[Visualize]

LOL, I like it... it's funky. Or is groovy a better word? It looks modern and kind of techy, like it's geared for the University crowd which makes sense considering the location, I'm all for it.
That being said, it looks like it's going to be built out of used shipping containers. :haha:

GREAT news about the 10-story St. Luke's tower. I can't wait to see some renderings or drawings. Both St. Luke's and St. Al's have produced quite a few beautiful structures around the valley, so it'll be great to see what they come up with. :yes:

I'm thinking it's getting close to time for me to make an update on the main page! :banana:

Yeah, from what I can tell they are using recycled shipping containers. I think this is completely ridiculous, but yes, funky it is. It reminds me of a Brazilian Favela haphazardly constructed out of sheet metal and other random building materials. Hopefully it comes with rampant drugs, crime, and prostitution in order to live up to it's image.

[andyroo]

Yeah, from what I can tell they are using recycled shipping containers. I think this is completely ridiculous, but yes, funky it is. It reminds me of a Brazilian Favela haphazardly constructed out of sheet metal and other random building materials. Hopefully it comes with rampant drugs, crime, and prostitution in order to live up to it's image.

....

lol

[BoiseAirport]

Yeah, from what I can tell they are using recycled shipping containers. I think this is completely ridiculous, but yes, funky it is. It reminds me of a Brazilian Favela haphazardly constructed out of sheet metal and other random building materials. Hopefully it comes with rampant drugs, crime, and prostitution in order to live up to it's image.

:sly:....... It might look dorky, but you think it's comparable to this?

http://bestinpackaging.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/110401-rio-de-janeiro-favela-da-rocinha-slum-photo-by-n-cabana-320x213-100dpi.jpg?w=320&h=213

[Visualize]

^^:D Obviously it was a joke more than anything...but at a more micro level...yeah, I see some similarities, nondescripit "cubular" pods and waste materials. Though maybe "shanty town" would have been a more descriptive phrase, Favelas do seem to be of a higher building quality.

http://www.eveandersson.com/photos/brazil/sao-paulo-favela-17-large.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m48/visualeyez1983/cubes2-1.png

[BoiseAirport]

LOL, judging by that photo now that you say it I think I like that favela color scheme more than the ketchup and mustard "earth-tones." :P

[City Of Trees]

I'm curious as to where that ten story tower will be located. Remember that we have a six story building planned already on the southeast corner of Jefferson and Broadway/Ave B/Fort/State/too-many-street-name-changes. Maybe in that triangle area north of Jefferson where the big tree is located? If they did that, I'd want it to be planned so that possible State/Jefferson one way couplet could work out, but that's probably not happening....

[BoiseAirport]

I'm curious as to where that ten story tower will be located. Remember that we have a six story building planned already on the southeast corner of Jefferson and Broadway/Ave B/Fort/State/too-many-street-name-changes. Maybe in that triangle area north of Jefferson where the big tree is located? If they did that, I'd want it to be planned so that possible State/Jefferson one way couplet could work out, but that's probably not happening....

Me too, I'm trying to dig up some renderings but no dice. :shrug:
Anyone with a subscription to the Idaho Business-Review know if they got renderings there? If they do, I might use that as an excuse to finally get a subscription.

[Cottonwood]

Hey I'm getting ready to move back to Boise soon and I'm curious if Whole Foods has begun construction yet? Any ideas on when it's supposed to be finished? Thanks!

It has not started yet, but the last news regarding WF is that it would begin construction this summer. (and JUMP this year too).
Where are you moving back from?

[BoiseAirport]

Aha!!! Found a rendering! :banana:

http://www.stlukesonline.org/boise/specialties_and_services/heart/images/SLRMC-Heart-from-Park.jpg

Source: http://www.stlukesonline.org/boise/specialties_and_services/heart/future.php

Our future plan is a multi-story Cardiovascular Tower at St. Luke’s Boise. This new facility will provide a single, regional location for heart and vascular treatment.

Click on "See Rendering"

[Cottonwood]

:previous:Awesome BoiseAirport.
We are fortunate in Boise to have two of the finest hospitals (St. Alphonsus and St Lukes)in the West in our fair city. A family memeber of mine is a nurse at St. Al's and has said in the past that St. Lukes was going to be building a "heart" tower. St. Al's is a leader in heart care and now it appears St. Lukes will be as well. Gotta love Boise's Saints!

[Boisebro]

Aha!!! Found a rendering! :banana:

http://www.stlukesonline.org/boise/specialties_and_services/heart/images/SLRMC-Heart-from-Park.jpg

Source: http://www.stlukesonline.org/boise/specialties_and_services/heart/future.php



Click on "See Rendering"



cool rendering!

i'm having a hard time figuring out where exactly that tower is supposed to be built. is that just west of the current tower?

south of the tower is the new sunken parking structure. east is the 8-story apartment tower. north across broadway is the boise little theater. so i'm guessing this 10-story tower will be west of the current main tower, closer to downtown?

:shrug:

after all, i'm just a caveman.

your rendering frightens and confuses me.

http://picsneed.co.cc/data/2011-05-30/unfrozen-caveman-lawyer.jpg

[BoiseAirport]

LOL!

This is just a guess, but judging by the shape of the lot, and that the foreground has trees in a park-like setting, I'm guessing it's the lot just north of the main tower. :)

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-G1JLlJ3quJ0/Tft3nehkExI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/8QltaWXD4PI/map.png

[Evo5Boise]

I think you are right about that North lot. It does make the most sense. I like that rendering a lot. Looks great.

[Visualize]

Sweet rendering. I also think you are right about the location. The massing looks like a miniature Vegas hotel/casino, but classy. That will make a great outer boundary to downtown.

[Cottonwood]

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/06/17/1693287/st-lukes-plans-two-big-treasure.html

St. Luke’s plans two big Treasure Valley expansions
By Audrey Dutton - adutton@idahostatesman.com
Published: 06/17/11




The 10-story heart and cardiac tower is planned directly behind the St. Luke’s Boise Medical Center’s existing tower on a block bordered by East Bannock Street, Avenue B and Jefferson Street.

Construction would require some big changes near the hospital’s main building.

To erect a tower right behind the existing building, St. Luke’s would need to close Jefferson Street, said spokesman Ken Dey. The hospital system has not yet sought approval to do that.

In addition, some office buildings and the physical plant that holds the hospital’s boilers would have to be torn down and moved. The physical plant would be moved across 1st Street to a block where St. Luke’s owns several houses that now are used for St. Luke’s operations such as day care, doctor’s offices, employee health and the system’s nonprofit foundation.

[isangpogi]

It has not started yet, but the last news regarding WF is that it would begin construction this summer. (and JUMP this year too).
Where are you moving back from?

Hey thanks for the update, we're moving from Rexburg. I graduated last December and my wife is graduating soon. There's not much for us here so we're moving back to Boise for the time being. Can't take another East Idaho winter either!

[boi2socal]

Sweet rendering. I also think you are right about the location. The massing looks like a miniature Vegas hotel/casino, but classy. That will make a great outer boundary to downtown.

That's what I thought.

[BoiseAirport]

Hey folks, with all the recent news, I'm in the process of making an update to the front page.

Some of the things I'm thinking about including is a map of all of the proposed projects, a list of dead projects, a list of projects that aren't formally proposed but could pop up in the future (New Convention Center, airport expansion, etc.). Any suggestions for stuff you'd like to see added in a front page update? :)

[bones143]

I have been trolling this website for years now, guess it its time to post :)
I was born and raised in Boise and love the COT.
I will share my insight and opinions once i sober up a bit :) It's been a long week.
We have a lot to look forward to Boise !

