River-Myrtle/Old Boise URD Projects Update
March 17, 2020News Update on CCDC Projects in the River-Myrtle/Old Boise URD
The city’s largest district, River-Myrtle/Old Boise is made up of two distinct zones: the areas adjacent to the Boise River, public parks, and the historic downtown section known as Old Boise.
5th & Front Streets – Hotel and Parking Garage – Participation Program (PP) Type 3, 5
Construction continues on the 540-space 5th and Front parking garage with opening scheduled for early 2020. The hotel portion of the development is scheduled to open in summer 2020. CCDC will lease 200 parking spaces for public use. To-date, all 200 of CCDC’s leased spaces have been reserved by members of the public for monthly passes. The developer is planning a public art element on the stairwell wall facing Front Street, and is working with the City of Boise Arts and History Department on the selection process. The Board approved an additional $90,000 in eligible expenses for public art at its December 2019 meeting. The Public Art Request for Qualifications to Artists was published in December. Arts & History has received several artist applications. The selection committee will include a representative from CCDC, the development group, an Arts & History commissioner and local artists.
500 S. 8th Street – Trailhead – Agency Leased Property
The Agency and the City of Boise approved an updated Memorandum of Understanding in December 2019. The lease for this Trailhead location expired at the end of January 2020 with the allowance to proceed month-to-month until a new lease can be executed. The parties are drafting and negotiating lease and operating agreements for the Agency Board to consider at a future meeting.
200 Myrtle Street – Boise Caddis – PP Type 2:
Construction has begun on the Boise Caddis project. Building foundations and slabs on grade are 100% complete and post-tensioned concrete work is underway. The developers are targeting mid-May to begin wood framing. Apartment facade finishes will start in early August. The project is scheduled to open in the summer
of 2021. The project includes 160 rental units and 400 parking stalls. Ada County will purchase the parking stalls to be used by its nearby Courthouse complex workforce. The Type 2 Agreement includes approximately $1.2 million in eligible expenses for public improvements on 2nd, 3rd, and Myrtle Streets and a small portion of Broad Street. Reimbursement will come from tax increment revenue generated by the project.
204 Myrtle Street – CDG Boise – PP Type 2
The Board designated this project for Type 2 funding at its November 2019 meeting. CDG Boise is building a 249-unit apartment building with 353 parking spaces, and has requested reimbursement for approximately $980,000 of public improvements including streetscapes and utility work. The Type 2 Agreement was approved at the December 2019 Board meeting. Construction is scheduled to begin in late spring 2020.
406 Broad Street – Cartee Apartments – PP Type 2
Construction and mobilization began in October 2019. Excavation, footings, and first floor columns are complete. Currently concrete work is being performed on the first floor slab and garage ramp. The agreement between CCDC and the developer contemplates approximately $1.3 million in eligible expenses to be reimbursed from project-generated tax increment revenue. The project includes approximately 160 apartment units and 176 structured parking spaces.
512 W Grove Street – 5th & Grove Mixed Use Residential – PP Type 2
At the August 2019 Board Meeting, the CCDC Board designated the 5th and Grove development as eligible for Type 2 Participation Program funding. Since then, the project has finalized its eligible expenses at $1.1 million for public improvements along 5th Street, Grove Street and alley. The project includes 114 for-rent apartments and 8,000 square feet of ground floor retail. 50 of the apartment units will be dedicated to the workforce population, serving 120% AMI and below. The project qualifies for Level A status and is eligible to receive 80% of the tax increment revenue it generates to reimburse eligible expenses. CCDC estimates the project will be reimbursed approximately $700,000 using the typical Type 2 reimbursement structure. CCDC will construct and pay for the already-planned Grove Street streetscape improvements currently in the Agency’s 5-year Capital Improvement Plan, accounting for $347,000 in eligible expenses. If construction timelines do not align, then CCDC will reimburse the developer for that work upon completion of the project and not through tax increment revenue generated by the project. Those two sources will reimburse the developer for all of their project’s eligible expenses. The Type 2 Participation Program Agreement is on the March 9, 2020 Agenda for Board review and approval.
116 6th Street – 6th & Grove Mixed Used, Income Restricted Residential – PP Type 2
6th and Grove is a mixed-use residential and retail project being developed by Capital Partners, Galena Fund, and deChase Miksis. It will be comprised of 60 apartment units (income restricted and market rate), 5,000 square feet of retail and 9,000 square feet of office space. The project includes approximately $600,000 of eligible expenses for public improvements in the alley and streetscapes along Grove and 6th Streets. Grove Street streetscapes are included in the cost estimation, but will likely be removed from the expenses should CCDC move forward with Grove Street streetscape improvements in Old Boise as contemplated in the 5-year CIP. 6th Street will be reimbursed upon completion, as it was originally included in CCDC’s CIP for FY 2020. The remainder of the eligible expenses will be reimbursed using tax increment revenue generated by the project between 2022 and 2025. The Type 2 Participation Program Agreement is on the March 9, 2020 Agenda for Board review and approval.
