How can Boise grow to attract young professionals?

In challenging economic times, growth is usually far from people’s minds. But it is still critical to keep the City of Trees moving forward.

We must remember that we live in an innovative, entrepreneurial city that will overcome the current economic downturn and continue to grow. In fact, we have to grow and expand our economy if we want to get out of our current economic downturn.

How can we continue to grow in these tough times? We must commit to investing in the best approach to growth that will both support the existing population and attract additional talented professionals to our community.

Often the question we face is whether we should continue to grow outwardly or take advantage of our existing infrastructure and add to our existing neighborhoods.

Our best approach is to work to improve our existing neighborhoods.

According to data from Idaho Smart Growth, a local nonprofit organization, two-thirds of all new development between now and 2050 will take place in downtown locations, secondary centers, or center-accessible developments. These developments are characterized by proximity to downtown areas or by being accessible to a core of workplaces, recreational, and cultural venues, thus allowing residents to readily take advantage of services close to their homes.

In other words, people want “walkable” communities that offer them opportunities to have home, work, and recreation nearby. This appeals to busy young professionals because it means that they can spend more time on leisure activities and less time in their cars.

Walkability and access to mass transit are key features of well-planned communities. They provide residents with a variety of options for easily moving around their neighborhood without expending a lot of money or impacting the environment. Neighborhoods built around the principles of walkability and mixed-use land planning conserve resources and tax dollars by taking advantage of infrastructure that already exists.

Boise is already home to several walkable neighborhoods, but we must continue our efforts and improve all our neighborhoods if we want to attract and retain a young, vibrant workforce. Having neighborhoods that exhibit these qualities demonstrates a commitment to maintaining and improving our quality of life.

As we move forward and turn the economy around, we must shift our focus towards sustainable growth within our existing communities. By doing so, Boise can continue to improve its quality of life for existing residents and be seen as the most attractive option for potential new residents.

Brock Taylor Martinson is an architect-in-training with CSHQA, a full-service design firm specializing in architecture and engineering. He is a member of the Boise-area community. His civic involvement includes professional and leadership development work teams for the Boise Young Professionals. 

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