[GrandTeton]

I read on CCDCs website that ZGF architects will be designing the multimodal center. They have some impressive work. ZGF architects is also working with BSU for its master plan and extension.

Check out some of their stuff here: http://www.zgf.com/pages/zgf_main.php?navloc=work

I'm waiting for a rendering to find its way onto the internet. I'm sure it'll be a good looking multimodal center.

[Evo5Boise]

I will share my insight and opinions once i sober up a bit :)

LMAO! Welcome and join the club! :cheers:

[BoiseAirport]

Remember a while back in June 2009 when there was that 13-floor office tower that was supposed to be the second phase of Capital One Center? Unsure of the status of that project, I went to dig up some more information on that building and I found this... two of the renderings were posted here, but there are 3 more which I hadn't seen. Thought you all might find this interesting. :)

http://www.colabarchitecture.com/colabstudio-architecture-commercial.html

http://www.colabarchitecture.com/images/projects/capitaltower2/image01.jpg
http://www.colabarchitecture.com/images/projects/capitaltower2/image02.jpg
http://www.colabarchitecture.com/images/projects/capitaltower2/image03.jpg
http://www.colabarchitecture.com/images/projects/capitaltower2/image04.jpg
http://www.colabarchitecture.com/images/projects/capitaltower2/image05.jpg
http://www.colabarchitecture.com/images/projects/capitaltower2/image06.jpg

Now I could be totally wrong, but it seems like this project might not be dead just yet. I might shoot them an email asking if they know the status of the project. Like Capital Plaza, I think this is a project that's simply on-hold until better economic times. What do you think? :)

[Evo5Boise]

I think that would be amazing! Try to pry some info from them! :)

[NYC Rick]

I think that would be amazing! Try to pry some info from them! :)

Ireally like how Boise is expanding! Cool!

Hoever, the word amazing is a little exagerrated.








*************************************
Perhaps you were a little tipsy, maybe drunk when you left this post NYC and SLC Rick?

[Boisebro]

Ireally like how Boise is expanding! Cool!

Hoever, the word amazing is a little exagerrated.

it's all a matter of context.

remember, this is boise -- we have NIMBY's who refer to a 4-story building as a "tower." :koko:

besides, in this town, getting anything over 2 floors built does constitute "amazing," especially since what's on that lot right now is a stunningly beautiful asphalt parking lot.

[GrandTeton]

I'm much more of a fan of that building compared to Capitol Plaza. I can see this building becoming a reality. It looks like it'll be in the 170-190' range to me. I'm rooting for you Boise!

[greenbearcub]

Aha!!! Found a rendering! :banana:

http://www.stlukesonline.org/boise/specialties_and_services/heart/images/SLRMC-Heart-from-Park.jpg

Source: http://www.stlukesonline.org/boise/specialties_and_services/heart/future.php



Click on "See Rendering"

I heard that ST Luke's was planing a few new buildings at the downtown campus, the one at Ave B and Jefferson and a second one. I didn't know that they were planing on something like this. We have been talking about them at work.

Still a bit unclear about when they said they would need to closed Jefferson St if that was just for the construction or permanent cause it was my understanding that they were to be connected via walk ways like the one in the rendering for the Ave B and Jefferson had on it. But it is still early to even get confused on the matter. First it has to get approved and funded. but from that rendering it does seem to connect right to the old tower (at least on the base part that extrudes from the tower).

[Cottonwood]

Hey folks, with all the recent news, I'm in the process of making an update to the front page.

Some of the things I'm thinking about including is a map of all of the proposed projects, a list of dead projects, a list of projects that aren't formally proposed but could pop up in the future (New Convention Center, airport expansion, etc.). Any suggestions for stuff you'd like to see added in a front page update? :)

The first page of this thread has been updated with your new list of developments and your new map. Thanks BoiseAirport:cheers:

[greenbearcub]

Quick question isn't the Sentsy office building already going up there seems to be something going up over there but I never pull off Eagle to see what it is. I could be wrong but there is some kind of action happening there.

[Coy911]

I thought there was some discussion on a new sign for the airport? I thought it was going to say something like - Boise International Airport

[BoiseAirport]

Quick question isn't the Sentsy office building already going up there seems to be something going up over there but I never pull off Eagle to see what it is. I could be wrong but there is some kind of action happening there.

Good question! Actually that wouldn't surprise me at all, unfortunately I so rarely go out to Meridian and Eagle now that I can't say for certain what the status of the project is, other than it's at least proposed. Anyone with more info? If it is under construction I'll update the main page.

I thought there was some discussion on a new sign for the airport? I thought it was going to say something like - Boise International Airport

Hey Coy911, here's some information from the Boise Airport website that should answer your question (start at Page 17). I believe they ended up going with Option 1. :)

http://www.cityofboise.org/Departments/Airport/PDF/AirportCommission/June2010Presentation.pdf

[Cottonwood]

Boise is a perfect fit for events like this, we have the massive parks with playing fields to host this. Maybe this is something BSU's new Dona Laren Park can host in the future?


http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/06/21/1696979/valley-plays-host-to-4000-star.html

Treasure Valley plays host to 4,000 of youth soccer's star players
BY KATY MOELLER kmoeller@idahostatesman.com - Idaho Statesman
Copyright: © 2011 Idaho Statesman
Published: 06/21/11



Boise-area hoteliers and merchants are happy to see these young athletes and their families, who come from 13 Western states, including Hawaii. Organizers estimate the economic impact on the region at about $10 million.





Read more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/06/21/1696979/valley-plays-host-to-4000-star.html#ixzz1Pv7SlxPn

[Cottonwood]

This is a nice article about a back to nature movement in cities and Boise is at the forefront.


http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/06/19/1694797/a-future-more-like-boise-than.html


A new nature movement imagines a future more like Boise than ‘Blade Runner’
BY ROCKY BARKER - rbarker@idahostatesman.com
Copyright: © 2011 Idaho Statesman
Published: 06/19/11



A few years later, voters approved a levy to protect the Foothills that connect Boise neighborhoods to the southern edge of the Northern Rockies.

As the Treasure Valley population has grown by 35 percent or more over the past two decades, Boise has become more natural, not less, in its core.

Floaters and cyclists enjoy the river in summer, and snowboarders shred the slopes of Bogus Basin in the winter.

But it doesn’t stop there. Along with Boise’s string of riverside parks, community gardens are springing up around the city.

[Boizean]

Quick question isn't the Sentsy office building already going up there seems to be something going up over there but I never pull off Eagle to see what it is. I could be wrong but there is some kind of action happening there.
I know the Sentsy warehouse is under construction. There's another building going up farther back behind the warehouse construction site. I'm not sure if it's part of Sentsy though, looks like a three floor office building.

[Coy911]

Good question! Actually that wouldn't surprise me at all, unfortunately I so rarely go out to Meridian and Eagle now that I can't say for certain what the status of the project is, other than it's at least proposed. Anyone with more info? If it is under construction I'll update the main page.



Hey Coy911, here's some information from the Boise Airport website that should answer your question (start at Page 17). I believe they ended up going with Option 1. :)

http://www.cityofboise.org/Departments/Airport/PDF/AirportCommission/June2010Presentation.pdf

It's to bad they won't use "Boise International Airport." Happy Holidays below Boise Airport doesn't flow in my opinion. Any news on expansion of the Airport?

[Cottonwood]

This is some news that involves one of our towers.

http://www.ktvb.com/news/Baby-peregrine-falcon-rescued-after-falling-from-its-nest-124366824.html


Baby peregrine falcon rescued after falling from its 14th floor nest
by Natalie Podgorski
Bio | Email| Follow: @NatalieKTVB
KTVB.COM
Posted on June 22, 2011 at 12:29 PM

Updated yesterday at 6:38 PM

BOISE -- We've been following the hatching and growth of four baby peregrine falcons in a nest high above downtown Boise.

