Boise store owners pushback on Bown Crossing development

BOISE, Idaho (CBS 2) — Store owners in Boise's Bown Crossing are fighting a proposal one developer is bringing before the city.

The developer wants to put up a mixed-use building on the empty corner lot at Bown and Parkcenter. The plan includes stores and a restaurant.

Planning and zoning will hear the proposal on Monday. The developer's plan has been denied in the past.

"We ultimately were denied by City Council," said John Day, an architect with SU architecture. "There was enough opposition that came forward and said that there was a parking problem out there."

Day said they're coming forward with an adjusted plan, including a smaller restaurant with less seating.

They also want to rezone the lot to have a pedestrian commercial classification.

The biggest concern for shop owners like Ryan Faber is still parking.

"Here we are an island," Faber said. "There's no street parking on Parkcenter there's limited street parking on Boise avenue quite aways down."

The new plan, like the old, would still ask for a reduction in parking spots. The city requires 23 spots and in total, the proposal would provide 14.

"We want the lot developed. We want it to be beautiful. We don't want it to be a dirt lot anymore," Faber said. "However it is the parking that's just notoriously, just continuing to be the issue."

Day said all they're asking is for the city to follow their masterplan blueprint.

"The city touts Bown Crossing as a prime example of good development," Day said. "We are nothing more than a part of that."

Faber said he'd like to see plans for a smaller building with more parking or a building with different usage, that wouldn't have so many people there at one time.

But Day argues their property is the type of business that should be on that lot.

"We just happen to be the very last developable lot and now that it's successful similar to like a hyde park um yeah it's busy."

Planning and zoning will hear a plan to re-zone the lot on Monday.

St. Alphonsus is a tenant in the area and has come out against the proposal. They say they don't want their medical center lot being too crowded for people who need their services.

A spokesman said they plan to speak against it at the meeting.

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