Boise Development Thread - Part II - Page 81

boisecynic · #**1601** Posted **Oct 3, 2016, 5:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonDay

I'm going to be cranking out several stories this week.

The first is this one - which I've been working on since August. A strange "no comment" from ITD warranted some further digging...

Visions of tunnels & skybridges as officials haggle over Downtown Boise's busiest streets

I bumped the Broadway Chinden Connector thread because I think it's relevant. The reason we have a Front/Myrtle couplet is because of ever growing traffic on Fairview/Main throughout the 70s and 80s.

The reason it wasn't made a full freeway is because of Nimbys. I'm not saying it should have been, but we've got what we've got. Glad I'm not a stakeholder. Oh wait, I am.

I assert that Shealy was right. Bury it.

OhGoodGlavin · #**1602** Posted **Oct 3, 2016, 8:18 PM**

As much ridicule as the Big Dig gets (and, to some extent deserves because of how Tip O'Neill got it pushed through), if any of you have driven in Boston before and after the project you'd know that it was worth every penny.

I lived there when it was completed and there's simply no way to describe how much of an improvement putting Route 93 under the city (and tearing down Boston's other Green Monster) made.

Now, Boise doesn't nearly have the issues Boston had and the price tag would be in the noise of the Big Dig. However routing Front/Myrtle underground between about 13th and Broadway would be awesome.

boisecynic · #**1603** Posted **Oct 3, 2016, 9:51 PM**

context

Conversation regarding Don Day's article posted Monday, Oct 3rd about CCDC and what to do about Front/Myrtle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonDay

I'm going to be cranking out several stories this week.

The first is this one - which I've been working on since August. A strange "no comment" from ITD warranted some further digging...

Visions of tunnels & skybridges as officials haggle over Downtown Boise's busiest streets

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhGoodGlavin

As much ridicule as the Big Dig gets (and, to some extent deserves because of how Tip O'Neill got it pushed through), if any of you have driven in Boston before and after the project you'd know that it was worth every penny.

I lived there when it was completed and there's simply no way to describe how much of an improvement putting Route 93 under the city (and tearing down Boston's other Green Monster) made.

Now, Boise doesn't nearly have the issues Boston had and the price tag would be in the noise of the Big Dig. However routing Front/Myrtle underground between about 13th and Broadway would be awesome.

I was waiting for someone to bring up the Big Dig. Sorry Cottonwood, we're going all transportationy again, but it's hard to uncouple the couplet from downtown development. Especially since CCDC has hired a consultant and is taking a good, but hush hush look at it.

Of note, Seattle's Alaskan Way Viaduct tunnel has reached the halfway mark. Their budget page says $3.1 billion for 9270 feet. Front/Myrtle is only 6300 feet and probably less complicated. I suspect it could be done via cut and cover rather than boring. I won't attempt to estimate it, but $billions is an exaggeration.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Viaduct/

Also, Hartford CT is discussing a $10 billion burial of their waterfront freeways.

http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/...m=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark

boisecynic · #**1604** Posted **Oct 4, 2016, 4:05 PM**

I made an animated gif of the remake options for Ann Morrison Park. Not mobile device friendly! I found the scrolling method provided by BP&R webpage too difficult to make out the differences between options.

http://gifmaker.cc/PlayGIFAnimation.php?...S9ptDf5oqSkiX0hQ5&file=output_f1vXku.gif

or try this one:

https://gfycat.com/DearHappygoluckyBlobfish#?speed=0.125

Major differences as far as I can see:

SW corner pond and dog off leash area
SE corner softball fields
N floater take out and beach
All 3 show a revamped road system
NW floater launch below the dam

I really like the floater launch, aka tuber port below the dam. I've said it before, floating the Boise River should be made more user friendly from Americana all the way to Eagle Island State Park or beyond.

Architecture Buff · #**1605** Posted **Oct 4, 2016, 6:29 PM**

Riverstone International School Dormitories at 13th & River:

This well designed building is beautiful addition to the neighborhood. Students have moved into the building as work on first floor is still ongoing.

Ninth to 12th grade students would live on the second, third and fourth stories, with 5,400 square feet of office space on street level in 3,000- and 2,400-square-foot space that can be split.