Today one of the babies is back in its nest today after falling out early this morning.

Barbara Newman found the baby bird on her way to work and called us to get help.

"As I was crossing, I noticed this bird and immediately knew it was one of the babies from the 14th floor."



............the rest at the link.

[Orlando]

Hi Boise forumers,
I just thought I'ld check out what's going on in Boise. I just gotta say, good job! to Boizean for doing an excellent job of updating the first page and including a map. I am going to have the Salt Lake Forumers take a look at it for a good example. The beginning page of the Salt Lake thread is so out of date. Anyways, I hope Boise gets some of those projects going. The white water park in downtown looks great!

[Cottonwood]

Hi Boise forumers,
I just thought I'ld check out what's going on in Boise. I just gotta say, good job! to Boizean for doing an excellent job of updating the first page and including a map. I am going to have the Salt Lake Forumers take a look at it for a good example. The beginning page of the Salt Lake thread is so out of date. Anyways, I hope Boise gets some of those projects going. The white water park in downtown looks great!


Thanks Orlando...Boizean posted the original list of projects, the new update is by BoiseAirport.






Boise(the center of the outdoor recreation universe) Rec Fest is this weekend!! :)
http://www.boiserecfest.com/



Boise Rec Fest at Ann Morrison Park
Idaho Statesman
Published: 06/24/11


Celebrate your recreational self at the Boise Rec Fest, two days of music, community and loving what you do outdoors. At the REI workshop tent, you can learn about wilderness medicine and hiking in McCall, Stanley and Sun Valley. There will be exhibition games, an all-ages climbing wall, “Leave No Trace” training, food and entertainment. The main stage lineup includes performances by Matt Hopper and the Roman Candles on June 25 and Finn Riggins on June 26. Check out the youth stage with rockers Workin’ on Fire, the dazzling Freedom Footbaggers and Dragon Bushido.






http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/06/24/1701644/boise-rec-fest.html







And don't forget Bare as you Dare tonight downtown... riding bikes naked or near naked , yeah
:tup:

http://boisebicycleproject.org/P4theP.html

Bare as You Dare
When : Fri, June 24, 9:45pm – 10:45pm
Where : Camels Back Park- Tennis Courts
Description "A light-hearted protest against fossil fuel". A demonstration that any body can ride a bike and have fun doing it. A comment on the vulnerability of cyclists. Choose your message, ride with us! What to wear? Do not fear! The World Naked Bike Ride dress code is ""Bare As You Dare""... How bare is that ? How dare is that ?...Its all up to you, you decide what you are comfortable with. No one is excluded or discriminated against based on levels of clothing, bodypaint, or anything else, for that matter!" Who's in charge? Nobody knows. Be there at 9:45 and start ringing your bell as we roll at 10pm. We'll ride over to 13th street, through Hyde Park and down to Fort St. East on Fort, all the way to 8th, and then back up to the tennis courts.

[BoiseAirport]

So I went project hunting on Google... Just found this bizarre proposal I've never heard of, a 50,000 sq. ft. "World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame" proposed for the entrance to Bronco Stadium. It looks like an old rendering, since the Stueckle Sky Center isn't there... anyone have more info on this? It looks like it's tied in with the Humanitarian Bowl perhaps?

http://www.sportshumanitarian.com/new_hof.html

http://www.sportshumanitarian.com/images/HOF_building_rendering.jpg

It looks like it would be a pretty nice structure to compliment Bronco Stadium. :)

EDIT: Whoa! Anyone have more info on THIS?!

http://www.timgrissom.info/portfolio/lca1.html

http://www.timgrissom.info/portfolio/m3large.jpg

I think I might contact that guy to see if it's just a freelance architecture project of his, or if it was an actual thing proposed. In any case, MAN I wish that were built! That's gorgeous, and would go with our skyline very nicely!

[Visualize]

^^Sweet finds. I'm really hoping that building is real. It says Oppenheimer Development Corporation on the side of the rendering, so it could be a good possibility that it is.

It's hard to get a grasp of what the BSU addition would really look like because when you click the link it says that it's not drawn to scale. Wouldn't mind seeing that either, but the other building really peaked my interest.

Not trying to change the topic, but it looks like the CenterCal Meridian Town Center project updated some pics, as I don't remember seeing these before, showing the park on the adjacent lot under construction.

http://www.centercal.com/vt_photos/meridian/meridian_aerial.jpg

http://www.centercal.com/vt_photos/meridian/meridian_aerial2.jpg

http://www.centercal.com/vt_photos/meridian/meridian_aerial3.jpg
http://www.centercal.com/meridian.html

[BoiseAirport]

Yeeech... the more I look at it, the more I'm disapproving of this Town Center project in Meridian. Not that it's a bad project per se, but it's just another thing that a) will turn Eagle Road into a nightmare, and b) will incentivize the shift of Boise's core toward Meridian. Boise has enough sprawl!

So I drove by the Whole Food's lot, and I saw some construction equipment!!! I don't know how long it's been there, and it was just a CAT digging truck and not much else, but it looked like some sort of activity has been going on. :banana:

Continuing my search for projects, I stumbled upon some new renderings of the Whole Foods Phase II project. I don't know if it'll ever get off the ground, and it doesn't look quite as snazzy as some of the earlier renderings, but as far as I know these are the most current, and it still looks good. :cool:

http://www.loopnet.com/xNet/MainSite/Listing/Profile/Profile.aspx?LID=17085427

http://www.loopnet.com/xnet/mainsite/HttpHandlers/attachment/ServeAttachment.ashx?FileGuid=FEACA01D-CB36-40D7-8833-69717B761057&Extension=jpg&Width=631&Height=421&PadImage=true&DisableVisualWatermark=
http://www.loopnet.com/xnet/mainsite/HttpHandlers/attachment/ServeAttachment.ashx?FileGuid=67A9DEE5-DEFC-4F5A-B627-723AF4C419BE&Extension=jpg&Width=631&Height=421&PadImage=true&DisableVisualWatermark=

[202_Cyclist]

Yikes! Look at those surface parking lots. All that surface parking just leads to more sprawl, subsidizes auto use, and discourages walking/biking and transit.

[Cottonwood]

Yeeech... the more I look at it, the more I'm disapproving of this Town Center project in Meridian. Not that it's a bad project per se, but it's just another thing that a) will turn Eagle Road into a nightmare, and b) will incentivize the shift of Boise's core toward Meridian.

I agree too, unfortunately stuff like this will usually be built in the burbs in a growing area like Boise. The website says that this lifestyle center will have retail stores new to Idaho, if that is the case then those retailers need to be downtown Boise and not in suburban Meridian. The old Macy's building is screaming for a new tenant.

[Evo5Boise]

I too agree on the Lifestyle Center in Meridian. I was under the impression it was going to be a little different than the pictures show.

As for the Whole Foods project, although it is another square brown box, I actually kind of like it. It has some nice substance to it.

[Visualize]

You guys are trippin. While of course downtown development would be preferred by many, the Meridian Town Center project is fantastic for an area that is going to see growth regardless. The fake urbanity of the project is a new concept to the suburban areas around Boise, and once its undoubted success is shown, the whole valley could see a slight shift in development patterns, and potentially more interest of suburbanites in the real urbanity of downtown. Even if that doesn't pan out, these types of developments have the potential to see future development in and around the current project because of its design, which is always good considering the alternative is a one use serving strip mall.

