Sunday, January 23, 2011

Boise to retool 30th Street neighborhood

From Idaho Statesman, Jan 23, 2011

Rarely does a city get a chance to create almost from scratch a new central district within the core of a highly urbanized area.
Boise is getting that chance — and it won’t be just new housing, retail and commercial development. This new district will include the city’s first whitewater park, a new road with Boise’s first major roundabout and two more new parks.
The city hopes this unique combination of amenities will fuel economic development and serve as a catalyst to revitalize the 30th Street neighborhoods.
The city’s goal is to “allow the area to achieve its full potential, particularly in the commercial areas,” spokesman Adam Park said.
The district extends from the Boise River north to Irene, between Veterans Park and 23rd Street. Its central location — abutting Garden City, North Boise and Downtown, with the Bench nearby — make it a regional attraction, not just a neighborhood.
The city’s plan calls for commercial development on the northern and southern edges — the State Street and Main/Fairview corridors — transitioning into high-density residential areas in the core with parks, the river and the Greenbelt along the western edge.
The area has several large vacant properties. The city owns 9-acre and 3-acre undeveloped parcels along Fairview Avenue. The 10-acre former Bob Rice Ford dealership at Main Street and the river recently went on the market.
Three undeveloped parks, the Boise River and the Greenbelt provide existing and future recreational infrastructure.
Linking it all together will be a new five-lane road connecting State Street and Fairview, which provides another north/south transportation corridor and access to the new city parks.
Making this dream come true will take public and private investment. The city is providing parks. Ada County Highway District is putting in the new road.
A team of stakeholders has been assembled to determine how best to fund or encourage other development.
Unlike Bown Crossing or Harris Ranch, conceived by and largely financed by private developers, this neighborhood plan being shepherded by the city still needs a mechanism to get private developers involved.


Check the map.

Read more:
Boise to retool 30th Street neighborhood |

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