Boise Development Thread - Part II - Page 48

Architecture Buff · #**941** Posted **Feb 12, 2016, 12:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cottonwood

http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/b...ylink=hpdigest

Ben’s Crow Inn, a landmark Boise business, to close in September

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/b...#storylink=cpy

Will miss the old place. Heading over now for a burger and beer. Just returned, and there was a meeting with the developer showing 24 upscale homes above the bike path and Boise River.

Sawtooth · #**942** Posted **Feb 12, 2016, 11:26 PM**

I've posted a new photo thread over in the city photo forum. It includes some Jaialdi, Tour de Fat, Cupid's Run, and more summer thru February pictures.

Cottonwood · #**943** Posted **Feb 15, 2016, 8:55 PM**

http://www.boiseweekly.com/boise/app...nt?oid=3714744

Applications Now Open for Boise's Open Space and Clean Water Advisory Committee

Quote:

The city of Boise is calling for up to nine citizens to join a committee that will oversee how to spend $10 million dedicated to preserving open spaces.

Applicants to the Open Space and Clean Water Advisory Committee should represent "a diverse spectrum of users who enjoy the Boise Foothills, the Boise River and the open space areas [of the city]," according to a news release, and will be tasked with guiding the Boise City Council on how to spend funds allocated by the two-year override levy approved by voters in November 2015.

The measure passed with a stunning 74 percent margin, replenishing the original Boise Foothills levy from 2001. The new levy encompasses more than the foothills, funneling money into the protection of water quality, wildlife and native plant habitat throughout the Treasure Valley.

http://www.boiseweekly.com/boise/dow...nt?oid=3715270

Downtown Road Closures for Feb. 13 and Beyond

Quote:

Once the Undie Run is over, downtown commuters can expect another road closure on Main Street from Ninth Street to Capitol Boulevard from Monday, Feb. 15 to Saturday, Feb. 20 for crane work and construction on the City Center Plaza on the Grove.

OhGoodGlavin · #**944** Posted **Feb 16, 2016, 5:15 PM**

Fencing has gone up around the lot containing what looks to be an old garage/small dealership immediately east of the Winco (immediately south of the office building that used to be the home of George's Cycles) in the Central Addition neighborhood.

Anyone know the deets? Is the owner just looking to make the lot more attractive to prospective buyers or are there some plans for it? Would be a great location for a mixed use mid-rise.

TVurban · #**945** Posted **Feb 16, 2016, 5:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhGoodGlavin

Fencing has gone up around the lot containing what looks to be an old garage/small dealership immediately east of the Winco (immediately south of the office building that used to be the home of George's Cycles) in the Central Addition neighborhood.

Anyone know the deets? Is the owner just looking to make the lot more attractive to prospective buyers or are there some plans for it? Would be a great location for a mixed use mid-rise.

Theres a PDS permit online to demo the building. No building permits for a new building though.

Visualize · #**946** Posted **Feb 17, 2016, 6:39 AM**

This could be huge if some eager developers get their hands on some good land in and around Downtown.

Idaho Land Board to sell Boise commercial sites

The Idaho Land Board on Tuesday approved selling most of the commercial properties owned by the Idaho Department of Lands as part of a plan to get rid of holdings that had become a political liability for some of its members.

As listed by the department for auction in 2016 or 2017:

7 properties in Boise:

1. Affordable Storage, 448-450 S. Maple Grove Road

2. Garro, 816 W. Bannock St.

3. Sherm Perry, 826 W. Bannock St.

4. Home Federal, 800 W. State St.

5. Central Washington Place, 602 N. Fifth St.

6. Travis Jeffries, 590 W. Washington St.

7. Pleasant Valley, 7050 S. Pleasant Valley Road

5 parking lots in Downtown Boise:

1. West Jefferson lot, 417 W. Jefferson St., Boise

2. 4th and Bannock lot, 406-416 W. Bannock St. Boise

3. 401 Bannock lot, 401 W. Bannock St., Boise

4. North 5th lot, 211 N. Fifth St., Boise

5. Garro lot, 816 W. Bannock St.

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/b...#storylink=cpy

TVurban · #**947** Posted **Feb 17, 2016, 3:27 PM**

Interesting. All but one of those parking lots are East of Capitol Blvd.
It gives this area a lot of potential for some new buildings.

TVurban · #**948** Posted **Feb 17, 2016, 3:33 PM**

Some new development news for Meridian.

More grand plans for the Ten Mile area
http://www.ktvb.com/news/local/city-...-mile/45124351

Meridian looking towards a future downtown
http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/l...e60792236.html

I really hope Downtown Meridian takes off. I'd love to see some low rise (3-4 story) development around the downtown area that are based around mixed-use. It would really liven up the area and give another urban alternative to Downtown Boise.

Daniel W. · #**949** Posted **Feb 17, 2016, 7:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TVurban

Some new development news for Meridian.