This project is going to be modeled off of the Bridgeport Valley lifestyle center in Portland. This is a little snippet from that developments wiki page:

"In 2006, the architect won an International Council of Shopping Centers Design and Development Award. By 2007, the center had revenue of more than $600 per square-foot, which placed Bridgeport in the top five-percent of malls in the United States. At that time it was also bringing in nearly 4 million shoppers each year, leading to discussions of whether to designate the area as a town center under the regional government's land use plan."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgeport_Village_%28Oregon%29

[GrandTeton]

http://www.gisplanning.net/photos/idaho/CSquared%20flyer.pdf There is a rendering I've never seen before on the last page.

Does anyone know anything more about the C-Squared development?

[BoiseAirport]

http://www.gisplanning.net/photos/idaho/CSquared%20flyer.pdf There is a rendering I've never seen before on the last page.

Does anyone know anything more about the C-Squared development?

Sadly, if I recall right this project is pretty much 100% dead. :(

Source: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-168860886/developers-gary-christensen-and.html

I believe later on they (Carley and Urban Frontier) said they had to make huge changes to the design due to the downturn, greatly cutting the amount of floors on the structure, and since it's been about 3 years since we've heard anything, I think it's safe to say it's gone. Too bad, it would've been a beauty. I would've far preferred it over the Aspen (solely because of the Aspen's butt-ugly south face that, IMO, hurts our skyline).

But that's still an interesting find! I had never seen that rendering before of that project, the only thing I had seen was this blurry rendering:

http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/9133/boiserescuemissionmw7.jpg

I had really wanted to make a detailed model of this tower to put in my 3D model of Boise, but it would probably come out sloppy based on the blurry rendering... now I have enough detail that it'll look realistic and good! :)

[Cottonwood]

:previous: The last news I remember on this project is that it was being modified, and then no news at all. Maybe the developer still owns that lot...after all they did succeed in the moving of the shelter off of Front Street.

[Cottonwood]

Some Meridian Town Center news. This project will include bowling lanes, isn't there another new fancy shmancy bowling alley coming to family town too?

(I have heard a few H & M rumors swirling regarding Meridian Town Center...H & M, the downtown Macy's building would be a better fit because Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, North Face, etc...are all downtown too:) )


http://idahobusinessreview.com/2011/06/28/14-million-entertainment-center-coming-to-meridian/

$14 million entertainment center coming to Meridian
by Jennifer Gonzalez
Published: June 28,2011
Time posted: 1:46 pm


Construction of a new $14 million entertainment center is set to begin near Idaho’s busiest intersection. Vancouver, Wash.,-based Big Al’s will be opening a two-story, 65,848-square- foot family entertainment center at Eagle and Fairview Roads in the Meridian Town Center. It will include 42 bowling lanes, arcade, sports bar and grill, pool tables, golf simulator and ...
Login required

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[Cottonwood]

http://www.boiseweekly.com/boise/a-new-field-of-dreams/Content?oid=2341664
A New Field of Dreams?
Citydesk looks at just-released market-viability analysis on a new multi-purpose stadium.
by George Prentice

• The development of a new stadium could allow Boise to attract a higher class of baseball than the Boise Hawks' current Class A status. Class AA franchises are located exclusively in the Eastern and Southern United States, so it's highly unlikely that Boise could be included. However, Class AAA franchises are located throughout the nation and could represent a potential opportunity for Boise.

• While construction of a new stadium could boost attendance to Hawks games by as much as 43 percent (an average of 4,000 fans per game), a facility could readily host varsity football, baseball, softball and soccer. Concerts and even a wintertime outdoor ice rink for public skating are other potential uses.

[isangpogi]

Hey just got done browsing CenterCal's website and I am very impressed with what they can do. I was in Portland last weekend and spend some time at Cascade Station while our plane was delayed (the shopping center is just a 5-minute light rail ride from the terminal). I was very impressed with how well laid-out and landscaped it was. I am really excited about what retailers might move in, I'm hoping for Orvis and dreaming for IKEA! Boise would be by far the smallest metro served by an IKEA so I'm not holding my breath... An H&M would be awesome too! I do share the same sentiment though as others, as I wish that more retailers could be attracted downtown instead of the suburbs. If H&M were to come to Boise, it would seem to me that they would fit better in the old Macy's than in a suburban shopping center. The H&M's I've been to have all been in more trendy areas of town (Downtown Portland, Santa Monica) rather than in Suburbia. The style of clothes they sell would certainly appeal more to the downtown, north-end crowd than it would to Meridianites and 2Cers... One great tenant who could come in to the town center though would be In-N-Out! With so many ex-Californians in Meridian and Eagle, that place would be busy all day!

[Boisebro]

i don't expect much activity on the old macy's building downtown anytime soon. i hope i'm wrong.

people i've talked to say that building needs significant updates before anyone moves in, and it's more likely that it'd be more viable to tear it down and build from scratch. unfortunately, it appears that the chance that someone's going to pay for that in this economy is slim to none.

it's a shame, because it's a great location, and would be a nice spot for a small-footprint, mixed-use tower that includes retail on the lower levels and residential/offices/hotel on higher levels.

[Boisebro]

http://www.loopnet.com/xNet/MainSite/Listing/Profile/Profile.aspx?LID=17085427

http://www.loopnet.com/xnet/mainsite/HttpHandlers/attachment/ServeAttachment.ashx?FileGuid=FEACA01D-CB36-40D7-8833-69717B761057&Extension=jpg&Width=631&Height=421&PadImage=true&DisableVisualWatermark=
http://www.loopnet.com/xnet/mainsite/HttpHandlers/attachment/ServeAttachment.ashx?FileGuid=67A9DEE5-DEFC-4F5A-B627-723AF4C419BE&Extension=jpg&Width=631&Height=421&PadImage=true&DisableVisualWatermark=



i also don't mind the look of that tower. it's not exactly an earth-shattering design, and i know it's still earth-tone, but if it's brick, i think it's decent and provides nice density on the east side.

there's also an empty lot between that tower and the winco. hopefully someone will develop that space... i love the idea of a residential tower there with views of the park and boise state to the south, and views of the city and foothills to the north.

[Cottonwood]

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/07/01/1711067/china-trade-delegation-sees-a.html


China trade delegation sees a lot to like in Idaho
Business people get a firsthand look at opportunities for investment and downplay negative Internet buzz.
BY ROCKY BARKER - rbarker@idahostatesman.com
Copyright: © 2011 Idaho Statesman
Published: 07/01/11



Yuan Tan tells anyone who will listen about the wonderful attributes of living and doing business in Boise.

She has lived in New York, Connecticut and the Silicon Valley, but after two visits here, she was hooked.

“I think it’s a great place to start a new business,” she said. “It’s also a great place to start a family.”

Tan moved to Boise to join her husband, Zaiyuan Ren, who works for Micron Technology. They chose Boise for the skiing, golfing and fishing — and for the housing that’s five times cheaper than in California.

She was volunteering with the Idaho Chinese Cultural and Business Center at the Boise Centre Thursday to help host the delegation of business and government representatives from the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. The China Council has a 15-year relationship with the state of Idaho and has helped coordinate many of the trade missions to China.



............

“Idaho has the most favorable policies for investment in the U.S.,” said Zhan Ruichao, a China Council deputy director. “It also has the most efficient staff we have ever met.”



Read more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/07/01/1711067/china-trade-delegation-sees-a.html#ixzz1QraPzp6k

[el conquistador]

“It also has the most efficient staff we have ever met.”


I like that quote. This may be what pulls Idaho out of this funk. F*** the borderline racist tea-bagger conspiracy theorists. It's a global economy, and if America can't get it done here, let's see what comes of this.

[BoiseAirport]

“It also has the most efficient staff we have ever met.”


I like that quote. This may be what pulls Idaho out of this funk. F*** the borderline racist tea-bagger conspiracy theorists. It's a global economy, and if America can't get it done here, let's see what comes of this.

