Boise Development Thread - Part II

[Sawtooth]

Esther Simplot Park
late Sunday afternoon
The new Greenbelt spur is open between Whitewater Park Boulevard and the Boise River and it winds through a small area of the new park by Quinn's Pond. This water sports park is going to be amazing when it is completed.

I have a lot of photos and don't know where to post them, anyways here are a few to start.

http://parks.cityofboise.org/parks-l...lot-park-site/

[robocop]

[QUOTE=Sawtooth;7486804][Center]Esther Simplot Park
late Sunday afternoon
The new Greenbelt spur is open between Whitewater Park Boulevard and the Boise River and it winds through a small area of the new park by Quinn's Pond. This water sports park is going to be amazing when it is completed.

I have a lot of photos and don't know where to post them, anyways here are a few to start.

http://parks.cityofboise.org/parks-l...lot-park-site/














Why does everything in Boise seem so... artificial? Very curious

[Boiseguy]

[QUOTE=robocop;7486917]

Originally Posted by Sawtooth

[Center]Esther Simplot Park
late Sunday afternoon
The new Greenbelt spur is open between Whitewater Park Boulevard and the Boise River and it winds through a small area of the new park by Quinn's Pond. This water sports park is going to be amazing when it is completed.

I have a lot of photos and don't know where to post them, anyways here are a few to start.

http://parks.cityofboise.org/parks-l...lot-park-site/














Why does everything in Boise seem so... artificial? Very curious

dunno what you're talking about... boise is pretty natural and pristine as far as cities go.. u can fish in the river that runs through downtown..and actually eat the fish and not get sick or die... what is artificial? that isn't artificial everywhere else?

[TVurban]

[QUOTE=robocop;7486917]

Originally Posted by Sawtooth

[Center]Esther Simplot Park
late Sunday afternoon
The new Greenbelt spur is open between Whitewater Park Boulevard and the Boise River and it winds through a small area of the new park by Quinn's Pond. This water sports park is going to be amazing when it is completed.

I have a lot of photos and don't know where to post them, anyways here are a few to start.

http://parks.cityofboise.org/parks-l...lot-park-site/

Why does everything in Boise seem so... artificial? Very curious

I think part of the artificial look it has now is because it's brand new. Give it a couple years for it to age and the vegetation to grow in.

[Sawtooth]

everything? That is a peculiar statement. I should have stated in my post, for the out of towners, that this park is not open yet and is still under construction. The photos I posted are of but a tiny area of this not yet finished park. The greenbelt spur I was on is at the edge of the park and there is so much more that is gated off until the park is finished.

TVurban's explanation is spot on. I also agree with Boiseguy. There aren't a lot of cities out there that can compare to all of the natural amenities Boise has within it's city limits.

Here is a pic of the park map sign along the spur. Sorry for the tilt, I was on my bike.




This is totally artificial.
Julia Davis Park, downtown.

[DonDay]

Originally Posted by boisenative

So.... while we have a decent amount of development u/c, there has been a lack of proposals as of late. Fortunately, I know of one major proposal that is in the works that I think you will all be excited about. I can't say anything about it at the moment, but I wanted to let you all know that the market doesn't seem to be slowing, but rather it is just taking time to get proposals ready to announce/build.

Your note is vague, but I think I might know what you're talking about... and it's a Big Damn Deal.

[boisenative]

Originally Posted by DonDay

Your note is vague, but I think I might know what you're talking about... and it's a Big Damn Deal.

Sorry to be vague. But for our sake, Don, I hope we are talking about different projects However, mine is definitely a "Big Damn Deal." On a completely different note (I swear), I feel like the downtown core is being stretched east with the new hotels/the afton/the fowler under construction. I can't help but think that one of the surface parking lots just west of the C.W. Moore building would be the ideal spot for our new tallest. Please forgive my quick and dirty photoshop (thanks, BoiseAirport, for the template. Please come back and save the forum from my photoshop).



Also, please excuse the size of the picture. I don't know how to reduce the size.

[DonDay]

Originally Posted by boisenative

Sorry to be vague. But for our sake, Don, I hope we are talking about different projects However, mine is definitely a "Big Damn Deal." On a completely different note (I swear), I feel like the downtown core is being stretched east with the new hotels/the afton/the fowler under construction. I can't help but think that one of the surface parking lots just west of the C.W. Moore building would be the ideal spot for our new tallest. Please forgive my quick and dirty photoshop (thanks, BoiseAirport, for the template. Please come back and save the forum from my photoshop).


Also, please excuse the size of the picture. I don't know how to reduce the size.

Hmm.. That's intriguing.

[Boisebro]

hard for me to be too optimistic. we've seen too many great proposals come and go over the years, and some solid proposals dumbed down to another ugly uncreative short brown box with tiny windows.

that lot next to CW moore is a HUGE plot of land. right now it's an eyesore parking lot with dirt along front street, so any decent/attractive development there would be a welcome change.

as for a new tallest, i'd love to see a building that's a TRUE tallest and that stands out more--not another one that's 2 feet higher than our current tallest. to that end, hopefully we'll get one that's at least 400 feet to the roofline, and may be a crown on top that reaches higher.

as for location, i still think the spot BoiseAirport indicated next to the CenturyLink building would be ideal, especially if it's a mixed-use hotel/condo with easy access to the convention center, grove, 8th street and other downtown amenities. here's the rendering he did of that location:



add another 50-100 feet to this rendering, and it'd be a solid and true tallest.

