Boise Development Thread - Part II

[Sawtooth]

Originally Posted by SFTransplant

Not sure that desert wasteland is worth trying to conserve. Especially if it meant keeping more development out of the foothills and preserving agricultural land.

I guess "desert wasteland" is a matter of opinion. If you have that opinion from only zooming along I-84 between Boise and Mountain Home then you need to get off the Interstate and head up towards Mayfield on Blacks Creek Road and drive the Oregon Trail Byway to Highway 20 north of Mountain Home. There's so much native sagebrush and grasses and flowers in that desert and too valuable to be considered a wasteland.

As the valley grows, the farmlands in the Treasure Valley need to be protected because they are some of the finest agricultural areas in the USA. Recently Idaho became the nations 2nd largest hop producer and bumped Oregon to 3rd place. We need to make sure the hops grown in the Treasure Valley expand and thrive.

Originally Posted by GrandTeton

So are there any actual updates in Boise?

Yes, there's a lot going on around town and downtown. 5th and Idaho is coming along, photo updates are on the previous page, and Pio Crossing is getting there and I have a few photos of this project from last weekend I can post.

[trails]

Was out and about biking on this tropical February day doing some Garden City status updates, sorry these quick cell pics aren't up to the great standards of Sawtooth and Architecture Buff, really enjoy your stuff of course.

I'm still fascinated by Garden City's rise and new construction density. The 3 floor townhomes have gone up quick across from Tradewinds Apts on 42nd St overnight going from trailer parks to urban blocks.... you can see there are townhomes going to the back of the development in the second pic, i.e. there are interior block faces





Then a block away, Neighborworks second village project is done. These have small separate cottages with shared yards/common space and clustered parking. The "Future Public School" also is rising now closer to the river, and WildFlour Bakery has been there around the corner... pretty cool evolving corner of GC.

Neighborworks.... LOWRISE warning folks, but it did turn out nice



Adams St frontage... see the cool little courtyard!



Not sure if any of you have noticed but the big concrete plant along the greenbelt at 41st has been completely razed and prepped for construction, you can see the colorful Kayak Crossing townhomes in the background of this lot, that is some prime GC greenbelt real estate.... anyone know what's planned for this former concrete plant lot? Someone must be looking to cram about 60 townhomes on there if the other current GC project densities are any evidence.



Keep your eyes out for projects on 34th around Push & Pour. Was talking with one of the owners there when they opened, he told me all of the trailers got eviction notices last summer, sure enough they're starting to disappear....

Also North End turkey sighting!



And those light are up along the grove, somebody (ahem Sawtooth & AB) go get a sweet picture of it, here's my horrible rainy shot from last night.... it really is cool see them aglow.

[Evo5Boise]

I don't think Boise is going to have much choice on direction as they expand in the near future. Unless they want to start building up or doing a lot of in-fill (which it seems they have over the years), there isn't much land left for them to consume (to the North and West). I noticed they are building neighborhoods East of Micron now. Wonder if that is a sign of things to come?

[Sawtooth]

Awesome update on Garden City trails The wild turkeys get around, I saw them near my home last week.
They walk around the Northend and act like they own it.


Here's a new Wayfinding Sign on Capitol Boulevard with a design fitting for a city of trees.
http://www.ccdcboise.com/ccdc-projec...wn-wayfinding/








The Langroise Building at 10th & Main is finally being renovated for the techies at Kount.
https://www.kount.com/
http://www.sawtoothdevelopment.com/10th-main

[Cottonwood]

https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nat...ods-in-america

The Best Neighborhoods in America to Spend a Weekend
By Thrillist Travel
Published On 02/02/2018

Boise: Downtown

One of America’s low-key coolest cities will remind you of Portland or Austin -- in a good way


Any mid-sized metropolis can host a music festival and declare itself cool, but it takes more than a craft beer tent and some overpaid leftovers from the mid-2000s indie rock boom to create magic. The sweet spot for citywide festivals that ape the SXSW model, though, would look a lot like Idaho’s capital: small enough to be walkable, big enough to be packed with amazing beer and delicious food, still eager enough to turn banquet rooms and Shriners’ halls into ad hoc music venues. This is why the annual Treefort Music Festival -- which generally kicks off the Thursday after SXSW ends in March -- is happy to call Boise home. It’s emblematic of why Idaho, America’s fastest-growing state, is legit pulling people inland, away from the expense of the West Coast. But it also underscores how quickly Boise itself has stealthily become the least-pretentious cool city in the country.