101% percent agreed.
From everything I've heard, China's potential economic investment in Idaho could be huge for our local economy, dare I say could keep our city afloat while the rest of the country is in a recession. It really bothers me to hear the negative internet buzz might be making an impact, how embarassing. Though then again it seems the negatvity is nationwide rather than just from Idaho bloggers so it seems it would be present no matter where China invests.

And BRING ON THAT HAWKS STADIUM! I would so love it if we had a Triple-A team, and it could include a professional soccer team to boot!

[Cottonwood]

101% percent agreed.
From everything I've heard, China's potential economic investment in Idaho could be huge for our local economy, dare I say could keep our city afloat while the rest of the country is in a recession. It really bothers me to hear the negative internet buzz might be making an impact, how embarassing. Though then again it seems the negatvity is nationwide rather than just from Idaho bloggers so it seems it would be present no matter where China invests.And BRING ON THAT HAWKS STADIUM! I would so love it if we had a Triple-A team, and it could include a professional soccer team to boot!


Correct, the internet buzz about the Chinese investments in Idaho and other states (there are a few other states China is looking into) is more intense from out of staters, the Idaho bloggers and comments are minimal compared to the rest of the nation. The way I feel is there are a handful of miserable souls that troll the Idaho Statesman forums and they are hardly indicative of the overall opinions and thoughts of most Boiseans or Idahoans. But a lot of the comments I have seen from people in other states regarding this topic have much to be desired. I find it silly to see comments from a naive New Yorker who knows nothing about Idaho trying to state what is best for Idaho and in a radical way too.

edit...I agree about the soccer, this is a huge soccer town so bring it on.

[Evo5Boise]

All in all, I would say Boise has a bright future! :)

[BoiseAirport]

My earlier reply was kind of half-assed since I was typing on my phone and I had just woken up.

It seems like this last June 30th meeting might have cleared up a little bit of the uncertainty when it came to China investing in Idaho. The Idaho Statesman's website doesn't seem to be working at the moment so I can't link to the article I'm referring to, but I recall about a few days or a week ago there was an article regarding the negative internet buzz, and in it there were a few details, ending on a negative note that the talks hadn't gotten far and that Idaho has not heard back from Sinomach or been given any official proposal.

With this new article, there still is a bit of uncertainty, but it seems far more positive like this might actually go somewhere rather than negative like in the previous article I read. I think I'm going to write to our state leaders showing my support for their pursuit in Chinese investments in Idaho. I doubt it will actually do anything, but maybe it'll help counter some of the negative buzz. I'll very much welcome them with open arms if they brought economic opportunity. :)

[Cottonwood]

Looks like the Royal Cubes live and work development proposed downtown is up for Design Review next week.

http://pdsonline.cityofboise.org/pdsonline/details.aspx?id=DRH11-00133&type=doc

[BoiseAirport]

Plans revived for Meridian Town Center development

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/07/06/1716555/plans-revived-for-meridian-town.html

http://media.idahostatesman.com/smedia/2011/07/05/23/00/bDUiq.St.36.jpg

[Cottonwood]

Ha! This guy has too much time on his hands.

" An even better father" :haha: If he wants to be a better father he might want to be careful which word(s) are hanging around his neck in public. :haha:
So, telling the CCDC to F off makes a person a better father.....oh my. He obviously has a personal issue with CCDC.


http://www.boiseweekly.com/CityDesk/archives/2011/07/06/boise-man-has-choice-words-for-ccdc

Boise Boise Man Has Choice Words for CCDC
by George Prentice on Wed, Jul 6, 2011 at 3:56 PM


If you were walking around downtown Boise this afternoon, you may have seen Mike Murphy. In his shirt and tie, he looked like many businessmen out on lunch break—except Murphy had a sign around his neck that read "Fuck CCDC."


"I'm just a man who is trying to be a good citizen and an even better father," said Murphy.

[Cottonwood]

Plans revived for Meridian Town Center development

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/07/06/1716555/plans-revived-for-meridian-town.html

http://media.idahostatesman.com/smedia/2011/07/05/23/00/bDUiq.St.36.jpg

Interesting this will be named Town Center when Meridian already has an intact town center-downtown with a mix of new and historic buildings. The fountains can be cool as long as they are not tacky with music and fire or something else disney /vegas like, tacky fountains seem to be the norm in new lifestlye centers. The fountain downtown at The Grove is "normal."
There should be a lot of activity the last half of this year with this already beginning construction and JUMP and Whole Foods and others in the pipeline for this year too.

[GrandTeton]

I hope this doesn't take activity away from downtown and Boise as a whole.

[Cottonwood]

:previous:I really don't think there are any worries about that. If Boise were the size of Pocatello I would worry.:)



I saw that man this morning on 9th and Idaho standing with his F CCDC sign facing oncoming traffic. Maybe he has snapped from the heat and the BG and its sad followers are supporting his cause. They should all get together and have a BBQ and wallow in their hatred of growth and ....well growth and progress.

[boi2socal]

Developers go where the growth is and the Boise Area's center of population keeps shifting west.

[trekkerguy]

Developers go where the growth is and the Boise Area's center of population keeps shifting west.

This is true and unfortunate. I do however think a lot could be done to combat this. Some of it feels forced too. Small personal example: I'm an avid video game player and I live in Southeast Boise off Broadway. To go to an actual video game store(where I can shop for used games, trade etc, not Walmart) I have to drive all the way up Overland past Walmart to get to VIP Games, or I have to go to Boise Towne Square Mall which I refuse to do. There's no store, chain or independent, anywhere in the Southeast Boise or Downtown areas.

So I'm forced to do business much further west than I actually want to. I think if more businesses and community leaders and developers decided they were going to do their work in the say... "Vibrant Core of Boise" then more people would be more attracted to living here and staying here.

May not be the best example, just one little thing I thought of from my own daily life. I slowly but surely eliminate any businesses or services I'll use that aren't in these two parts of town in hopes that by putting all my money here business will realize they should be here.


And hi! I've been a big fan of the forums for a while now and have read pretty much every page of this thread :cheers:

[Cottonwood]

Sage International School is expanding from ParkCenter to the old warehouse on 9th Street where Microsoft used to be until they moved to the new building on Front Street.

http://www.sageinternationalschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/State-of-School-Update-6-6-111.pdf

[Cottonwood]

To go to an actual video game store(where I can shop for used games, trade etc, not Walmart) I have to drive all the way up Overland past Walmart to get to VIP Games, or I have to go to Boise Towne Square Mall which I refuse to do. There's no store, chain or independent, anywhere in the Southeast Boise or Downtown areas.


And hi! I've been a big fan of the forums for a while now and have read pretty much every page of this thread :cheers:

Welcome to the forum trekkerguy. What is that new game store on 8th Street near the escalators? I have not been in there so am not sure what they offer.

I guess I am fortunate because I find all I need downtown and nearby surrounding areas and never have to leave the core to shop and refuse to head to West Boise.

[trekkerguy]

Welcome to the forum trekkerguy. What is that new game store on 8th Street near the escalators? I have not been in there so am not sure what they offer.

I guess I am fortunate because I find all I need downtown and nearby surrounding areas and never have to leave the core to shop and refuse to head to West Boise.

Card and board games, things like that. No video games. And thank you! I'm getting there, it's really only been the last couple years I've come to detest the urban sprawl and the western part of the valley really. I think I do too much reading about big international cities and want toys for Boise :rolleyes:

[GrandTeton]

I think Boise needs to get more aggressive with Meridian. Boise may not be the size of Pocatello, but it is still a smaller city. Developments like this will compete with downtown and Boise Towne Square.

