Idaho Falls/Pocatello Development Thread

[TonyAnderson]

IF is very comparable to Logan, Utah in population, demographics, location, recent growth - and in fact they're only about 2 hours apart. But the main difference is Logan has a major university and IF doesn't. It'll be interesting to see how they both grow in the future because of that.

[Cottonwood]

Originally Posted by Boisekid

That would be pretty impressive, but pretty unrealistic. The IF metro area would have to be around a million, at least, to support a downtown that size. That just isn't happening. The day IF has a skyline like that with a pop of 1 million, SLC would have have an MSA of at least 6-7 million and Boise would need to be upwards of 3-4 million. Not tryin to be a downer, but this just isn't happening. I mean, maybe IF should get one 10+ story tower first and then go from there.

It would be cool to have another major metro area in the state aside from Boise tho, and if anywhere will, it will be Idaho Falls.

There is another major metro in the state besides Boise and it is Coeur d'Alene which is included as part of the Spokane metropolitan area. Kootenai County where CDA is located has more people than Bonneville County where Idaho Falls is located.

[greenbearcub]

Originally Posted by Cottonwood

There is another major metro in the state besides Boise and it is Coeur d'Alene which is included as part of the Spokane metropolitan area. Kootenai County where CDA is located has more people than Bonneville County where Idaho Falls is located.

I guess it depends on how you see it. CDA is 30 miles from the spokane area while nampa is roughly 15 to 20 miles from boise but nampa has a far bigger pop and much more dense. So you could say then Nampa is Idaho's 2nd metro area. I say with both of these they are to close to another larger metro area. While IF, Twin, and even Pocky are far seperated from any other major metro area. But they are still small.

Either way I still say all three areas (Boise, CDA, and IF/Pocky) need to get bigger but that could be that I miss the high rises from when i lived in SF.

Run Down:

Nampa
Population (2007)
- City 79,249
- Density 3,982.4/sq mi (2,469.1/km2)
- Metro 624,000

CDA
Population (2007)
- City 43,683
- Density 2,628.9/sq mi (1,058.6/km2)
- Metro 131,507 (w/ Spokane-590,617)

Idaho Falls
Population (as of 2008[update])
- City 57,133
- Density 2,972.2/sq mi (447.2/km2)
- Metro 122,995 (this is for sure where IF Lacks not having a nearby Metro)


Those numbers come from Wiki. I also think it said it best on the wiki

"Idaho Falls is the third-largest metropolitan area in the state behind Boise City-Nampa and Coeur d'Alene, but the second-largest independent economic and cultural center, due to Coeur d'Alene's reliance on and connection with the larger Spokane, Washington. In the past decade, Idaho Falls proper has been surpassed in population by the Boise suburbs of Meridian and Nampa, making it technically the fifth-largest city in Idaho."

[Boisekid]

The census released pop. projections today:

Boise-Nampa: 606,376
Coeur d'Alene: 139,390
Idaho Falls: 126,131
Twin Falls: 96,558 (actually considered a micro-statistical area)
Pocatello: 90,273

Like people have said earlier, due to Coeur d'Alene's dependence on Spokane, i'd say IF is the second largest independent Metro area in the state. Always considered IF the second largest city while i was living there, now it's dropped to 5th behind Boise, Nampa, Meridian, Pocatello with Caldwell gaining ground fast!

[Sawtooth]

Originally Posted by TonyAnderson

IF is very comparable to Logan, Utah in population, demographics, location, recent growth - and in fact they're only about 2 hours apart. But the main difference is Logan has a major university and IF doesn't. It'll be interesting to see how they both grow in the future because of that.

Ricks College was supposed to have been built in Idaho Falls but something happened that it was ultimately located up in Rexburg, but I.F. does have University Place which offers courses from all three state Universities, not a major campus but there is at least some higher education offered.


One major thing Idaho Falls has going for it is that one of the largest concentrations of technical pros in the west lives there and works at the Idaho National Laboratory.
https://inlportal.inl.gov/portal/ser.../about_inl/259
https://inlportal.inl.gov/portal/ser...00&cached=true
https://inlportal.inl.gov/portal/ser...jID=281&mode=2

[IFguy]

Been looking to post this for awhile but couldn't find the time until now.

Non stop flights from IF to LA via Allegiant air will begin soon!!!

I didn't know there was a big demand for this route but sounds good to me.

[StevenF]

I haven't been paying attention to Rexburg's growth the past couple years, but with the rate of BYU Idaho campus growth, what are the chances of Rexburg getting bigger than IF?

[VelvetElvis]

BYUI is incredibly specialized. It is basically a LDS church institute department on steroids. I don't mean that to be derogatory because I think, for a certain crowd, it serves an important purpose, but it will never be a heavy-hitting scholarly institution. They can't attract leading minds, or even well established professors, within the various disciplines offered. And they don't care. I don't think it can grow by leaps and bounds on a regular basis. While there are kids who would choose what BYUI offers indefinately, the majority of serious LDS students will always choose the academics of a BYU Provo, at the least, or any number of well respected, large research universities over BYUI. I bring this up because BYUI dominates Rexburg's economy. So no, Rexburg will not exceed IF in population or economic importance anytime soon. Of course, in the grand scheme of things, that is like one Chihuahua always being slightly larger than the other
As an aside, I know IF has a large population of PhD's thanks to INL, but I've been fortunate to run into a number of aternatively employed citizens who have advanced degrees from a variety of great schools. There is a relatively large and latent population of very well educated individuals running around here. I think a private college would find great support. But I have yet to hear of any substantial developments in that direction. Until then, IF will continue to be the largest metropolitan area in the US without a 4 year degree granting institution. It's a dubious distinction.

