While several rural Idaho cities have turned to mixed-use developments in the hope of revitalizing the downtowns, they aren’t a panacea. The success of a mixed-use development is tied to how successful the city itself is, said Deanna Smith, program ...
Read More »Community support can make or break a mixed-use project
Planners say mixed use is healthier 
Organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and the Urban Land Institute encourage mixed-use development as a means of improving health. “Residents of mixed-use livable communities with transit options weigh less, are more physically active, and experience less chronic ...
Read More »Mixed use is fundamental to Boise’s planning 
As Idaho’s largest city, Boise is probably most out in front when it comes to mixed-use development. But even in Boise, mixed use faces challenges. Mixed use is one of the most fundamental concepts in Boise’s comprehensive plan, according to ...
Read More »Carrie Westergard, executive director, Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau 
They’ve been living together for two years, but the Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce finally tied the knot in November, merging the two nonprofit organizations. Operationally, the organization will be similar to the ...
Read More »Carole Skinner, president, The Flicks in Boise 
If you saw it in a movie, you’d roll your eyes: A boy and girl go on a blind date. He asks her what she’d do if she could do anything she wanted. She tells him she’d open an art ...
Read More »Nancy K. Napier, distinguished professor, Boise State University 
You wouldn’t know it to look at her, but Nancy Napier is a gang leader. The Gang is the original “learning group” of multi-spectrum people that Napier first put together while at Boise State University to research business creativity and ...
Read More »Autumn Kersey, founder, executive director, board chair and co-director Treasure Valley Children’s Theater LLC/Treasure Valley YOUTH Theater Inc. in Meridian 
While Autumn Kersey’s first theater production was when she was 4 years old, she was on stage even earlier: Her mother was in a play while pregnant with her. As the only child of a single mother with three jobs, ...
Read More »Beth Ineck, economic development director, City of Nampa 
When Nampa’s old Mercy Hospital burned down recently, economic development director Beth Ineck literally saw three years’ worth of work go up in smoke. “That was disappointing,” Ineck says. “That’s a project I’ve been somewhat involved with since I started ...
Read More »Ashley Ford-Squyres, owner, AF Public Solutions LLC in Boise 
This is actually Ashley Ford-Squyres’ second time as one of IBR’s Women of the Year. “I got this award in 2009,” she says. “One of the things the story said was that I wanted to be on the City Council ...
Read More »Karen Echeverria, executive director, Idaho School Boards Association in Boise 
With the start of the Idaho Legislative session, executive director of the nonprofit Idaho School Boards Association (ISBA) Karen Echeverria is wondering what it’s going to be like. “I think it’ll be a little slower year,” Echeverria says. “Of course, ...
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