Cottonwood · #**1606** Posted **Oct 4, 2016, 7:06 PM**

Progress? I know several people in the neighborhood across the street from the soon to be multi story homes who are not happy about this.

Last call at Ben’s Crow Inn this weekend

http://www.idahostatesman.com/entertainment/restaurants/article105722581.html

DonDay · #**1607** Posted **Oct 4, 2016, 8:04 PM**

I noted I have exclusives lined up all this week.

TOMORROW -- I'll uncork something I teased here several months ago about something significant happening downtown. Tracking down one more thing before I publish.

Today... I took a tour of the Boise Centre expansion and posted a ton of pics at BoiseDev.com. It is a pretty incredible space. Feels much larger than I'd expected. Once it's hooked up with the skybridge it will be amazing.

Pics right here

Cottonwood · #**1608** Posted **Oct 4, 2016, 8:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sawtooth

10th Street ~ Hyatt Place progress
Check out my Fall thread for more progress photos.

If anything, this hotel is adding some density to that intersection.

kidboise · #**1609** Posted **Oct 4, 2016, 8:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonDay

Today... I took a tour of the Boise Centre expansion and posted a ton of pics at BoiseDev.com. It is a pretty incredible space. Feels much larger than I'd expected. Once it's hooked up with the skybridge it will be amazing.

This project boasts a lot of nice little details I wasn't expecting. Thanks for posting the pics. Awesome site, too

Sawtooth · #**1610** Posted **Oct 5, 2016, 12:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Architecture Buff

Riverstone International School Dormitories at 13th & River:

This well designed building is beautiful addition to the neighborhood. Students have moved into the building as work on first floor is still ongoing.

Ninth to 12th grade students would live on the second, third and fourth stories, with 5,400 square feet of office space on street level in 3,000- and 2,400-square-foot space that can be split.

I like this building too. The designs reminds me something from a ski town, add some river rock and timber to the façade and boom.

Visualize · #**1611** Posted **Oct 5, 2016, 1:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by boisecynic

I made an animated gif of the remake options for Ann Morrison Park. Not mobile device friendly! I found the scrolling method provided by BP&R webpage too difficult to make out the differences between options.

http://gifmaker.cc/PlayGIFAnimation.php?...S9ptDf5oqSkiX0hQ5&file=output_f1vXku.gif

or try this one:

https://gfycat.com/DearHappygoluckyBlobfish#?speed=0.125

Major differences as far as I can see:

SW corner pond and dog off leash area
SE corner softball fields
N floater take out and beach
All 3 show a revamped road system
NW floater launch below the dam

I really like the floater launch, aka tuber port below the dam. I've said it before, floating the Boise River should be made more user friendly from Americana all the way to Eagle Island State Park or beyond.

Cool gif. I'm against the version that increases the size of the pond. That pond is already pretty gross with all the ducks and geese, and I don't think increasing its size would improve the situation, or really provide anything to the park. This version also puts a parking lot very close to the boater takeout which I am adamantly opposed to. That area needs to remain as large and open as possible.

I like having the dog park in the middle of the pond. That's a good area for that use to exist. I don't think they should mess with the location of the disc golf course in this version in favor of horseshoes though. Nobody plays horseshoes, but almost any time of day there are people out there playing disc golf. I haven't played many, but it's the nicest one I've ever seen, and a lot of the best parts are where it would no longer exist in this version, on the east side of the park.

Also don't like the boater takeout being so close to the playground. There needs to be a separation between these two uses because there is such a contrast between the people partaking in these activities.

Really, I think there needs to be a combination between all three of these, because they all have a major issue in my opinion.

Visualize · #**1612** Posted **Oct 5, 2016, 1:32 PM**

For those of you that support tunneling Front and Myrtle, how far do you think it should go? To Capital, to Broadway, to the Park Center Bridge?

Boisebro · #**1613** Posted **Oct 5, 2016, 4:04 PM**

i took a peek at Don Day's big potential news.

but i'm not sharing.

BWA-HA-AAHA-HAHAAAAAHAAAaaaaa!!!!

