Comments on: After my blog post, Statesman joins the action http://megafrontier.com/2010/03/after-my-blog-post-statesman-joins-the-action/ Urban life in Western America Sat, 19 May 2012 07:25:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: admin http://megafrontier.com/2010/03/after-my-blog-post-statesman-joins-the-action/comment-page-1/#comment-157 admin Tue, 06 Apr 2010 18:44:53 +0000 http://megafrontier.com/?p=689#comment-157 Cynthia is correct. Brad Hem did write about this in 2006 - and I missed this in my first scan of the Statesman database. But does anyone think that Joe Estrella, who has never covered this beat before, knew that? Nope. And I was working for the City at the time when this story came out and spoke with Brad on at least a weekly basis. Here's Brad Hem's article: <strong>Bieter says city could sell off land to pay for libraries</strong> Idaho Statesman, The (Boise, ID) - Thursday, March 9, 2006 Author: Staff, Brad Hem Private funds could also be used to help build branches Brad Hem Staff Boise will consider selling as much as two-thirds of its hundreds of acres of unused land to help pay for branch libraries, Mayor Dave Bieter told The Idaho Statesman Wednesday. Bieter said a sale could generate $12 million -- about the cost of one library branch. Library proponents could raise another $12 million in private donations and grants, cutting the $37.8 million cost by about two-thirds , he said. To sell any land, Bieter would need support from a majority of the City Council, and property would have to be sold at auction to the highest bidder. Last month´s failed $37.8 million bond election would have built three branch libraries in the Northwest, Southeast and West parts of Boise. The measure got 57 percent support -- enough to convince Bieter that residents want more libraries, but not enough to reach the two-thirds threshold required to pass bonds in Idaho. The bond´s failure prompted city leaders and library proponents to reconsider what the city needs in library services and how to pay for them. Opening smaller storefront libraries with fewer services, expanding the main library Downtown and adding branches in other neighborhoods are all possibilities. The Library Board is scheduled to ask the City Council next week for money to hire a consultant to gauge what the demands for new libraries are. Selling assets isn´t always a good idea, Bieter said, but it might be worth it if the city could get another asset, in this case a library, in return. The city is in the process of determining long-term needs before putting any city land up for sale, said Bieter aide Jade Riley. "Nothing has been solidified," Riley said. City Council members said Wednesday Bieter hasn´t talked to them about his idea, but they expect debate about the wisdom of selling real estate in a city where land values are growing by double-digit percentages in recent years. Some residents think the city owns too much land and sometimes competes with private businesses, said Councilman Jim Tibbs, who heard from voters when he campaigned last year. "Their school of thought was the city shouldn´t be in the land business," he said. Councilman Alan Shealy shares that view. "The city is not an investment bank," he said. "We´re not land speculators." Tibbs said the council needs to decide whether libraries are the city´s top priority or whether there are more important things that could be funded by selling assets. "It may very well be the highest priority, but let´s talk about that," Tibbs said. "There has to be some discussion about it." The city owns hundreds of pieces of property, including parks, fire stations and wastewater treatment plants. It owns about 150 parcels around the Boise Airport to accommodate airport expansion and to keep homes out of flight paths. The city also owns 320 acres of sagebrush-dotted land across Interstate 84 from Micron Technology east of Boise with plans for an industrial park, but the site has no tenants now, several years after the city bought it. Smaller properties at 25th and Fairview and 30th and Fairview -- both purchased with the idea of putting a new police headquarters on them -- also could be sold, Bieter said. The council declared 25th and Fairview as surplus property last year, paving they way to auction it off. Bieter said a community college has expressed interest in the site at 25th Street, and he has heard there is interest in putting a minor league baseball stadium at 30th. Councilman Vern Bisterfeldt said he would need to know specifics before agreeing to sell any property, and it would have to bring a good price. He was irked Bieter hadn´t talked to council members about the idea. "Nobody has ever mentioned that to me, and I have no idea what parcels he´s talking about," said Bisterfeldt. "It depends on what we´re going to get for it." Bieter says Treasure Valley Community College serious about city-owned land near Downtown Boise Mayor Dave Bieter says an Oregon-based community college is "very serious" about city-owned property for a Boise community college campus. But Treasure Valley Community College said discussions with the city in January were only exploratory with no follow-up scheduled. TVCC submitted an $18 million proposal to the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation to open a community college in the Boise-Meridian area. The foundation asked TVCC for a proposal in December. TVCC is one of three schools, including Boise State University and College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, that have expressed interest in opening a two-year school in the Treasure Valley. TVCC officials understood that the meeting between Boise and college officials was initiated by two developers, said Eric Ellis, a TVCC spokesman. The school has no arrangement with the developers, Ellis said. The meeting came as TVCC was looking at several possible properties to locate a school. "We have not looked at property in the last two or three weeks," Ellis said. Purchasing or leasing any property for a community college would be dependent on the Albertson Foundation approving funds for TVCC to start a school in the Boise-Meridian area. TVCC´s discussion about city land comes as Bieter is striving to strengthen relations between City Hall and BSU -- and amidst a heated public competition to meet the region´s unmet community college need. But if TVCC provides community college courses in Boise, it could allow BSU to move professional-technical courses off its cramped campus, while serving a community need. TVCC´s "presence is going to get the thing done in some fashion," Bieter said. To offer story ideas or comments, contact reporter Brad Hem at bhemidahostatesman.com or 377-6402. Dave Bieter Jim Tibbs Section: Main Page: 01 Record Number: boi2006030914560069 Copyright (c) The Idaho Statesman. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc. Cynthia is correct. Brad Hem did write about this in 2006 - and I missed this in my first scan of the Statesman database. But does anyone think that Joe Estrella, who has never covered this beat before, knew that? Nope. And I was working for the City at the time when this story came out and spoke with Brad on at least a weekly basis. Here’s Brad Hem’s article:

