BOISE, Idaho — The City of Boise extended a formal Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to J. Fisher Companies for the development of Franklin and Orchard. Mayor Lauren McLean and City Council members unanimously voted in approval of the development at Tuesday's Boise City Council meeting.
"We are so happy to have been selected for this development. The trust put into J. Fisher Companies by the residents of Boise is an honor. We look forward to creating a development that provides affordable housing and community spaces for all Boiseans to enjoy," said Jake Wood of J. Fisher Companies.
The proposed development will include around 200 units, including one- to three-bedroom multi-family units (ranging from 500 to 1150 square feet) and townhomes. The development will be designed to integrate into Franklin Park with community gathering spaces woven throughout the area. An anchor building will sit on the corner of Franklin and Orchard to provide retail and housing rental units.
An emailed news release from the Mayor's office said five development teams submitted applications for the development. They were reviewed and scored by a committee of nine community members representing the Planning and Developing Services department, Parks and Recreation Department, Department of Finance and Administration and the Central Bench Neighborhood Association.
J. Fisher Companies' plan was selected based on submitting a design that was innovative and closely aligned with the vision for a community activity center.
"I strongly believe that, in order to keep our neighborhoods people-scaled and people-friendly, we must develop housing for all – at every price point. Based on the work presented by J. Fishers Companies, I am confident we can accomplish just that with the Franklin and Orchard development," said Mayor McLean.
The city purchased the 4.7-acre site in July 2019. The development will provide housing options for residents at all income levels, according to the news release. For more information on the next steps for the project, click here.