Sawtooth · #**1614** Posted **Oct 5, 2016, 4:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boisebro

i took a peek at Don Day's big potential news.

but i'm not sharing.

BWA-HA-AAHA-HAHAAAAAHAAAaaaaa!!!!

I heard about potential happenings earlier this summer from a friend who manages a retail space there.
#savetheescalator

DonDay · #**1615** Posted **Oct 5, 2016, 4:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boisebro

i took a peek at Don Day's big potential news.

but i'm not sharing.

BWA-HA-AAHA-HAHAAAAAHAAAaaaaa!!!!

OK! I'll share

There's more to come on this -- here's what I can report for now

http://bit.ly/2dqwoge

Cottonwood · #**1616** Posted **Oct 5, 2016, 8:29 PM**

http://www.boiseweekly.com/boise/archael...se-to-begin-thursday/Content?oid=3903048

Archaeological Excavation at James Castle House to Begin Thursday

Quote:

A team of University of Idaho anthropologists and archaeologists will undertake an exploration of the historic Castle House, named for Boise artist James Castle who lived on the property creating drawings, books and illustrations for nearly seven decades.

The researchers, who conducted previous digs near Boise's River Street in 2015 and historic Fort Boise this past summer, will begin their excavation Thursday, Oct. 6.

“[Castle's] home—from the family house to the outbuildings where he spent much of his time creating art to communicate with those around him—influenced how he understood the world," said Terri Schorzman, director of the Boise City Department of Arts and History. "The preservation and interpretation of this place will share James’ environment with visitors and tell the story of his life, work, family, community and, ultimately, his legacy.”

In 2016, the city of Boise announced an ambitious project to transform the Castle House at Eugene Street and Hill Road into a gallery space, artist's residence and public garden.

The excavation is scheduled to continue through Wednesday, Oct. 12 and will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/community/boise/article106199942.html

With major construction past, Broadway in ‘high demand’ for new development

Quote:

1129 S. Broadway: New mixed-use building. Hong Kong Spa and Beach Club Tanning buildings will be demolished for a new, two-story 8,400-square-foot building. Public hearing on the application is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 12 before the Boise City Design Review Committee. Construction slated to begin this year.

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/community/boise/article106199942.html#storylink=cpy

MOPIdaho · #**1617** Posted **Oct 7, 2016, 12:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sawtooth

The decorative pergola seems out of place or more of a afterthought, IMO it detracts from the subtle historic elements.

Cottonwood · #**1618** Posted **Oct 7, 2016, 3:35 PM**

https://www.agc.org/news/2016/09/28/cons...ion%E2%80%99s-metro-areas-between-august

CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYMENT INCREASES IN THREE-FIFTHS OF NATION’S METRO AREAS BETWEEN AUGUST 2015 & 2016 AS INDUSTRY JOB OPENINGS HIT 10-YEAR HIGH

Quote:

Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Colo. and Boise, Idaho Top Growth List

Quote:

The largest percentage gains occurred in Boise City, Idaho (24 percent, 4,500 jobs) and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford.

Architecture Buff · #**1619** Posted **Oct 9, 2016, 7:33 PM**

Oct 9, 2016 progress on:

Onenineteen Condos

The Fowler Apartments

Inn at 500 S Capitol

Residence Inn by Marriott

Cottonwood · #**1620** Posted **Oct 11, 2016, 4:24 PM**

http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/business/article107061147.html

Update: French-fry maker Lamb Weston setting up in Eagle in November

Quote:

Lamb Weston’s Eagle office will be corporate headquarters for the new company. The company says its operation won’t change much, though the spinoff will mean high-level executive jobs will move from ConAgra headquarters in Chicago to Eagle.

Quote:

A new corporate heavyweight will join Micron, the Simplot Co., Albertsons and other influential companies calling the Treasure Valley home.

Lamb Weston is in the process of spinning out of food manufacturing giant ConAgra into its own, publicly traded company, specializing in manufacturing and distributing fries and other frozen potato products. At nearly $3 billion in annual revenues, Lamb Weston would probably be the sixth-largest company based in Idaho when it becomes a stand-alone company Nov. 1.

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/business/article107061147.html#storylink=cpy