Working with CCDC & Boise City

Boise City and Capital City Development Corporation (CCDC) have an ambitious vision and set of goals for downtown Boise that focus on how to maintain downtown vitality and prompt economic development. They focus on the type of place the Boise City Council, CCDC and the community want downtown to be.

Vision for downtown Boise:

A place where there is a lively mixture of housing, workplaces, retail, cultural and educational activities and social spaces.A place that with a rich intellectual and cultural environment that attracts talented people and sparks creativity.

Goals for downtown Boise:

1. Keep downtown as center of region for:
   • business
   • government and services
   • conventions, lodging and tourism
   • education
   • culture
     
2. Achieve superb access and mobility
   • link downtown districts and downtown to region
   • create transportation and systems that support the vision
   • reduce congestion and air pollution
     
3. Grow in a healthy, sustainable way
   • develop land use mix intensity that supports walking, bicycling, transit
   • use infill and brownfields
   • use alternative energy sources – geothermal, solar
     
4. Create a strong economy and lively mix of uses
   • thriving businesses
   • theaters, museums, street musicians
   • shops, restaurants, sidewalk cafes
   • hotels and entertainment
   • housing
     
5. Make downtown a great place for people
   • create in-town neighborhoods
   • expand arts, cultural, and learning opportunities
   • connect downtown better to BSU
   • add civic spaces and parks to the urban environment

We know we cannot accomplish these goals alone. Developers have played and will continue to play a major role in the revitalization and economic development of downtown Boise. Over the past forty years, private companies have built offices, mixed use buildings, retail and restaurant space, hotels and housing and have renovated a significant number of historic buildings for contemporary use. Downtown Boise has been transformed into a vibrant and exciting urban scene with places to live and work, lots of people activity, a rich array of cultural and entertainment offerings, both homegrown and national retailers and excellent restaurants. It has proven to be a great place to invest! But there is more work to be done.

The private sector is in the best position to respond to the marketplace. Private developers rather than public agencies are responsible for most of the development that occurs in downtown. CCDC knows that we need private developers to seek out downtown as a place to do business. Rather than compete with private developers, CCDC uses its resources to create catalysts infrastructure for private development. To date, CCDC has built street and sidewalk improvements, public parking garages and transit improvements. CCDC has invested in downtown beautification, a central plaza and public art.

CCDC offers assistance to downtown developers in the form of:

• Project Planning and Design Assistance
  CCDC can assist property owners and developers, either through its own staff or consultants, with site layout and building massing studies and architectural design to improve the prospects for success of downtown development projects.
  
  

• Advocacy with other public agencies
  CCDC can act as an advocate for development projects that meet the vision and goals for downtown with staff at Boise City, Ada County Highway District, Idaho Transportation Department or at other agencies or in hearings before the city council or agency boards.
  
  

• Investment in public infrastructure
  CCDC’s Capital Investment Plan (CIP) is the agency’s primary form of infrastructure investment. It is a five-year plan coordinated with our budget. It shows where we expect to use our financial resources for public investment projects. Each year this plan is updated with our budget and is adjusted based on resources available and current development projects. The CIP also includes a Streetscape Grant Program component that provides assistance to developers with the cost of streetscape improvements.
  
  

• Investment in placemaking and community building

CCDC invests time and resources in a variety of downtown catalyst projects.

• Downtown Streetcar
• Workforce Housing - CCDC is working with a wide range of stakeholders to increase downtown residential options.
• Sustainability
• Downtown Parking
• Arts & Culture - CCDC has funded most of the public artworks in downtown and supports several performing arts programs and events.

Contact information for downtown development:

City of Boise Planning and Development Services

City of Boise Project Management Program

Downtown Development Coordination Program

Geothermal Heating District

Idaho Power

Intermountain Gas Company
United Water (208) 362-7304

Ada County Highway District (Local streets and ROW)

Idaho Transportation Department (State Highways)