BOISE, Idaho — CWI is expanding in the West End of Boise with a project called Whitewater Village. The village is supposed to have open public space, a new CWI campus building, restaurants, and a hotel.
- The school has partnered with Ball Ventures Ahlquist, Hummel Architects, and ESI Construction on the project.
- The first part of the project is set to open in the Fall of 2026.
- More Information
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
Folks familiar with the west end of Boise have likely seen this empty lot on Main and Whitewater Park.
The College of Western Idaho has owned it for years but the school says big changes are on the way.
"What today, looks like a parking lot, is really tomorrow's growth campus," said Gordon Jones, President of CWI.
Idaho News 6 met with Jones about the school's role in the mixed public and private development, which they're calling Whitewater Village.
The first phase would be the CWI campus building, but eventually, more buildings would offer public access, housing, restaurants, and even a hotel.
"We feel great about the thoughtful design," Jones told Idaho News 6. "We know that this is public access, but it comes with some of the best thinking from our private sector."
Jones says the college is excited to expand its reach into a new part of the Treasure Valley.
"One we want to be where the learners are and this is, right here, a place that's core to that," Jones said.
To understand how West End residents feel about the change Idaho News 6 met with resident David Anderson, and asked why he's stayed in the neighborhood for almost a decade.
"Definitely for that uniqueness, and just the immediate access to the Green Belt, and this great open space," Anderson said.
Anderson serves as the West End Neighborhood Association vice president. After years of this empty lot, he's excited for some change.
"The fact that this is some of the last remaining undeveloped frontage in Boise, it's going to be nice to see that go to something mixed use like what's being proposed," Anderson said.
