Documents disclose what developers envision for ‘prime’ ITD site on Boise’s State Street

When the Idaho Transportation Department’s 44-acre headquarters hit the open market in May, there were any number of possibilities for what the coveted real estate along State Street could become.

According to Kim Rau, public information officer for the Department of Administration, nine buyers lined up to make bids for the “prime piece of real estate” at 3311 W. State St. near Veterans Memorial Park in Boise.

Hundreds of documents obtained by the Idaho Statesman through a public records request identify the losing bidders, the amounts of the winning and losing bids and the visions the applicants offered for the site.

The bidders included Boise Hunter Homes, Arizona-based Grossman Company Properties Inc.; Indiana-based Thompson Thrift Development Inc.; and a joint venture between Ball Ventures Ahlquist, a Meridian developer, and Alscott Real Estate, of Boise.

The highest bid came from two Boise-area developers, Hawkins Cos. and The Pacific Cos., and Utah-based FJ Management. The records revealed the previously undisclosed amount of their winning bid: $51.75 million. That’s nearly $1.2 million per acre.

Most of the offers ranged from about $30 million to $50 million. But there were some exceptions.

Grossman Company Properties Inc., whose portfolio includes the 1,700-acre Hidden Springs community northwest of Boise, offered $6 million in cash and 3,139 acres — about 5 square miles — of land in the Boise Foothills in exchange for the old ITD property.

The land offered spanned from the winding Bogus Basin Road in the southwestern portion, east to near Boise Peak and north near Freddy’s Stack Rock Trailhead.

But in September, the documents show, the state selected the $51.75 million bid from two Idaho-based developers, Hawkins Cos. and The Pacific Cos., and Utah-based FJ Management which runs convenience stores, hotels, oil refineries and senior living communities.

The site has a number of unique and interesting features — namely that 44-acres of property doesn’t often come up for sale so close to downtown Boise. The site is just over two miles from the state Capitol and has easy access to the Boise River Greenbelt and the highly trafficked State Street corridor.

“It is a unique piece of property being that it’s so large a piece of property within the Boise area,” Brian Huffaker, president and CEO of Hawkins Cos., told the Idaho Statesman in September. “You’re not going to see that much.”

It is also within the boundaries of Boise’s newest urban renewal district. The city’s urban renewal agency, the Capital City Development Corp., has indicated that it is interested in helping redevelop the property.

While the developers are still fleshing out plans for the site once it transfers ownership, they hope to build it for commercial and residential uses.

“We are excited about the possibility of acquiring this property for the purpose of developing a vibrant mixed-use neighborhood that positively integrates into the city of Boise,” wrote Caleb Roope, CEO of The Pacific Cos., in an email to the Department of Administration.

What that mixed-use neighborhood may look like is still under question, but the public records show the possibilities that could have been, and what possibilities remain, for one of Boise’s most distinctive properties. Among them:

1. The winner: 2,000 homes

Hawkins Cos., The Pacific Cos. and FJ Management submitted a preliminary map of the space with commercial space lining the edge of State Street and market-rate apartments filling 17 acres of the property’s inner portion.

The developers proposed a new, walkable neighborhood that would include services and shopping opportunities “to an otherwise under-served area of Boise,” according to a letter submitted by the developers.

Affordable housing would fill about five acres off Whitewater Park Boulevard on the southeastern side of the property. Houses and town houses would fill the western portion.

The site would provide over 2,000 units of new housing and boost the State Street urban renewal district’s economic activity and tax revenues, according to the letter.

Huffaker said the developers would work with local agencies and stakeholders to determine the final plan for the site. He expects it to take 18 to 24 months before construction begins.

2. A town-style block with public spaces

Boise’s The Hosac Co. and Hosac Ventures LLC partnered with California-based Legacy Partners Inc. to offer $45 million for the property with plans to redevelop it into a mix of residential, commercial, retail, leisure, community and green spaces.

Their plan outlined 168,000 square feet of commercial space along with three high-rise apartment buildings in the core of the property. Luxury condos would have filled out the southeastern edge, while affordable housing and town houses would have filled the northwestern section.

Through the center of the property they proposed a green “ribbon” with green spaces and a connection to the Boise River Greenbelt.

“The essence of this project lies in creating a series of lively, pedestrian-friendly boulevards that echo the charm and warmth of traditional town-style streets,” according to the proposal.

Had they won the bid, developers hoped the town-style blocks would be able to host events, farmers’ markets and holiday festivals.

The proposal suggested exploring eco-friendly features including solar panels, rainwater harvesting systems, electric vehicle charging stations and bike-sharing facilities.

3. An urban farm, homes and gathering spaces

A different possibility came from Idaho-based Ball Ventures Ahlquist and Alscott Real Estate. Ball Ventures Ahlquist is a partnership of Ball Ventures in Idaho Falls with Boise-area developer Tommy Ahlquist. Alscott Real Estate is a family-owned development business established in 1976 by Albertsons founder Joe Albertson and two cofounders, including Joseph B. Scott.

BVA and Alscott offered $42.7 million for the site and proposed an urban farm, residential and office buildings, stores, restaurants, event space, greenhouses, agricultural exhibits and vertical gardens.

“The District at Whitewater Farm will become a destination rich in experience and amenities,” the developers wrote. “The urban farmstead will celebrate Idaho’s agricultural identity and showcase the evolution of farming with thought-leadership for the future.”

The plan called for open-air gardens, sustainable building features, fountains and gathering spaces that could be used for community events, music, art and other activities.

4. An urban village

Texas-based Lincoln Property Co. joined forces with the Utah-based Colmena Group and North Carolina-based Wadsworth Development Group to offer $41 million in the hope of building a residential village.

The proposal outlined two options that called for community plazas, outdoor dining, easy access to the Greenbelt and housing options.

The first option proposed 645 apartments, 165 town houses and 95,000 square feet of retail and commercial space. The second option boosted the density and increased the number of apartments to 1,300, plus 165 town houses and 150,000 square feet of retail and commercial space.

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