There's more at the link.



#6
https://www.amexessentials.com/top-t...inations-2018/

[SFTransplant]

Speaking of development moving southeastward...

http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/l...198583469.html

[Cottonwood]

Originally Posted by Sawtooth

Freak Alley is getting new flooring

A CCDC update from last month:

http://www.ccdcboise.com/place-makin...n-block-alley/

http://www.ccdcboise.com/ccdc-projec...alley-program/

PLACE MAKING
Freak Alley & Union Block Alley
This project will improve two of the most popular alleys off of 8th Street as public spaces with a repaved surface and overhead lighting.

This aerial is also at CCDC's Facebook page.

https://scontent-lax3-2.xx.fbcdn.net...dc&oe=5B0EA6C5

[Cottonwood]

http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/l...199266959.html

Boise could land a world-renowned architect for its library

Safdie visited Boise in December and came back in January. Boise Arts and History Director Terri Schorzman said she spent some time with him.

“The second time he came, he spent the day wandering that entire site, into Julia Davis Park, trying to look at all the vantage points, looking at every single angle and getting a sense of location and place and color,” Schorzman said. “His notebook was just filled with amazing stuff he’d already worked on, just in that day.”

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

[Evo5Boise]

Good stuff everybody!

[Cottonwood]

https://idahobusinessreview.com/2018...ough-the-roof/

Boise condo prices are through the roof

Ada County condominium sales prices – mostly in downtown Boise – have increased at twice the rate of overall home prices, which themselves have hit record highs five times in the past year. Median condo sales prices have increased 227 percent since 2011 from $191,000 to $435,000.

[TVurban]

Potentially exciting news for Downtown Meridian!
New mix-use project is being evaluated for downtown meridian. The group currently has investors that are interested in the project but want an economic study done. The developer is looking towards the meridian development corp to do the study.
20 acres, 6 acres of urban, 14 acres of "amenity"
240 residential units
Retail: 187,000 sqft
Office/Livework: 241,800 sqft
1,207 parking stalls

On the project rendering, it gives a breakdown per block the square footage amounts. The "amenity" aspect of the project is still vague at what that could be. The letter in the packet indicates that the study could point out ideas of what it could be.
The total estimated cost of the development is $179 million, not counting the cost of the amenity.

Agenda Packet, rendering on page 24:
https://mdcfile.s3.amazonaws.com/Boa...t%20v_1_24.pdf

The committee reviewed Bill’s request to fund a $17k economic study on the viability of a mixeduse
project on multiple UPRR properties. The committee questioned the amount of capital put into
the project as discussed in the narrative and whether this was an application that could be
considered with TIF dollars. Todd reiterated that in spending public dollars the benefit must be to
the public. The committee stated that they believe this analysis should be the developer’s
responsibility and to fund this study would not provide a public benefit but would rather assist a
private developer. If the project were to obtain financing and land use approvals, MDC could then
potential partner on some public-benefit components of a project.

Proposal:

[Sawtooth]

I have posted a Winter photo thread over in the City Photo Forum.

Click here for a good time:
Winter | Boise

[GrandTeton]

Thanks Sawtooth. I was happy to see my old apartment building on Fort featured! I can't believe how quickly the Broad Street area is developing.

[Cottonwood]

I am sure a handful of blowhard bloggers from the dark side will have an issue with this as they do everything else

http://www.ktvb.com/article/news/loc.../277-518944183

Opera Idaho looking for new performing arts venue

BOISE - Boise may be getting a new performing arts venue.

Opera Idaho has hired a design firm to conduct a study to see what options are best.

One option is building a new theater. Another option is renovating The Egyptian.

[boisenative]

Good article on the Fowler. It is a great addition to our downtown. Looks like we may be seeing the "The Nest" being announced soon.

