Perspective Architects has helped to create a jump-start to an energetic vibe along the corridor.
