Library Blocks, $130 Million Redevelopment of South Downtown Boise

[Boisefan]

From the developer that gave us BoDo( a large redevelopment of a blighted area in Downtown, almost fully leased) is another redevelopment of an area just south of his existing project. This would include retail, condos, and a new main library for Boise. The new library is needed because the existing library can not handle the amount of visitors it now gets. Looks like there will be 3 eight story buildings based on the renderings.

Idaho Statesman

Renderings included on that page.

[Up-not-out]

Now that's an ambitious project...just hope that the design element is more carefully studied than was the BoDo...

[Boisefan]

It looked like there was quite a bit of glass in that project, which is diffrent from the rest of the city. This should make an imprint on the skyline a little bit because of the 8 story buildings.

By the design element do you perhaps mean the Hampton Inn that is part of that project?

[LesBois]

This is a wonderful proposal for that area. We can only hope this will come to fruition.

Unfortunately, there is already some folks questioning the proposed financing for the library.

Hopefully, that won't create too large a hurdle for this project to go forward.

[Up-not-out]

It looked like there was quite a bit of glass in that project, which is diffrent from the rest of the city. This should make an imprint on the skyline a little bit because of the 8 story buildings.

By the design element do you perhaps mean the Hampton Inn that is part of that project?

Not necessarily the hotel componant; while I think BoDo is a great step forward in the redevelopment of Boise, it seems as I walk it to be somewhat turned in on itself with limited visual access at the ground level...but don't get me wrong I think the project is great...it was on the market to sell at a very agressive price as well; not sure if there was ever a deal struck.

[Boisefan]

I agree, to get financing for anything like this you have to get a supermajority of i think 2\3, which has rarely happened in the past, then you can do a deal where the CCDC buys the building, and leases it to the city, but if you do that, NIMBYs catch you and sue the city because it is illegal if it is not nessasary

[Up-not-out]

My latest understanding is that the CCDC (Capitol City Development Corp.) is shying away from the City Blocks project. The project was proposed in response to a CCDC RFP for a property on 9th Street and the BODO developer responded with a very ambitious multi-block redevelopment proposal; CCDC is concerned that it will be too complex in the financing area (City must agree to lease new llibrary that CCDC would own, blah, blah, blah). I think they are leaning toward a more "manageable" proposal based on the actual land in question.

[MJLO]

any new info on this?