600 Front Street – The Vanguard – PP Type 2
Visium Development has mobilized for construction of a 75 multi-family apartment units on the corner of 6th and Front (formerly Biz Print). The Board designated this project for Type 2 funding at its November 2019 meeting. Visium has requested reimbursement funds for approximately $400,000 of public improvements, including streetscapes and utility work. The Type 2 Agreement has been finalized and was approved at the December 2019 Board Meeting.
535 S. 15th Street – River Street Lofts – PP Type 1
Townhome lofts are nearing a Certificate of Occupancy. Final siding and landscaping work in progress. CCDC will reimburse up to $150,000 for public improvements upon completion and inspection. S. 5th & Grove Streets Utilities – Underground & Conduit: This project undergrounded overhead utility lines and installed conduit for future fiber-optic expansion on 5th Street between Front and Idaho. The project will be done once the contractor, Probst, completes removal of poles and overhead power lines which will get underway in early March 2020. 11th Street Streetscape – Grove Street to River Street: These streetscape improvements are planned for construction in FY2023. To maximize public investment, the Agency is working closely with ACHD on its 11th Street bikeway facilities project. To ensure that cooperative and coordinated solutions are developed by ACHD and CCDC in their respective planning processes, the Agency is conducting planning and design on a similar schedule to ACHD. N. 6th Street Streetscape – Front Street to Main Street: Design and construction of streetscape improvements on 6th Street between Main and Front streets. The Land Group is the design professional. The construction contract was awarded to Guho Corp at the Board’s August 2019 meeting. Construction is complete on the Block 7 Alley. Guho Corp is currently working on streetscapes on the east side of 6th Street between Main Street and Front. The project is on schedule.
RMOB – Consolidated Newspaper Racks
The Agency is assisting the City of Boise in locating and installing consolidated news racks downtown to ensure sidewalk accessibility, reduce clutter and damage to individual racks. Guho Corp has completed all but two of the planned installations, both located in the Westside District. The City Council is holding a public hearing on the news rack ordinance on March 3, 2020. Assuming it is approved with readings on March 10, March 17, and March 31, the City will work with distributors to relocate publications into the consolidated news racks and remove the old boxes starting in April.
S. 5th St & Myrtle St – Signalized Crossing
This project seeks to install signal control on Myrtle Street at the 5th Street intersection to provide a safe crossing between Julia Davis Park and the Central Addition, and to extend signal-coordinated calming of Myrtle Street. Kittelson & Associates has completed a preliminary warrant analysis and has scheduled a meeting with representatives of ACHD, City of Boise, CCDC, and ITD on March 12, 2020 to discuss next steps.
RMOB Circulator – Preliminary Engineering
CCDC is partnering with the City to share the costs of initial engineering for the Downtown Circulator project. The Agency has re-budgeted initial engineering funds to FY2020. The Agency stands ready to assist. ParkBOI – Capitol & Myrtle Parking Garage – Agency Owned Property: Agency has contracted with Specialty Systems of Utah to repair patches of spray-on fire-proofing. The application process requires warmer temperatures, (at least 40 degrees throughout the application process), so Specialty Systems will be performing the work sometime after May 1, 2020.
ParkBOI – 11th & Front Parking Garage – Agency Owned Property
No significant maintenance performed in recent months. Fewer than 100 of the 722 spaces that were originally available for general public monthly use remain available to lease.
N. 5th & 6th Streets – City of Boise/ACHD Traffic Configuration
ACHD has this project on indefinite hold until there is programmed construction funding. The Agency stands ready to assist and anticipates direction in the near future.
Grove Street – Multi-Block Improvement Project
CCDC and the City selected and contracted with a public engagement team. A vision statement, project timeline, and community engagement plan are being developed. Conversations with property owners have occurred. Block 7 – CCDC Alley Program: Block 7 is bounded by Capitol Boulevard, Main Street, 6th Street, and Grove Street. The project includes pavement enhancements, lighting, and improved trash facilities. The contract was awarded to Guho Corp, along with the 6th Street Streetscape project, at the August 2019 Board meeting. Construction is complete.
RMOB Public Art – City of Boise Broad Street Sculpture – PP Type 4
Final concepts have been submitted. The City Department of Arts & History is currently gathering feedback on the concepts.