Westside Projects Update
March 17, 2020News Update on CCDC Projects in the Westside URD
The Westside includes a portion of the downtown core, a residential neighborhood to the west, and the burgeoning Linen District with an eclectic mix of shops and restaurants. Read below for an update of current projects happening within the Westside Urban Renewal District.
1010 W. Jefferson St – 10Ten Building – Agency-Owned Property
No notable maintenance issues.
421 N. 10th St – ISG/BSN Building – Agency Owned Property
No notable maintenance issues.
11th Street Streetscape – Washington Street to Grove 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 the Agency in their respective planning processes, the Agency is conducting planning and design on a similar schedule to ACHD.
15th Street Utilities – Undergrounding & Conduit
This project undergrounded overhead power lines and installed underground fiber-optic conduit to facilitate redevelopment, expand telecommunications networks, and accommodate mature street trees along 15th Street. The project will be complete once contractor Anderson & Wood resolves one remaining punch list item.
Westside District – 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: on Bannock Street between 12th and 13th streets due to the closure of the former Greyhound bus terminal; on 10th Street between Main and Idaho streets due to business concerns and questions over whether the unregulated boxes there are still in use. 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.
Bannock Street Streetscape – 8th to 9th Streets
The City of Boise conducted a public meeting and an online survey to gauge public support of the proposed design. Feedback was evaluated. The City presented the project to ACHD during a Commission work session in November 2019 and to the ACHD Commission in January 2020 after which ACHD approved the design. The project received Design Review approval from City on February 18, 2020. A construction document contract with Jensen Belts Associates will be on the Agency Board’s March 2020 meeting agenda for approval.
N. 8th Street Streetscapes – Bannock to State Streets
The City of Boise conducted a public meeting and an online survey to gauge public support of the proposed design. Feedback was evaluated. The City presented the project to ACHD during a Commission work session in November 2019 and to the ACHD Commission in January 2020 after which ACHD approved the design. The project received Design Review approval from City on February 18, 2020. Aconstruction document contract with Jensen Belts Associates will be on the Agency Board’s March 2020 meeting agenda for approval.
10th & State Streets – Agency Owned Property
CCDC is working with nearby landowners around the Agency-owned sites to create transformative development in the Brady Block area. CCDC hopes to incentivize the future redevelopment of underutilized sites adjacent to the Brady Block.
1010 Main St – Avery Building – PP Type
This is a privately-owned vacant building currently undergoing renovation. CCDC has remained engaged with the developer and owner who is working on overall project financing. The developer is interested in utilizing the Agency’s Participation Program for historic preservation costs and hopes to submit an application in 2020.
1111 Idaho St – 11th & Idaho Building – PP Type 2
This nine-story, Class A office building is being developed by Rafanelli and Nahas using the internationally recognized architecture firm Perkins + Will. The site is adjacent to the future Westside Urban Park and is being designed to complement the existing Boise Plaza on the adjacent block to the north. The development was designated as a Type 2 Participation Project in July 2019. The final agreement was presented to the Board in August 2019. Construction is underway. CCDC will reimburse the developers for public improvements being completed along Idaho and 11th streets. The reimbursement will be based on actual expenses and will not exceed $740,690.
Westside URD – Boundary Adjustment – Eligibility Study
SB Friedman Development Advisors (SBF) presented their Eligibility Report for this URD Plan Amendment to the CCDC Board at its May 2019 meeting. The City Council accepted the report in June 2019 and directed CCDC to move forward with the plan amendment. The Plan Amendment must be reviewed by CCDC and the City Council as well as Planning and Zoning prior to adoption. The Agency and counsel are working on scoping the plan amendment and are discussing potential projects with property owners.
ParkBOI – 10th & Front Garage – Agency Owned Property
Phase II refurbishment work, including repair of concrete spalling and heavy corrosion, post-tensioned tendon repairs, and installation of waterproofing membrane, was completed by contractor Hellman Construction in December 2019. The Agency Board approved the ranking of structural engineering firms to provide professional services for Structural Damage Prevention, and a contract was executed with the top ranked firm, Desman, Inc. Desman is working to have construction documents ready to bid by late April 2020 with an intended construction contract award at the June 8 board meeting and construction beginning soon thereafter.
11th Street Bikeway – ACHD Collaboration – River Street to Washington Street
11th Street has been identified in plans by the City and ACHD as an important corridor for the west side of downtown Boise. It prioritizes cyclists, pedestrians, retail business, and residents while accommodating existing vehicular use. ACHD is advancing the design of bikeway facility improvements for 11th St from Heron Street to State Street in preparation for installation in FY2023. CCDC selected Kittleson & Associates to lead a public engagement process and produce a concept design for 11th Street from River to Washington streets. CCDC briefed the ACHD Commission on the project on March 4, 2020.
Westside Circulator – Preliminary Engineering
CCDC is partnering with the City to share the costs of initial engineering for the Downtown Circulator project. The Agency is re-budgeting initial engineering funds to FY2020. The Agency stands ready to assist and anticipates direction in the near future. North 8th Street – City/ACHD Traffic Configuration: A traffic and bike lane analysis performed by Kittleson & Associates and a design package by Jensen Belts Associates were presented to the City Council in January 2019. The City Council requested public outreach on the project. The City conducted a public meeting and an online survey to gauge public support of the proposed design. Feedback was evaluated. The City presented the project to ACHD’s Commission during a November 2019 work session. The Commission was receptive and asked for an interagency agreement for paving and for the project to be brought back for formal presentation. That presentation occurred on January 22, 2020 after which ACHD approved the design. The project received Design Review approval from the City on February 18, 2020. A construction document contract with Jensen Belts Associates will be on the Agency Board’s March 9, 2020 agenda for approval.
11th Street & Bannock Street – Westside Urban Park
The City Council approved the Westside Urban Park Master Development Agreement and associated land agreement in June 2019. The completion of these agreements formalizes a public-private partnership that will result in the creation of a new downtown neighborhood urban park. Construction is anticipated to begin midsummer 2020. This public investment complements construction of the adjacent 11th and Idaho development, a nine-story Class A office building with retail/restaurant space fronting the park. Construction on the office tower began in August 2019. After a selection process the City Arts & History Department engaged artist Matthew Mazzotta to produce an iconic and interactive art piece for the park.