Bieter says city could sell off land to pay for libraries
Idaho Statesman, The (Boise, ID) - Thursday, March 9, 2006
Author: Staff, Brad Hem
Private funds could also be used to help build branches

Brad Hem

Staff

Boise will consider selling as much as two-thirds of its hundreds of acres of unused land to help pay for branch libraries, Mayor Dave Bieter told The Idaho Statesman Wednesday.

Bieter said a sale could generate $12 million — about the cost of one library branch. Library proponents could raise another $12 million in private donations and grants, cutting the $37.8 million cost by about two-thirds , he said.

To sell any land, Bieter would need support from a majority of the City Council, and property would have to be sold at auction to the highest bidder.

Last month´s failed $37.8 million bond election would have built three branch libraries in the Northwest, Southeast and West parts of Boise. The measure got 57 percent support — enough to convince Bieter that residents want more libraries, but not enough to reach the two-thirds threshold required to pass bonds in Idaho.

The bond´s failure prompted city leaders and library proponents to reconsider what the city needs in library services and how to pay for them. Opening smaller storefront libraries with fewer services, expanding the main library Downtown and adding branches in other neighborhoods are all possibilities. The Library Board is scheduled to ask the City Council next week for money to hire a consultant to gauge what the demands for new libraries are.

Selling assets isn´t always a good idea, Bieter said, but it might be worth it if the city could get another asset, in this case a library, in return. The city is in the process of determining long-term needs before putting any city land up for sale, said Bieter aide Jade Riley.

“Nothing has been solidified,” Riley said.

City Council members said Wednesday Bieter hasn´t talked to them about his idea, but they expect debate about the wisdom of selling real estate in a city where land values are growing by double-digit percentages in recent years. Some residents think the city owns too much land and sometimes competes with private businesses, said Councilman Jim Tibbs, who heard from voters when he campaigned last year.

“Their school of thought was the city shouldn´t be in the land business,” he said.

Councilman Alan Shealy shares that view.

“The city is not an investment bank,” he said. “We´re not land speculators.”

