Garden City hasn't always had the best reputation.
"I used to call it garbage city," said one man.
But if you've been down to the area in recent months, you may have noticed things changing.
"We've got a lot of things happening. We've got a winery and brewery element that has really come in, and an artistic component that's moving in," explained Garden City mayor John Evans. "As one person described it, this is a happenin' place now."
The negative reputation that's long been associated with Garden City has been used as an advantage for many small businesses.
"Moving into downtown versus moving into here is obviously a monetary difference because the property values," said Elisa Clark of North End Organic Nursery. "I think it gives people a little bit of a leg up in the ability to move forward, and do things that maybe in Boise they wouldn't be able to do."
With beautiful new homes springing up all over the waterfront, businesses setting up shop and thriving, people are excited about the changes they see happening around them.
"You start seeing these little developments that are going in, businesses that are popping up and seeing the value especially of Chinden Blvd. and the amount of traffic that it gets, you are really starting to kind of I think see Garden City come up and out of that persona that it's had for a long time," said Kelly Lamp of Southwestern Idaho Electrical Apprenticeship.
"I just like seeing the vibrancy that we are seeing come back to town. You know people are becoming proud of their relationship with Garden City. People aren't ashamed of Garden City," said Evans.
Garden City isn't just growing, it's blossoming.
"I think it's just a fun Blvd. now," said Clark.
Mayor Evans said the current shift in the city's reputation and new development is only the start.
He says the city plans on continuing to grow while at the same time preserving Garden City's history and staying true to its roots.
