850 W Front St – Boise Centre East Expansion

City Center Plaza is the epitome a public/private partnership created to achieve a transformative outcome for Boise. Gardner Company, CCDC, The Greater Boise Auditorium District, Valley Regional Transit, Boise State University, Clearwater Analytics, and the City of Boise have all played essential roles in bringing this project to fruition. Gardner Company is playing the ring leader and building this 9-story, Class A mixed use office building in the heart of downtown Boise. The two buildings total over 350,000 SF of expanded convention space, co-located synergy with Boise State University’s Computer Science Department with Clearwater Analytics, a new multimodal transportation center called Main Street Station, and approximately 25,000 SF of restaurant on the ground floor surrounding The Grove Plaza which will activate and enhance this public space.

The project is estimated to cost upwards of $70 million and is located on what will be the last surface parking lot in the Central District. CCDC is pleased to see this infill development take place during the final years of the District and fortunate that the Agency can play a key part in the public improvements taking place.

The Type 3 Transformative Assistance Agreement with Gardner Plaza, LLC includes $450,000 for streetscape improvements and utility relocations, $200,000 of environmental remediation, and $120,000 to integrate structural tree well systems above the multimodal center on The Grove Plaza; a sum total of $770,000 of public improvements.

Additionally, $200,000 of construction deposits for public roadwork, $175,000 of conversion costs to 8th Street for traffic flow, $43,450 of discounted staging costs, $105,000 of subterranean condominium contributions (land under The Grove Plaza), totals another $523,450 in project assistance with some direct expenses of the Agency.

Adding in the $2.4 million of local match to the federal FTA grant CCDC will have provided approximately $3.7 million in project assistance not including the paramount role of providing the conduit financing mechanism for sale of $25 million in tax-exempt bonds for the expanded convention center. Another $5 million or so will be placed into the four-block area when The Grove Plaza is renovated with new bricks, enhanced lighting, fountain, trees, shade, signage, and many event related amenities.

Located on the North East corner of The Grove Plaza, City Center Plaza will complete the circle of buildings wrapping around the public plaza. With so many uses about to be added to the City Center Plaza and Main Street Station, The Grove Plaza will become even more activated, with thousands of citizens enjoying this space for events, a meeting spot, lunch break, and place to relax.

CCDC Project Manager for City Center Plaza is Doug Woodruff.