Tibbs said the council needs to decide whether libraries are the city´s top priority or whether there are more important things that could be funded by selling assets.

“It may very well be the highest priority, but let´s talk about that,” Tibbs said. “There has to be some discussion about it.”

The city owns hundreds of pieces of property, including parks, fire stations and wastewater treatment plants. It owns about 150 parcels around the Boise Airport to accommodate airport expansion and to keep homes out of flight paths.

The city also owns 320 acres of sagebrush-dotted land across Interstate 84 from Micron Technology east of Boise with plans for an industrial park, but the site has no tenants now, several years after the city bought it.

Smaller properties at 25th and Fairview and 30th and Fairview — both purchased with the idea of putting a new police headquarters on them — also could be sold, Bieter said. The council declared 25th and Fairview as surplus property last year, paving they way to auction it off. Bieter said a community college has expressed interest in the site at 25th Street, and he has heard there is interest in putting a minor league baseball stadium at 30th.

Councilman Vern Bisterfeldt said he would need to know specifics before agreeing to sell any property, and it would have to bring a good price. He was irked Bieter hadn´t talked to council members about the idea.

“Nobody has ever mentioned that to me, and I have no idea what parcels he´s talking about,” said Bisterfeldt. “It depends on what we´re going to get for it.”

Bieter says Treasure Valley Community College serious about city-owned land near Downtown

Boise Mayor Dave Bieter says an Oregon-based community college is “very serious” about city-owned property for a Boise community college campus.

But Treasure Valley Community College said discussions with the city in January were only exploratory with no follow-up scheduled.

TVCC submitted an $18 million proposal to the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation to open a community college in the Boise-Meridian area. The foundation asked TVCC for a proposal in December. TVCC is one of three schools, including Boise State University and College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls, that have expressed interest in opening a two-year school in the Treasure Valley.

TVCC officials understood that the meeting between Boise and college officials was initiated by two developers, said Eric Ellis, a TVCC spokesman. The school has no arrangement with the developers, Ellis said.

The meeting came as TVCC was looking at several possible properties to locate a school.

“We have not looked at property in the last two or three weeks,” Ellis said.

Purchasing or leasing any property for a community college would be dependent on the Albertson Foundation approving funds for TVCC to start a school in the Boise-Meridian area.

TVCC´s discussion about city land comes as Bieter is striving to strengthen relations between City Hall and BSU — and amidst a heated public competition to meet the region´s unmet community college need.

But if TVCC provides community college courses in Boise, it could allow BSU to move professional-technical courses off its cramped campus, while serving a community need. TVCC´s “presence is going to get the thing done in some fashion,” Bieter said.

To offer story ideas or comments, contact reporter Brad Hem at bhemidahostatesman.com or 377-6402.

Dave Bieter

Jim Tibbs
Section: Main
Page: 01
Record Number: boi2006030914560069
Copyright (c) The Idaho Statesman. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.

]]> By: Cynthia Sewell/Idaho Statesman http://megafrontier.com/2010/03/after-my-blog-post-statesman-joins-the-action/comment-page-1/#comment-139 Cynthia Sewell/Idaho Statesman Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:01:14 +0000 http://megafrontier.com/?p=689#comment-139 The baseball stadium at 30th Street topic has been around since at least 2006. I first heard about it from fellow Idaho Statesman reporter Brad Hem, who referred to it in his March 9, 2006 article: "Bieter said ... he has heard there is interest in putting a minor league baseball stadium at 30th." Most recently, I discussed it with Bieter's staff (and then in the newsroom) in February while researching my Feb. 13 piece on a Boise city land sale. The baseball stadium at 30th Street topic has been around since at least 2006.
I first heard about it from fellow Idaho Statesman reporter Brad Hem, who referred to it in his March 9, 2006 article: “Bieter said … he has heard there is interest in putting a minor league baseball stadium at 30th.”
Most recently, I discussed it with Bieter’s staff (and then in the newsroom) in February while researching my Feb. 13 piece on a Boise city land sale.

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