[GrandTeton]

Idaho Falls has managed its growth FAIRLY well, but Ammon on the other hand will be a huge Cloverdale neighborhood in the future if it doesn't get its act together.

[Sawtooth]

Originally Posted by StevenF

I haven't been paying attention to Rexburg's growth the past couple years, but with the rate of BYU Idaho campus growth, what are the chances of Rexburg getting bigger than IF?

It will never happen, at least in our lifetime. Idaho Falls is the urban and cultural and medical hub for a huge area including the Greater Yellowstone environs which includes East Idaho, parts of Wyoming and Montana; and Rexburg will always be the small once college town and now Upper Valley High/University town up the highway from I.F. and in the twilight zone.

[pop culture]

Dirt started moving again, last monday in that area. Nice to see projects moving forward.

[jimthemanincda]

Originally Posted by VelvetElvis

Until then, IF will continue to be the largest metropolitan area in the US without a 4 year degree granting institution. It's a dubious distinction.

In the US? It's not even the largest metro area in the state without a 4 year degree granting institution...Coeur d'Alene is larger and doesn't have a 4-year local university here.

[TonyAnderson]

edit

[VelvetElvis]

Originally Posted by jimthemanincda

In the US? It's not even the largest metro area in the state without a 4 year degree granting institution...Coeur d'Alene is larger and doesn't have a 4-year local university here.

I was incorrect to say "metro." I checked the source (Wikipedia) I used (which is really a secondary source whose primary source I haven't been able to verify yet) and it states that according to a recent USA Today article IF is the largest US city that lacks a traditional college. I'll keep checking on this, but you would be right to question Wikipedia since it is user generated and certainly not a scholarly source of info. I'll let you know if I find anything verifiable. The concept however is valid. No college in IF doesn't speak well of its future.

[Sawtooth]

Idaho Falls obviously doesn't have its own dedicated state college, but at least there is University Place and Eastern Idaho Technical College. I know ISU and U of I offer courses at University Place, but does BSU?

[VelvetElvis]

Right, the extensions are a step in the right direction, but they don't offer much. There are almost no classes in the humanities. In almost every case, one does have to commute at some point to Pocatello to finish a degree. Many of the classes are taught by adjunct staff, which doesn't mean they are of poor quality but just enhances the "satelite" only feeling of the campus. The students tend to be non-traditional. Although academia as usual can become very institutional and lack energy, a traditional college or such would have dynamic potential for Idaho Falls. Imagine if Whitman College was in IF or even the College of Southern Idaho. I think the growth of that school has had a huge impact on Twin Falls. If the administration is in IF than they will want to engage the community. I can tell you for a fact that IF is an afterthought for ISU. The administration in Pocatello doesn't want to engage IF. -And I'm not sure if BSU offers any extension classes here. If they do, it can't be more than a handfull. I'm not even sure they offer reciprocity.

[VelvetElvis]

One last thought since this is SSP. Go to http://univplace.org. If you haven't seen the "campus" layout this will provide you with some idea. -A few 3 story medical looking buildings spread out between large parking lots. Do you think there is much "community" happening there? Yes, people heading to school are looking for a degree, but exchange and environment is also very important. An education isn't just about learning a skill to get better pay, it's about possibilities... and coming to recognize the rewards inherent in learning; learning for learning's sake. If I had to make the choice between teaching my kids specific skills or showing them how an active mind will benefit them indefinately, I would choose the later. On a community basis, that doesn't happen in Idaho Falls. And I think it is unfortunate.

[GrandTeton]

It seems to me that there is a lack of young adults in Idaho Falls. It seems as though people aging from 18-25 are no where to be found in IF.

[TonyAnderson]

There could be some positive to no major University in the area. It makes the city seem a bit more mature and professional, without having specific ties to a college. In other words, it's not a college town, yet it's still an economic hub for the region. If someone moves to IF, they probably already have a degree.

Plus, there are nearby U's, such as ISU, as well as USU a mere 2 hours away.

[VelvetElvis]

Originally Posted by TonyAnderson

There could be some positive to no major University in the area. It makes the city seem a bit more mature and professional, without having specific ties to a college. In other words, it's not a college town, yet it's still an economic hub for the region. If someone moves to IF, they probably already have a degree.

Plus, there are nearby U's, such as ISU, as well as USU a mere 2 hours away.

Short answer: Uh no. Long answer: Is age the greatest factor in determining "maturity" and "professionalism?" Is education a better determinant? What of the addition that faculty would make to a community's professionalism and maturity? I suppose you are trying to imagine a scenario where no major or even minor university/college is a cup half full. I commend the attempt to be positive, but sometimes a situation reveals itself to be undesirable no matter how sincerely we hope it to be otherwise.
Tony, I know you don't live here, but IF is in no danger of "seeming" less mature and/or professional if a college campus moved to town.
-On another note, Melaleuca is now backing off of the idea of building a parking structure at Capital and A st. At 20k per stall, they can't justify it. What looked likely 6 months ago is now increasingly unlikely.