Boise Development News

[Sawtooth]

[USAPatriot]

Thank you for keeping us up to date with Boise! Great photos, and thanks for sharing. I am doing the same for Yakima-Tri-Cities in your neighboring state of Washington. Good luck.

[Sawtooth]

Thanks USAPatriot.

Here's another construction update of some projects in downtown. I also have posted these in the Boise Development Thread at SSP. If anyone is interested check out the thread over at SSP because there is more action; discussion, pics, etc.





The Jefferson





















The Aspen


















The Hole








The Wall around The Hole








R. Grey Lofts, the building on the left with the old facade attached to the new building.








Capitol and the hard to notice in the snow new underground wings which are covered. I also noticed some new landscaping. I can't wait to get inside of this building again and see the interior renovations.




:previous: I had a few more but accidentally deleted them.

Dome





and the Boise Plaza parking garage.

[USAPatriot]

Thank you for sharing all the photos. I really do appreciate it.

[ScraperDude]

Looks like some new building that may stand out in the skyline a bit. Any new skyline shots?

[Sawtooth]

More photo updates, Sunday February 15










I've always like this old building.

[carewser]

Has the INS been down to the park?

[USAPatriot]

Simplot foundation unveils downtown parkscape plan
POSTED: 11:04 MDT Tuesday, May 26, 2009
by IBR (Idaho Business Review)Staff

AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center




Construction of Jack’s Urban Meeting Place is slated to begin in the spring of 2010 in the four-square-block area bordered by Ninth, Eleventh, Front and Myrtle streets in downtown Boise, the Simplot Family Foundation said in a release.



The parkscape project – named in honor of agribusiness magnate J.R. “Jack” Simplot, who died May 25, 2008 at 99 – will include a park spread throughout 4 acres of the 7.5-acre site, an amphitheater with dinner seating for more than 500 and theater seating for nearly 1,200, studios, and a sculpture garden for displays including a large collection of antique tractors.



The Simplot family for years has considered developing the largely open property. An agricultural museum was contemplated.



“This project evolved from my grandad’s desire to build a museum that would showcase agriculture and the many wonderful aspects of the rural lifestyle,” Simplot Family Foundation member Debbie McDonald said in the release. “After much thought and years of exploring different possibilities, the concept of Jack’s Urban Meeting Place was born.”



The parkscape project will cost more than $100 million and will provide over 1,000 jobs, the foundation said, adding that most trade contractors and other trades people will be from Idaho. It will be financed by private funds from the foundation.



Hoffman Construction Co., Portland, is the project general contractor. The foundation chose the company, in a competitive selection process, for several reasons, project spokesman David Cuoio told the Idaho Business Review. Price was one consideration, Hoffman is philosophically close to the Simplot family regarding how the project should be handled, Hoffman has built a number of structures in Idaho, and the company enlists subcontractors and most trades people from the state in which the project is built, he said.

The project, which first must go through City of Boise design review and permitting processes, is expected to take up to three years to complete, Cuoio said in an Associated Press report.

Architect Susan Desko of Ketchum has created “many special design elements” in the project, the foundation said in the release. For example, the multi-story structure that houses parking, studios and offices will be built around the perimeter of the site, leaving a large area of open space in the interior. The structure will feature many openings through which light and air can pass freely, including a 26-foot vertical space between the ground and the first story of the building.

“The unique design of the perimeter structure will allow excellent views into the park from the street and vice-versa, giving the project an open, welcoming feel,” said Project Director Maggie Soderberg. “Energy efficiency also is one of our top priorities, and we plan to make Jack’s Urban Meeting Place a model of sustainability.”



The various outdoor and indoor venues at Jack’s Urban Meeting Place are to be available for meetings, classes, dinners, weddings and other gatherings.



“We will partner with community non-profits whenever possible to enhance their programs,” McDonald said. “In fact, Jack’s Urban Meeting Place is intended to complement other local venues and activities, not compete with them.”



A new J.R. Simplot Co. headquarters building, to be designed for future growth and financed privately, is expected to be included in Jack’s Urban Meeting Place.



Cuoio told the Idaho Business Review that if a new J.R. Simplot Co. headquarters building is included in Jack’s Urban Meeting Place, the headquarters building would be financed by J.R. Simplot Co. The company now is based in One Capital Center, Tenth and Main streets.

[USAPatriot]

Capitol Plaza/Capitol Plaza II- Boise







Proposed for an empty lot at Capital Blvd & Front Street.

AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center

Status: Proposed/Proposed
Type: Office/Office
Floors: 14/5
Height: n/a
Website: http://www.boisecapitolplaza.com

[pwalker]

Ouch, that is an odd looking building IMO.

Not sure how that style fits with Boise. We'll see.

[USAPatriot]

Does not fit Boise, but they can start somewhere with a new style. Very modern, and nice looking in my mind. Almost a little too much flare, but still nice.

