After last year’s outcry over a proposed CVS pharmacy on State Street, the City of Boise is looking to create a more pedestrian-friendly zone west of downtown.
The proposed pharmacy would’ve flattened an affordable housing apartment complex and replaced it with a parking lot. The CVS project would’ve also moved or demolished three nearby houses.
The West Downtown and North End neighborhood associations fought back against the project, which ultimately was withdrawn.
Since then, Wayne Rysavy with the City of Boise says they’ve been working with the two groups to create a new zone that’ll blend commercial and residential zones, with a focus on pedestrians.
“The thinking really behind it is to deter some of the developments we’ve seen over time that tend to be more car-centric or tend to have drive-thrus and instead allow for a better blend of developments that would maintain or enhance the neighborhood character,” Rysavy said.
Both the West Downtown and North End neighborhood associations says they prefer a modified version of the Pedestrian Commercial zone that includes a more graduated roof line.
The proposed changes would stretch between 11th and 19th Streets along State Street. Another section up for rezoning runs on Main Street between 16th and 22nd.
The public is invited to give feedback to city officials at an open house this Thursday beginning at 5 p.m. at Boise City Hall.
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