For years I've heard from people arriving in Boise from out-of-state, that they were shocked by the lack of urban living options in downtown. As of 2018, that is no longer a concern. There are now over 1,000 dwelling units under construction or planned in the downtown submarket. This is a big market indicator for retailers because these are the people who will be spending their money in this submarket with increasing frequency and will spread across more categories than the 9-5, M-F demographic which only works in downtown Boise.
It appears that the secret is out - Boise is an amazing place to live. I'm receiving inquiries by tenants from all across the country calling on our downtown listings. In fact my client, Kiwi Shake N Bake, was drawn to Boise all the way from New Zealand. It’s an exciting time to be working downtown and it’s an exciting time for retail expansion as vacancy continues to decline and cranes keep going up.
Here are some additional articles that discuss residential growth in Downtown Boise.
Idaho Statesman Business Insider
If you'd like to discuss Downtown Boise's retail opportunties, feel free to connect with me via phone (208) 947-0814 or email.