Who knows, maybe this development will keep the Californians where they belong, in the suburbs ;)

[trekkerguy]

I think Boise needs to get more aggressive with Meridian.

Gavel down. Exactly. And in my opinion, more specifically, Southeast and Downtown.

[Cottonwood]

:previous: Good one:) or the suburbanites who never come downtown as it is will have another option for shopping out in the burbs. Downtown will always have prominance because of the ambiance, all of the activities, etc., the selection of retail and restaurants not found anywhere else in the valley, but I do think with JUMP and Whole Foods coming that downtown will gain even more foot traffic than it currently has.

[isangpogi]

Looks like SeaPort airlines' Boise to Idaho Falls service is a done deal, starting July 18th. I'm not sure if I missed it on this forum but I haven't seen it yet. Also complementing the BOI-IDA service will be Boise to Pendleton 3 days a week. Fares will be $175 each way. Does $350 round-trip seem outrageous to anyone else, or is that just me?? I could get to LA for about that from BOI... I'm excited to see the service reinstated but I'm not totally sure if this is sustainable, any thoughts?

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/06/22/1699105/seaport-airlines-to-start-boise.html#ixzz1Q2K8IReH

[BoiseAirport]

Looks like SeaPort airlines' Boise to Idaho Falls service is a done deal, starting July 18th. I'm not sure if I missed it on this forum but I haven't seen it yet. Also complementing the BOI-IDA service will be Boise to Pendleton 3 days a week. Fares will be $175 each way. Does $350 round-trip seem outrageous to anyone else, or is that just me?? I could get to LA for about that from BOI... I'm excited to see the service reinstated but I'm not totally sure if this is sustainable, any thoughts?

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/06/22/1699105/seaport-airlines-to-start-boise.html#ixzz1Q2K8IReH

I agree with you, $350 is far too high, but that's the problem with SeaPort, and why in my personal opinion I think they're bound to fail. The Pilatus is simply the wrong aircraft for the mission. It's too expensive to operate per hour, the plane itself is expensive to buy, and as a result the cost-per-seat-mile is just too high. $350 is not a price that will effectively compete with cars.

I can't see the service lasting. There's a surprisingly large market in intra-Idaho flying with significant amounts of cargo and business traffic, so even if SeaPort can't make it work, another airline will probably step in.

For comparison purposes, when Horizon flew the route with Dash-8 Q200s (the perfect plane for the route, IMO), the fares were typically $99-$129.

[202_Cyclist]

Who knows, maybe this development will keep the Californians where they belong, in the suburbs

I was thinking that the planned Meridian development looks like it is straight from Orange County.

[Evo5Boise]

I live in West Boise (damn near Meridian) and I don't think that Lifestyle Center will change much. Sure, I do a lot of suburban shopping, but I still love going to downtown Boise. It's like a mini adventure to get down there and become part of the scene. It's so vibrant down there that I just can't see any suburban "mall" being able to hold a candle to it's overall experience.

Just my .02 cents on it though. Can't speak for the rest of the world!

[boi2socal]

I agree with you, $350 is far too high, but that's the problem with SeaPort, and why in my personal opinion I think they're bound to fail. The Pilatus is simply the wrong aircraft for the mission. It's too expensive to operate per hour, the plane itself is expensive to buy, and as a result the cost-per-seat-mile is just too high. $350 is not a price that will effectively compete with cars.

I can't see the service lasting. There's a surprisingly large market in intra-Idaho flying with significant amounts of cargo and business traffic, so even if SeaPort can't make it work, another airline will probably step in.

For comparison purposes, when Horizon flew the route with Dash-8 Q200s (the perfect plane for the route, IMO), the fares were typically $99-$129.

Maybe too high, but they can charge a premium. From what I read their target is business traffic, no one else. There are no lines, no security, etc. Unless things will be different with this service from their other routes.

[ATLonthebrain]

This service isn't for those trying to decide whether to make the drive or to fly to visit friends or family cross-state. When it comes to doing business, this fare competes nicely with what it costs to drive (federal reimbursable mileage rate) plus it saves several hours of time in each direction. Further, it can eliminate overnight lodging and per diem for what may just be a day trip. So, it is competitive for the business traveler. And, it is far cheaper than DL currently charges for connecting service via SLC.

The Pilatus may not be the aircraft best suited for this route, but QX abandoned it almost a year ago and left the route unserved. Also, when QX was flying Q200s to IDA, fuel wasn't what it is today and the airline could charge lower fares because it had more seats to spread the costs over and a fairly economical aircraft to operate (plus connectivity to its other service @ BOI, which used to be plentiful). When QX replaced service with Q400s having twice the seating capacity, the market fell apart altogether, because there was simply too much supply and not enough demand. A 19-seat aircraft would be the perfect fit, as it could offer multiple daily frequencies at a more reasonable fare to entice some leisure travelers, but there aren't many of those flying around at the moment, especially not in this part of the country.

This service will operate from the main terminal at BOI, not from one of the FBO's. So, passengers will be screened when flying to both IDA and Pendleton.

My hope is that it succeeds. At least SeaPort is giving it a try, and I commend them for the effort.

[boisechev]

BoiseAirport,

I've been searching everywhere for the info that might be a couple years old and can't find it....

What is the current state or latest info on flight that go direct between Boise and Hawaii? Next 5 years? 10? Never?

Thanks

[City Of Trees]

Plans for the Dona Larsen Park are out:

http://media.idahostatesman.com/smedia/2011/07/08/19/56/rEWun.So.36.pdf

I especially like that the parking is reduced. They were able to fit a lot in that parcel.

The only thing I'd like to see added would be a bike path on the south side of the property. It would extend that spur that comes out of Municipal Park and follows Front Street, and just maaaaybe in the future (if the St. Luke's parking garage didn't kill it) connect to downtown via Grove Street.

[BoiseAirport]

This service isn't for those trying to decide whether to make the drive or to fly to visit friends or family cross-state. When it comes to doing business, this fare competes nicely with what it costs to drive (federal reimbursable mileage rate) plus it saves several hours of time in each direction. Further, it can eliminate overnight lodging and per diem for what may just be a day trip. So, it is competitive for the business traveler. And, it is far cheaper than DL currently charges for connecting service via SLC.

The Pilatus may not be the aircraft best suited for this route, but QX abandoned it almost a year ago and left the route unserved. Also, when QX was flying Q200s to IDA, fuel wasn't what it is today and the airline could charge lower fares because it had more seats to spread the costs over and a fairly economical aircraft to operate (plus connectivity to its other service @ BOI, which used to be plentiful). When QX replaced service with Q400s having twice the seating capacity, the market fell apart altogether, because there was simply too much supply and not enough demand. A 19-seat aircraft would be the perfect fit, as it could offer multiple daily frequencies at a more reasonable fare to entice some leisure travelers, but there aren't many of those flying around at the moment, especially not in this part of the country.

This service will operate from the main terminal at BOI, not from one of the FBO's. So, passengers will be screened when flying to both IDA and Pendleton.

My hope is that it succeeds. At least SeaPort is giving it a try, and I commend them for the effort.

I agree with most of what you say. Don't get me wrong, I applaud that Seaport is trying, but the Pilatus is such an expensive aircraft to operate and fly that if, say, they had acquired used Beech 1900s which are practically a dime a dozen, they could offer the same service for cheaper, and would likely make a lot more money. SeaPort could not make Seattle to Portland work, which is market that is far, far larger (and can easily support 3 carriers), and offered advantages to the competition that QX and OO couldn't offer (far shorter trip time, flying into BFI, etc.).

What will also seriously hurt SeaPort is the lack of interline or codeshare agreement with AS/QX or UA (which has a very large Frequent Flyer base in Boise). That feed would really help sustain the service.