[Boisebro]

Originally Posted by Cottonwood

Remember the proposal years ago for a highrise on the old mission lot near CW Moore on Front? (Clay Carley)

http://www.skyscraperpage.com/forum/...5&postcount=55


http://skyscraperpage.com/forum/show...postcount=1082

PS, I've also heard "rumors"...anyone else?

i used to have a rendering of that proposal, but it's long gone. never was sure what the final height was going to be, though it seemed to be in the range of the US Bank building.

here's another angle of BA's "new tallest" on 9th:




as for rumors, i've heard a couple, but nothing that i'd consider "big news."

[boisenative]

Originally Posted by Boisebro

hard for me to be too optimistic. we've seen too many great proposals come and go over the years, and some solid proposals dumbed down to another ugly uncreative short brown box with tiny windows.

that lot next to CW moore is a HUGE plot of land. right now it's an eyesore parking lot with dirt along front street, so any decent/attractive development there would be a welcome change.

as for a new tallest, i'd love to see a building that's a TRUE tallest and that stands out more--not another one that's 2 feet higher than our current tallest. to that end, hopefully we'll get one that's at least 400 feet to the roofline, and may be a crown on top that reaches higher.

as for location, i still think the spot BoiseAirport indicated next to the CenturyLink building would be ideal, especially if it's a mixed-use hotel/condo with easy access to the convention center, grove, 8th street and other downtown amenities. here's the rendering he did of that location:



add another 50-100 feet to this rendering, and it'd be a solid and true tallest.

I really like that plot for a new tallest, too. However, for me it comes down to making the downtown core instantly dense v. expanding the footprint to add more 5-10 story buildings in the mix to create added street level engagement. If either one were to happen it would be a great thing for Boise.

Additionally, my 'rumor' is in financing stages... Like I mentioned with Don, I hope that Don, Cottonwood, and myself are all talking about different major projects that all come to light around the same time. Sorry to keep it shrouded in mystery... if it were up to me, I'd tell you all.

Enough of the secrecy, anyone hear anything more on the possibility of Paylocity being the tenant in Garner's Parcel B project?

[boisecynic]

Originally Posted by Architecture Buff

With 240 acres just sitting along the Boise River, since horse racing seems forever gone, Ada County, Garden City and Boise should plan a complex...

Regarding the Fairgrounds/Expo Idaho/Hawks complex: I think it's a great idea to pimp it out, but I don't think it's going to happen without higher capacity roads. Think freeways. I drove through Glenwood on Chinden the other morning before the Boise Music Festival and it was a mess. It's just too hard to get to for most people.

Omaha and Boise just aren't very comparable. Look at Omaha on google maps. I count a 4 freeway grid within a mile of Omaha's convention center. Then there's a direct connection to the airport just 2 miles away and I-680 just 3 or 4 miles north. Extremely different from anything Boise/Meridian has to offer.

In unrelated stuff, regarding the Esther Simplot park pics above, uh, is it necessary to have them reposted 3 times on the same page? Guys, edit out the quoted image links. Sorry, don't mean to backseat mod, Cottonwood. How about a ruling?

[Cottonwood]

http://kboi2.com/news/local/apartmen...-idaho-streets



Apartment complex being built at 14th and Idaho Streets

"It's proposed to have walkup units, and live-work units," said Shellan Rodriguez, who works with property development for CCDC. "and there's surface parking tucked behind a small retail spot for a coffee shop or something along those lines to bring some vibrancy to Idaho Street."

The plan for the Watercooler Apartments (they're keeping that name, by the way) also includes a pocket park for public use. Total development costs are anticipated to be $7 million and the project should be completed in 12 months, developers say.

[DonDay]

Originally Posted by boisenative

Additionally, my 'rumor' is in financing stages... Like I mentioned with Don, I hope that Don, Cottonwood, and myself are all talking about different major projects that all come to light around the same time. Sorry to keep it shrouded in mystery... if it were up to me, I'd tell you all.

Enough of the secrecy, anyone hear anything more on the possibility of Paylocity being the tenant in Garner's Parcel B project?

That indicates to me we're talking about different things. I haven't been able to get reporting over the hump on the thing I'm teasing.

I'd put $50 on Paylocity at Parcel B. (And $50 is the most I'd be willing to be on anything, really )

[Boisebro]

the secret projects you're talking about -- can you at least say whether they're high-rises, or are they large developments (ala JUMP) that aren't particularly tall?

[SFTransplant]

Originally Posted by Boisebro

the secret projects you're talking about -- can you at least say whether they're high-rises, or are they large developments (ala JUMP) that aren't particularly tall?

Yes! Inquiring minds are dying to know!

[GrandTeton]

Let's hope this rumor of a project doesn't look anything like the Gateway Tower West in SLC.

[boisenative]

Mine is not a high rise. So no, nothing like my poorly photoshopped picture. More like JUMP... Don? Cottonwood?

[TreasureValley]

Originally Posted by boisenative

Mine is not a high rise. So no, nothing like my poorly photoshopped picture. More like JUMP... Don? Cottonwood?

No high rise is disappointing a little bit... Maybe a long awaited downtown stadium though?

[boisenative]

Originally Posted by TreasureValley

No high rise is disappointing a little bit... Maybe a long awaited downtown stadium though?