New permit issued for Sioux Falls mansion that's gone unfinished for years

A seemingly abandoned residential construction project in south-central Sioux Falls might eventually get finished after all.

According to the city of Sioux Falls building services permitting database, a residential construction permit was pulled for 6800 S. Westfield Trail on May 17.

The property is owned by Vitaliy Strizheus, who started building a 7,000-square-foot mansion in 2013 but hasn't made much progress on the project since 2014.

Late last year, the city of Sioux Falls filed a lawsuit asking a judge to issue a default on the property, which would allow the city to take possession of the property.

But in a legal brief and attached affidavit filed by Strizheus and his attorneys this week in Lincoln County, they say it continues to be Strizheus' intent to finish the project.

More:City sues to force demolition of abandoned mansion in southern Sioux Falls

In their arguments, they say the project stalled because Strizheus' father became terminally ill, other financial obligations arose, and financing became a challenge when he was ready to again move forward with the project.

"I have re-engaged the services of Creative Building Corporation (CBC) ... to complete exterior construction on the property," Strizheus wrote in his affidavit filed June 10. "CBC obtained a new building permit and returned to the site three weeks ago to complete construction."

Strizheus anticipates exterior work will be done by Oct. 1. The building permit on file with the city calls for replacing the exposed stucco foam, finishing the concrete roof tiling, installing new garage and exterior house doors, repair place missing or broken windows, and adding a new concrete driveway and sidewalk.

It's unclear how the issuance of a new building permit will affect the city's lawsuit against Strizheus.

The suit, filed in December 2018, alleges the mansion had become a danger and nuisance to the public by going unfinished for nearly six years and without any building progress for more than two years.

Sioux Falls code enforcement manager Matt Tobias deferred questions to the City Attorney's Office, which did not immediately respond to request for comment Tuesday.