Downtown Nampa
Renaissance
Nampa's historic downtown stands poised for a renaissance. Idaho's second-largest city has seen dramatic growth in its residential, commercial and industrial sectors. Only recently has the downtown core stirred with new life, spurred by creative and diverse retail merchants.
The City of Nampa helped spark this renewal with zoning changes, grants for historic facades, streetscape beautification and plans for public investment. Soon, a new library, park, public art, street beautification and a public safety building will further redefine downtown. Civic amenities enhance the excitement of a culturally rich urban core and translate into a dynamic market.
The Project
The City of Nampa formed the Nampa Development Corporation in 2006, which will guide downtown projects. It uses urban renewal district funding to accomplish the goals of its Economic Development Plan, which includes a new library, public safety building, parking garages and other amenities to leverage publicly-owned land for increased private investment downtown.
The library
Nampa's existing library has been eclipsed by the city's growth, providing space one-third the size it should be for a city of 80,000 residents. Now, the library sees more than 1,000 patrons visit each day. That is expected to at least double with the new library, providing an "anchor" for a variety of retail, office and residential demand. The new library will feature computers, meeting rooms, public art and modern campus-style amenities to serve as a cultural beacon to the city.
The Public Safety Building
A four-story civic office building to house Nampa Police, Fire Administration and the Canyon County Annex will upgrade a blighted block near the historic downtown, setting the tone for future office structures in the area.
Open space
The Redevelopment Plan calls for significant open space that can be used for gatherings, events and recreation. A subsequent land-use analysis by Carter-Burgess identified the value of a city-block sized park to enhance area mixed-use development and anchor a campus-style square that helps draw Nampans to the city center.
The timeline
In 2007 and 2008 the city purchased key parcels. The location for the library was announced in May, 2008 and the Public Safety Building site may be announced this summer. A request for qualified developers will likely be issued in the fall.