[USAPatriot]

Boise leaders raise streetcar concerns

Possible federal funding may alleviate the worries some Downtown powerhouses voiced this spring.
BY CYNTHIA SEWELL - cmsewell@idahostatesman.com
The Idaho Statesman
Published: 06/14/09

AJM STUDIOS.NET Northwest Development News Center


More about Boise's streetcar plans

If things stay on track, city leaders say construction could start in about 18 months, with streetcars traversing Downtown in late 2011.

The first phase would run a 2.6-mile loop along Main and Idaho streets between 1st and 16th streets.

Future phases would connect to Boise State and 30th Street.

The streetcar could cost between $40 million and $65 million, according to initial reports from a 36-member task force composed of civic and business leaders. This fall the task force will present complete financial, economic and engineering analysis to the Boise City Council.

Some of Downtown Boise's biggest property owners and company CEOs laid out a series of high expectations they want met before the city moves ahead with one of Mayor Dave Bieter's top priorities - a 15-block streetcar loop through the center of town.

They want the city to better understand how many people may ride the streetcar, to develop a planon how to pay the operating costs and to make sure to take the time to do the whole thing right.

Seven members of the city's 36-member streetcar task force sent a letter April 23 with the litany of concerns to Gary Michael, chairman of Bieter's streetcar task force, and Capital City Development Corporation Director Phil Kushlan.

Many members of the task force "have become frustrated with the many questions and concerns that have been left unaddressed," said the letter, signed by Idaho Power CEO Lamont Keen, St. Luke's CEO Ed Dahlberg and others.

Bieter says the letter is "old news" because the city now plans to pursue up to $25 million in federal stimulus money, and that could help resolve one of the biggest concerns the business leaders have: How will the city pay for the $40 million to $65 million project?

At least one of the letter's signers, George Iliff, Colliers International managing partner, agreed that the federal money went a long way in answering his concerns.

But the question of funding may matter the most to the major property owners in town - like Rafanelli and Nahas, which owns the former Boise Cascade building and several surrounding blocks, and whose project manager Scott Schoenherr signed onto the letter.

The most likely source of the money discussed so far has been a "local improvement district," which would tax the landowners within it. And it can be created without a vote of those landowners - by Bieter and just three members of the City Council.

Plus, the letter states, the city has yet to make a plan for the operating costs of the streetcar: "This is an unacceptable response given the magnitude of the decision."

Bieter said he was confident he had the support of the business leaders because of the federal money.

"We went from zero (federal funding) to half - that's a fundamental change," Bieter said.

But that money is a long way off - even if all goes to plan.

Just Friday, Idaho's congressional delegation joined eight other federal lawmakers in asking the U.S. Department of Transportation to dedicate $300 million of its stimulus money toward streetcar projects around the country.

Boise's share would come from that money, but to get the full amount, federal officials would have to set aside a full 20 percent of the $1.5 billion the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dedicated to surface transportation.

Still, the possibility does temper some of the concerns.

"CCDC and the city of Boise have been receptive to the concerns we addressed in our April letter," Colliers CEO Iliff told the Statesman. "The issues in the letter still need further resolution and are in the process of being addressed by the city and its consultants."

Keen, Schoenherr and John Lamb, senior vice president for U.S. Bank Plaza owner Unico, said they are waiting to receive more information before taking a position on whether the streetcar project is headed in the right direction. The other business leaders could not be reached.

In the letter, they said they also were concerned that the city had never conducted a ridership survey to see how many people would use the streetcar, and that the project seemed to be proceeding too hastily.

Bieter said reports and evaluations under way now will address these concerns.

Gary Michael and Kushlan started tackling the problems at a May 15 meeting of the task force, which is composed of business and civic leaders and has been meeting monthly since November. The meetings have not been opened to the public.

Iliff said he's confident the questions will be answered.

"In the coming months the task force will be able to reach informed conclusions and make recommendations about the viability of the project and how it will affect the Downtown stake-holders and the community as a whole," he said.

Cynthia Sewell: 377-6428

[Sawtooth]

Here are a few downtown photos from the main thread and the link for a lot more pics.


http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=896748



















































































































The link to the complete thread:

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=896748

[edreyes]

Nice to see so much development downtown. I can't believe Boise actually has a LEED Platinum building.

[StevenW]

beautiful city.

[Treecity]

slow going right now, looking forward to these projects to start

[rj2uman]

Oh these pics make me miss that place. I was only there 4 days but it was awesome.

[urban.true]

wuau!! i'm impressed with boise! it's a beautiful city! where is it exactly?
how many people live there?...it seems like a small city..am i right?
anyways it's an amazing city! congrats =)!

[ChicagoFreak96]

It's in Idaho! And It's actually quite a large city with around 200,000 people at least!

[Sawtooth]

Originally Posted by urban.true

wuau!! i'm impressed with boise! it's a beautiful city! where is it exactly?
how many people live there?...it seems like a small city..am i right?
anyways it's an amazing city! congrats =)!

Here is a map I found online--


http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...N%26start%3D21