More grand plans for the Ten Mile area
http://www.ktvb.com/news/local/city-...-mile/45124351

Meridian looking towards a future downtown
http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/l...e60792236.html

I really hope Downtown Meridian takes off. I'd love to see some low rise (3-4 story) development around the downtown area that are based around mixed-use. It would really liven up the area and give another urban alternative to Downtown Boise.

I completely agree with you! Would love to see mix used development as well! Tired of seeing subdivision after subdivision. Wish we had more diversity in buildings (condos, townhouses, etc.). Fingers crossed we see more of this in the coming years

It'll be interesting to see how the Treasure Valley will look when Nampa and Meridian population eventually come together in the West. Hopefully the transportation development doesn't fall too far behind as they slowly widen roads

Boisebro · #**950** Posted **Feb 17, 2016, 7:46 PM**

few things:

1 - the city center crane is coming down. one less crane downtown, but the crane base is in place for the marriott so hopefully we'll see a new tower crane soon.

2 - i've always been amazed at the lack of a true city center for meridian. for a city rapidly approaching 100,000, its downtown area looks more like a city of 1,000... and that's being generous. nampa, honestly, isn't much different, but at least nampa has more older bones to work with. both cities should realistically start having some mid-rise activity in its central core instead of encouraging more field-eating low-density sprawl.

3 - the Central Addition area is really a head-scratcher right now. drive east on myrtle, and you start with three large developments (marriott, inn at capitol and the fowler), and then it's empty lot after empty lot after soon-to-be-empty lot. i sure hope there are plenty of behind-the-scenes projects in the works for that entire corridor that will take advantage of the whole foods/trader joes affect.

4 - the broadway bridge can't get completed soon enough. you can see the progress on the webcam here:

http://ibeamsystems.com/private/idbroadway/

5 - there is no five. there is only four, no more, no less. four shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be four. five shalt thou not count, neither count thou three, excepting that thou then proceed to four. six is right out.

TVurban · #**951** Posted **Feb 18, 2016, 3:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boisebro

2 - i've always been amazed at the lack of a true city center for meridian. for a city rapidly approaching 100,000, its downtown area looks more like a city of 1,000... and that's being generous. nampa, honestly, isn't much different, but at least nampa has more older bones to work with. both cities should realistically start having some mid-rise activity in its central core instead of encouraging more field-eating low-density sprawl.

I agree entirely about Downtown Meridian. The size of the downtown is in comparison to the cities size. They have all the talk about creating a downtown but never seem to push hard towards it. It seems they have the vision but haven't changed any of the backup policies to match. They should have pushed hard to try and get the Boise Co-Op to build downtown. This would have brought in people as well as a grocery component. They are slowly getting there with a restaurant and bar scene but they need more.

One of the benefits that Nampa has, is that it has the railroad history behind it and that allowed it's downtown to grow to a decent size. They are also pushing hard for redevelopment (harder than Meridian). They just completed the new library complex and have an RFP for redevelopment of a half block with the intentions of it being mixed-use.

OhGoodGlavin · #**952** Posted **Feb 18, 2016, 7:08 PM**

Demolition of the former University Christian Church is proceeding to begin construction of the new Honors College building.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BB5zourpgOj/

(Sorry, can't seem to figure out from the BBCode Guide how to embed an instagram post on SSF. Any ideas? Also, who posts MySpace videos still?)

Visualize · #**953** Posted **Feb 19, 2016, 1:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhGoodGlavin

Demolition of the former University Christian Church is proceeding to begin construction of the new Honors College building.

(Sorry, can't seem to figure out from the BBCode Guide how to embed an instagram post on SSF. Any ideas? Also, who posts MySpace videos still?)

Woah, I didn't know this was going down. Could have done a little more with the building utilizing the curve of the lot, but this is still a BIG improvement. Love the style that BSU has adopted, guaranteed to still look strong in a century.

BNF · #**954** Posted **Feb 19, 2016, 5:02 AM**

I agree with everyone's desires about downtown Meridian, but I am going to have to play the pessimist here.

Having grown up in Meridian I have no faith in any development moving forward that is not one hundred percent suburban. Even the Village, which is a really cool, urban style development, requires that you drive to it. All of the tallest buildings in Meridian are around St. Luke's and are completely surrounded by parking lots. The huge development on Ten Mile will be nothing more than a huge subdivision with a few strip malls and single or two level office buildings.

I'm sorry to be the negative guy that everybody hates, but I have no faith that anything exciting will come of any of this. I had hopes, but in my opinion Meridian completely destroyed any chance of a vibrant downtown when they decided to demolish buildings to turn Meridian Rd into a 5 lane road rather than turning Main St. and Meridian into one-ways like they should have. With Meridian Rd as it now is, downtown Meridian will be no different than Cherry Ln and Ten Mile or Eagle and Fairview.

When it comes to urbanism Meridian's leaders are all talk. And it makes me sad that Meridian is being wasted.