SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) -- An area in central Sioux Falls that's set for redevelopment is starting to look different. Crews started tearing down some homes on a stretch of Dakota Avenue between 18th and 19th Streets, just east of Minnesota Avenue. Cannons fire to scare geese out of the Sioux Falls Airport’s flight paths Jeff Dow spends time in area visiting his son, who lives across the street from the demolition site. He's happy to see the homes coming down. "It's been a blight for so many years. We had a lot of bad activity and things going on there, and now we're encouraged," Dow said. "We don't aspire to see houses being demolished, and it's been a long process with the neighborhood because this is a historic district, we're sensitive to the houses that were here," City of Sioux Falls Assistant Director of Planning and Development Services Kevin Smith said. Tre Ministries is the developer of the project. Eventually, the project will include multi-unit housing along Dakota Avenue and a mixed-use development along Minnesota Avenue. Other buildings on the block, including the now-closed Antiques on 18th will also be torn down. "Any mixed-use development along Minnesota Avenue from our perspective is good because you do need to see that corridor brought into the 21st century," Smith said. On Tuesday, the Sioux Falls City Council awarded Tre Ministries a $500,000 zero percent interest deferred loan. Smith says it will help with demolition and site prep. KELOLAND News reached out to Tre Ministries about the project but hasn't heard back.