Boise Development

I try to follow Boise development, but I can honestly say I never heard the news about Jack’s Place coming. This thing looks absolutely massive, and also quite amazing.

Some details aren’t final, but the Simplots are planning space for:

• A 4-acre park.
• An amphitheater for live events that will have dinner seating for more than 500 and theater-style seating for nearly 1,200.
• A sculpture garden will display a collection of antique tractors and other items, in keeping with J.R. Simplot’s idea for an agriculture museum.
• Studio space for professional and amateur artists.
• A variety of outdoor and indoor venues for all types of gatherings, including classes, dinners and weddings.

From the Idaho Statesman

Okay, the tractors-as-sculpture bit is out of place in downtown Boise, but I appreciate the history of the money that will be funding this development. And on top of that, the money is in place and does not need to be secured from lenders or investors. It’s ready to go, ready to buy cheap materials, and ready to provide upward of a thousand jobs. Nice!

It’ll turn four full city blocks that are currently sitting idle into a unified park, office, and gathering structure that is specifically designed to support community interaction. Really, I’m quite excited about this.

I’m following a lot of the information at the SkyscraperPage Forums, in the Mountain West subforum. I also enjoy looking at the various picture threads posted here in the City Photos section, particularly those by user “Sawtooth.” His threads, like this this recent thread showing Boise heading into summer, are always phenomenally well done.