If you ask me, what the market really calls for is a new startup airline, similar to what Big Sky did (without being saddled with unprofitable Montana routes) operating Beech 1900s (which are extremely cheap to acquire), offering service from Boise to Lewiston/Pocatello/Sun Valley/Idaho Falls, with expansion potential to Montana, Washington and Oregon. The key to the service would be codeshare feed with major airlines and a creative marketing team that could create an emotional connection with the local community similar to what Midwest Airlines did in Milwaukee.

BoiseAirport,

I've been searching everywhere for the info that might be a couple years old and can't find it....

What is the current state or latest info on flight that go direct between Boise and Hawaii? Next 5 years? 10? Never?

Thanks

If it is to happen, it would either be by Allegiant with 757s (the most likely, but won't happen until their 757s are ETOPs certified, which could be a year or more) with an outside shot for Alaska to try something like Boise to Honolulu or Maui, but it would only be as a preemptive strike against Allegiant. The only other airline that *might* do it would be Southwest whenthey get their ETOPs certified 737-800s, but I would say that would be a long way off, if they were to attempt it. Allegiant does a great job at finding leisure markets an stimulating demand, so personally i think they could make it work.

[Visualize]

Plans for the Dona Larsen Park are out:

http://media.idahostatesman.com/smedia/2011/07/08/19/56/rEWun.So.36.pdf

I especially like that the parking is reduced. They were able to fit a lot in that parcel.

The only thing I'd like to see added would be a bike path on the south side of the property. It would extend that spur that comes out of Municipal Park and follows Front Street, and just maaaaybe in the future (if the St. Luke's parking garage didn't kill it) connect to downtown via Grove Street.

From what I see, parking was actually increased. Only 65 regular spots were required and they are proposing 81.

[Visualize]

Consultants offer new options for Boise convention center

When independent consultants looked at proposed sites, they came up with a new possibility they liked best

BY CYNTHIA SEWELL - cmsewell@idahostatesman.com
Copyright: © 2011 Idaho Statesman
Published: 07/10/11

The Greater Boise Auditorium District board wanted a fresh set of eyes to consider where to build a new convention center in Downtown Boise.

Of the four sites the Midwestern consultants reviewed, two had not been considered by the auditorium district: the southeast corner of Capitol Boulevard and Front Street, and a “hybrid” using some of the Simplot family’s new JUMP project.

And the consultants liked the Capitol Boulevard site best.

Read more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/07/10/1721290/new-options-for-boise-convention.html#ixzz1RjQzDzwY

[BoiseAirport]

Consultants offer new options for Boise convention center

When independent consultants looked at proposed sites, they came up with a new possibility they liked best

BY CYNTHIA SEWELL - cmsewell@idahostatesman.com
Copyright: © 2011 Idaho Statesman
Published: 07/10/11



Read more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/07/10/1721290/new-options-for-boise-convention.html#ixzz1RjQzDzwY

Eeeeeenteresting........

I never thought about that, I suppose it's feasible though I wonder how that'll impact Capitol Plaza. Hope that means I won't have to put that beauty in the "dead" column of the first page. :(

Also interesting to hear that the JUMP project is still set to begin. I was getting a little worried since I hadn't seen any activity on the project while going through downtown.

Last but not least god there are dumbells and some truly rotten eggs who comment on the statesman articles. Yuck!

[isangpogi]

Last but not least god there are dumbells and some truly rotten eggs who comment on the statesman articles. Yuck!

So true, it drives me nuts but I find myself looking through the articles for entertainment. Any article mentioning mormons and illegal immigrants really set off the forumers. Sometimes I jump on and try and post a rational comment but it's a lost cause...

Thanks for the info about the seaport airlines route. I really also hope it succeeds but at that price point and 4 flights daily each way, it's hard to imagine that being sustainable. I really wish someone with some serious capital could get a regional airline going, codesharing and serving the small airports throughout Idaho. Boise really has quite a few nonstop destinations, so people could fly from Lewiston/Sun Valley/Idaho Falls, etc to Boise and onto LA/SFO/DEN/ORD/SEA/PDX etc. With all the traffic coming in more flights could be added to other destinations. Essentially this would make BOI the main hub for Idaho air travel instead of SLC. The airline could reach out further to Montana and Wyoming. It makes sense, they'd just have to compete with the big guys and it's not exactly easy to keep and airline afloat these days.... Think of all the jobs, and airport expansion, that could come from that....

BTW in response to BoiseChev, we DID have 757 service nonstop from Boise to Maui shortly back in 2003... Must have been abandoned quickly though...
http://www.cityofboise.org/Departments/Airport/NewsReleases/2003/page4773.aspx

[202_Cyclist]

Essentially this would make BOI the main hub for Idaho air travel instead of SLC. The airline could reach out further to Montana and Wyoming. It makes sense, they'd just have to compete with the big guys and it's not exactly easy to keep and airline afloat these days.... Think of all the jobs, and airport expansion, that could come from that....

The NYT had an article on Saturday noting that medium-hub airports (i.e. Boise) have been hit the hardest with service reductions. Although Boise's economy has fared pretty well compared to other metro areas, many of the flights to BOI and similar cities are on small regional jets, which are unprofitable to operate with $100 per barrel oil.

Regarding Sun Valley, perhaps the best thing for improved air service would be to replace Friedman Memorial airport with the proposed airport further south and consolidate it with Twin Falls. I think Twin Falls only has a handful of flights per day. This could create a larger market. As far as Lewiston and Idaho Falls, good luck. The FAA reauthorization bill that the House of Representatives passed this year, H.R. 658, would eliminate the Essential Air Service program (http://thinkprogress.org/yglesias/2011/01/26/199756/essential-air-service/).

[BoiseAirport]

So true, it drives me nuts but I find myself looking through the articles for entertainment. Any article mentioning mormons and illegal immigrants really set off the forumers. Sometimes I jump on and try and post a rational comment but it's a lost cause...

Thanks for the info about the seaport airlines route. I really also hope it succeeds but at that price point and 4 flights daily each way, it's hard to imagine that being sustainable. I really wish someone with some serious capital could get a regional airline going, codesharing and serving the small airports throughout Idaho. Boise really has quite a few nonstop destinations, so people could fly from Lewiston/Sun Valley/Idaho Falls, etc to Boise and onto LA/SFO/DEN/ORD/SEA/PDX etc. With all the traffic coming in more flights could be added to other destinations. Essentially this would make BOI the main hub for Idaho air travel instead of SLC. The airline could reach out further to Montana and Wyoming. It makes sense, they'd just have to compete with the big guys and it's not exactly easy to keep and airline afloat these days.... Think of all the jobs, and airport expansion, that could come from that....

BTW in response to BoiseChev, we DID have 757 service nonstop from Boise to Maui shortly back in 2003... Must have been abandoned quickly though...
http://www.cityofboise.org/Departments/Airport/NewsReleases/2003/page4773.aspx

Thanks for your comments, it's interesting stuff to contemplate for sure. A startup regional based out of Boise could never replace SLC as being the major gateway between intermountain west communities and Washington/Oregon/California/etc., but I absolutely do believe that there is room in the market for a small, niche community regional airline providing service in intra-Idaho markets.

It's an entreprenuerial dream of mine, anyway. :)

[ianjt]

With regards to the developments in Meridian drawing traffic away from downtown, I would like to add this:

The Town Center, or whatever it is going to be called, will certainly be a welcome addition to the area. I foresee major traffic headaches, in addition to those that already exist. However, I do not think that it will divert attention from downtown Boise. Here's why. Both the Northend and East Side neighborhoods are within walking distance to Downtown. Additionally, the more central location of Boise's downtown core provides better opportunities to attract residents from all over Boise. This development in Meridian is on the outskirts of the actual town itself. It also does not benefit from the culture and population of neighborhoods such as the Northend. The neighborhoods surrounding this development are both smaller and full of commuter-family homes. The culture is different. I can foresee it turning into something like Bown Crossing or Hyde Park, but nothing large enough to divert attention.

