ERA in Idaho news

Jack Haeseler draws your attention to ERA (spelled incorrectly) in the press.....

from the Idaho Business Review 3/19/2007

Nampa unveils big plan for downtown redevelopment
Posted: Monday, March 19, 2007

"It is, to say the least, an ambitious set of goals. The City of Nampa has formally announced its plans for downtown redevelopment.

Many of the projects already were publicly discussed as part of an urban-renewal plan Nampa finalized in December. But this is the first time the scope of the project has been made public." ...

"The phased plan for downtown Nampa, according to a statement from the city, calls for a 90,000-square-foot urban park with ice rink and concert area, a new library of 80,000 square feet, a public-safety / police building of 60,000 square feet, a new City Hall of 120,000 square feet, and an entertainment district. The entertainment district would consist of restaurants, a cinema, retail and office space, lodging, and owner-occupied and rental housing.

Nampa officials said the plan aims to create a new Nampa city center where people can work at well-paying jobs, live and recreate." ...

"In April and May, the city plans to circulate requests for qualifications from interested developers, according to the city-issued statement. After the requests are reviewed and scored, the city plans to develop a short list. In August, the city aims to release a request for proposals (RFP) and work toward selecting a developer for a 2008 construction start." ...

"The first phase of construction, from 2008 to 2010, encompasses $111,142,250 of development – including the library and police buildings, the park and $63 million in private development. The private development would include residential and commercial space, and four public parking structures in the downtown core.
The second phase, 2010-12, calls for $121,113, 250 in development, according to the city. It encompasses a new city hall and urban cinema project, two more parking structures, and $81 million in residential and commercial space.
Nampa officials said in the statement that private development dollars will help pay for the urban park and city hall projects.
More than $190,024,500 of private development would be reserved for future phases, and more than $422,280,000 of development would occur downtown between next year and 2018, the city said.
A steering committee of Nampa community members began planning a revitalized downtown in 2002, and adopted a Central Nampa Revitalization Blueprint in 2004. The Central Nampa Development Commission last year finalized the plan with help from consultants Steinback Public Private Real Estate, Economic Research Associates and the Carter Burgess urban design and planning firm.

Vallivue School District in late January sued Nampa over its urban renewal district and plan. Property taxes generated after improvements within an urban renewal district are usually collected by the district rather than by public agencies, such as school district." ....

For the complete story see: http://www.idahobusiness.net/archive.htm/2007/03/19/Nampa-unveils-big-plan-for-downtown-redevelopment