Lynch said he and Brown likely will decide within the next few months where to build next. The company’s Downtown holdings include land just east of The Fowler in the area known as the Central Addition and a parcel bordered by 15th, 16th, Bannock and Idaho streets on Downtown’s western edge.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/b...ing_Newsletter

[Welcome2Boise]

Honestly, they need to build a new theatre.

Right now our biggest proscenium arch is the Morrison Center which is still a little too small for a larger production. I'm talking about the stage itself and the room behind. Not number of seats. If we want the best shows, including opera to visit we need a bigger stage.

[IdaBoi]

Originally Posted by GrandTeton

Thanks Sawtooth. I was happy to see my old apartment building on Fort featured! I can't believe how quickly the Broad Street area is developing.

I lived a few blocks from that apartment building 4 years ago. And agreed, thanks Sawtooth. Your eye for everything Boise is truly unique!

[Cottonwood]

Here is another article about Boise's food scene which has been getting national attention recently.
Food & Wine posted a new article about Boise on Valentines Day.
But the photo they chose to use is what...20 years old?

http://www.foodandwine.com/travel/ba...ho-restaurants

How Idaho Became the Best Place to Eat Basque Food in America

Idaho’s culinary contributions may be most frequently associated with its eponymous potato, but Boise, its capital city, is actually a hub for Basque culture with restaurants, the only Basque museum in North America, a Basque preschool that teaches Euskara (the only surviving pre-Indo-European language in Western Europe) and regular festivals that draw prominent Basques from all around the world.

Boise has recently evolved into a fully rounded city with downtown lofts, artist studios and all the cultural cachet of a solid food scene complete with boutique wineries boasting their own American Viticulture Area designation, craft breweries and New American restaurants serving razor clams and smoked meats. As the area around them has grown, the city’s Basque descendents have been rising to the challenge of maintaining — and growing — their pastoral, sheep-herding heritage.

https://www.winemag.com/2017/08/15/f...cene-to-match/
Fast-Growing Boise Has a Wine and Food Scene to Match
Surrounded by Idaho’s emerging wine region, Snake River Valley, the surprisingly lively capital of Boise will tempt you with local wines and great foo

https://www.vogue.com/article/boise-...d-travel-guide
Why Boise, Idaho, Is a Growing Culinary Hotspot

https://vinepair.com/articles/best-b...inations-2018/
The World’s Top 10 Beer Destinations for 2018

https://globenewswire.com/news-relea...ea-Stores.html

Albertsons Companies to Launch Market Street Idaho in Two Boise Area Stores

New Boise area store locations will boast a brand-new banner for Treasure Valley customers

“Market Street Idaho was created by a team of passionate, innovative food lovers with the goal of igniting Idaho’s passion for great food and elevated experiences," said Susan Morris, EVP and Chief Operations Officer of Albertsons Companies. “Boise’s deep roots in great local food stem from our farming and ranching industry to our refugee and Basque communities. We think the time is right to bring new culinary experiences many hunger for but haven’t gotten yet locally through our Market Street Idaho stores.”

[Boisebro]

Originally Posted by Welcome2Boise

Honestly, they need to build a new theatre.

Right now our biggest proscenium arch is the Morrison Center which is still a little too small for a larger production. I'm talking about the stage itself and the room behind. Not number of seats. If we want the best shows, including opera to visit we need a bigger stage.

been thinking the same thing for many years. Boise really does need a first-class opera/concert hall.

but I'd like to see one with more seats, ideally in the 5k to 8k range. we miss out on a lot of great concerts during cooler months because the MC is too small to accommodate, and Taco Bell arena just doesn't have the acoustics.

[Boisebro]

Originally Posted by Cottonwood

Here is another article about Boise's food scene which has been getting national attention recently.
Food & Wine posted a new article about Boise on Valentines Day.
But the photo they chose to use is what...20 years old?

http://www.foodandwine.com/travel/ba...ho-restaurants

How Idaho Became the Best Place to Eat Basque Food in America

sure seems like there's been a huge uptick in articles about Boise as a travel destination in recent months. I wonder if the increase in downtown hotel accommodations has been part of the reason--with the chains pushing for more media attention to fill rooms? seems to be working.