Regardless, maybe it will push the concern over some sort of better transportation between it and downtown.

Also, I am a runner for a law firm and am therefore out in Meridian quite often. I noticed that there is a large development going in right below the bench off of Eagle Road--somewhat near the Blue Cross builds. Any information on what this is?

[isangpogi]

Thanks for your comments, it's interesting stuff to contemplate for sure. A startup regional based out of Boise could never replace SLC as being the major gateway between intermountain west communities and Washington/Oregon/California/etc., but I absolutely do believe that there is room in the market for a small, niche community regional airline providing service in intra-Idaho markets.

It's an entreprenuerial dream of mine, anyway. :)

Yah if we both had a couple hundred million dollars sitting around maybe we could make something happen. My point with saying that BOI could be the hub of Idaho air traffic was that people from Idaho Falls, Pocatello, Sun Valley, Twin Falls could fly from their airport to Boise and beyond, instead of having to fly Delta into Salt Lake and so on... I agree, Boise airport will probably never be a legacy airline hub, but I think people and especially businesses would like to keep their money local if possible. For me, given a choice of flying from Idaho Falls to a west-coast destination and being able to stopover in Boise not Salt Lake would be advantageous. I wouldn't have to fly south then north, I'd be able to get to my connecting flight easier, and I could keep my money in the state with a local airline and by utilizing an in-state airport.

[Cottonwood]

With regards to the developments in Meridian drawing traffic away from downtown, I would like to add this:

The Town Center, or whatever it is going to be called, will certainly be a welcome addition to the area. I foresee major traffic headaches, in addition to those that already exist. However, I do not think that it will divert attention from downtown Boise. Here's why. Both the Northend and East Side neighborhoods are within walking distance to Downtown. Additionally, the more central location of Boise's downtown core provides better opportunities to attract residents from all over Boise. This development in Meridian is on the outskirts of the actual town itself. It also does not benefit from the culture and population of neighborhoods such as the Northend. The neighborhoods surrounding this development are both smaller and full of commuter-family homes. The culture is different. I can foresee it turning into something like Bown Crossing or Hyde Park, but nothing large enough to divert attention.

Regardless, maybe it will push the concern over some sort of better transportation between it and downtown.

Also, I am a runner for a law firm and am therefore out in Meridian quite often. I noticed that there is a large development going in right below the bench off of Eagle Road--somewhat near the Blue Cross builds. Any information on what this is?

I tend to agree with you, I don't think this will be a negative to downtown at all, but will just add another shopping destination to a quickly growing valley and metro area.
Is this the project you have seen? Are you speaking of the upper Bench near the Interstate, or the lower Bench closer to Eagle? When I was out that way last I believe I saw some movement on this large project.
http://www.thecoreidaho.com/
http://www.thecoreidaho.com/content/core-map

[Visualize]

Consultants offer new options for Boise convention center

When independent consultants looked at proposed sites, they came up with a new possibility they liked best

BY CYNTHIA SEWELL - cmsewell@idahostatesman.com
Copyright: © 2011 Idaho Statesman
Published: 07/10/11



Read more: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/07/10/1721290/new-options-for-boise-convention.html#ixzz1RjQzDzwY

Since I didn't provide my personal anecdote when I posted the article... I personally want to know how much those consultants were paid to make suggestions for sites not for sale, with numerous owners, large proposals, and pending construction. Not very viable options....

I do see some positives of the Capital and Front option, but nothing great enough to want to see the Capitol One project moved, if it even still has potential. Really, because a huge convention center will probably have dead walls it's entire 2 block length, proposing Simplot with a trade for the property wedged between the Connector on- and off-ramps would be my suggestion. The properties are roughly the same size, with only a slight tapering toward the back of the Connector property. Parking and loading could be oriented toward 15th street, the blank walls would abut the freeway, all of which mitigating many of the negative elements such a land use would exert on neighboring properties. Yeah, it's not right in the heart of downtown, but it is only a few blocks west, nothing in the grand scheme of things, especially after JUMP is built. A grand entrance of a City owned building flanked by a busy freeway would look very dynamic, as well as leave a powerful last impression of downtown as one heads west. Where's my consultation fee? :D

Edit: This would also allow 12th St. to be punched through to Myrtle, and since a street running east and west through the property would basically be worthless, a pedestrian route from the entrance to the convention center could lead right into JUMP, the retail area of the 8th Street Marketplace, Grove and the rest of downtown. The biggest challenge is the shape of the lot and proximity to the freeway walls, but with a little ingenuity I think it would work. And if Simplot still owns the property, I'm sure they would be willing to work out a deal that would get them another huge piece of property next to their JUMP project.

[ianjt]

I tend to agree with you, I don't think this will be a negative to downtown at all, but will just add another shopping destination to a quickly growing valley and metro area.
Is this the project you have seen? Are you speaking of the upper Bench near the Interstate, or the lower Bench closer to Eagle? When I was out that way last I believe I saw some movement on this large project.
http://www.thecoreidaho.com/
http://www.thecoreidaho.com/content/core-map


That might be the one. It was between Pine and Commercial Streets off of Eagle Road, so the upper bench. It was a pretty large project.

[Boizean]

I noticed that there is a large development going in right below the bench off of Eagle Road--somewhat near the Blue Cross builds. Any information on what this is?
That would be Scentsy's warehouse and possibly their new office building back behind the warehouse.

[ATLonthebrain]

There is interest in service to Hawaii, and it may become reality as soon as next year. Data supports sufficient demand exists to operate nonstop service to Hawaii (Honolulu is most likely) on a less-than-daily basis. After Spokane, Boise has the most demand for Hawaii service among airports in the Northwest quarter of the U.S. which currently have no nonstop service in place. It's no secret that Allegiant Air is expected to initiate service to Hawaii from the U.S. Mainland in 2012, but routes have not been announced. Perhaps BOI will be among the list.

[Cottonwood]

:previous: Which airline had the non stop from Boise to Hawaii back around 2005ish?

[ATLonthebrain]

It was operated by North American, but not sure who was actually responsible for the service itself. Probably one of the local travel agencies, if I had to guess, and North American simply provided the aircraft and crew to operate the service.

[boisechev]

There is interest in service to Hawaii, and it may become reality as soon as next year. Data supports sufficient demand exists to operate nonstop service to Hawaii (Honolulu is most likely) on a less-than-daily basis. After Spokane, Boise has the most demand for Hawaii service among airports in the Northwest quarter of the U.S. which currently have no nonstop service in place. It's no secret that Allegiant Air is expected to initiate service to Hawaii from the U.S. Mainland in 2012, but routes have not been announced. Perhaps BOI will be among the list.

Out of curioisty...

Why does Spokane have more demand than Boise?

Thanks for the info!

[ianjt]

:previous: Which airline had the non stop from Boise to Hawaii back around 2005ish?

I thought it was Alaska. I remember sitting in the airport many times when those flights left. They were relatively common.

[City Of Trees]

Edit: This would also allow 12th St. to be punched through to Myrtle, and since a street running east and west through the property would basically be worthless, a pedestrian route from the entrance to the convention center could lead right into JUMP, the retail area of the 8th Street Marketplace, Grove and the rest of downtown.You stole the words out of my mouth. I've long opposed that location for the convention center, just because of the traffic mess it's going to create there unless there's a one-way couplet.

Add that to an east-west ped/bike connection to the Pioneer path and the Rhodes skate park, and you've got some winning infrastructure.