Roundabout Art Project to Showcase Proposals

Posted on September 16, 2013 by admin

The 30th Street Roundabout Art Project has rounded a corner. In June, Boise Weekly reported that an art installation was set to accompany the construction of a roundabout at Whitewater Park Boulevard. Now, the city of Boise is accepting public input on the proposals for the art that will adorn the roundabout.

Three sculptures are under consideration.

The artworks being considered will be on display at Jerry’s Market, located at 819 N. 27th Street, Monday-Wednesday, Sept. 16-18. The pieces will also be on display at Bee Wise Goods (3019 W. State Street.) Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 19-21, and at Idaho River Sports (3100 W. Pleasanton Ave.) Sunday-Tuesday, Sept. 22-24.

At those locations, the public is invited to view the proposals and fill out comment forms that will help the city determine which it will install at the roundabout.

See a photo on the Boise Weekly website

Roundabout Art – Artists and Community Members Needed

Posted on May 24, 2013 by admin

Work is progressing rapidly on Whitewater Blvd. Below is a picture of the roundabout which is located along the boulevard at Stewart St and the entrance to Esther Simplot Park. The city earmarked $30,000 to fund a public art project inside the roundabout. The request for proposals is now open to Idaho Artists. Additionally, community members are needed to help with the project in various ways.

Idaho Artists are invited to apply for an opportunity to design a public artwork for the new roundabout. The Veterans Park Neighborhood Association received a grant from the Mayor’s Neighborhood Reinvestment Grant Program for this project and will be involved in the art selection process.

VPNA Community Members: VPNA is searching for a local artist to be on the selection panel, a local business or non-profit representative who is involved in the 30th St. area, and for someone who has previous fundraising experience. If you know of anyone who might be interested in any of the listed capacities please send them our way. This is an excellent (and fun) volunteer opportunity, the panel will consist of representatives from the Boise City Arts and History department, Planning and Development, Parks and Recreation, and ACHD. Please contact VPNA for more information: vpnaboise@gmail.com

More details about the project are available here: http://www.boiseartsandhistory.org/opportunities/call-for-entries/whitewater-park-boulevard-roundabout/

Whittier Art Installation Charette

Posted on February 12, 2013 by admin

Dear Artists, Community Members, and Whittier Parents:

We’d like to invite you to participate in a collaborative community design event (charette) on March 9, 2013, 8:30 am – 1:00 pm.

Background: Ada County Highway District begins construction of a ¬5-lane boulevard adjacent to Whittier Elementary School, beginning Februrary 2013. Whittier is a Title 1 school with students who speak more than a dozen different languages and come from all over the world. The school’s playground backs onto the new road, anticipated to be named Whitewater Park Boulevard.

Project: A group of neighbors, parents, artists and other community members are leading an effort to create an artful boundary between the schoolyard and the new boulevard. The charette is a half-day brainstorming activity to source and modify ideas for this project. Community members and artists from multiple disciplines are invited: landscape designers, glass artists, metal artists, architects, painters, sculptors, mixed-media artists, graphic designers and those with knowledge of the neighborhood and school. Did we leave out your expertise? We still want you there!

Project Components: The proposed project/art piece will combine art and function to reflect the character of the diverse neighborhood known as The 30th Street Neighborhood. The boundary-to-be is anticipated to be funded by a series of grants to be written in 2013. Installation is projected to begin June 2014. We anticipate a call for artists to design and install the selected artwork.

Reasons to participate:
• Brainstorm ideas for a new public art project
• Get involved with this grass-roots effort in Boise, Idaho to create a work of art in the 30th Street Neighborhood, a neighborhood on the cusp of great change and prepped to blossom creatively, socially and economically
• Find out more about the neighborhood cultural arts plan which identi¬es public art opportunities and de¬nes the neighborhood voice
• Blow your mind with participants who will step up your creative thinking early in the morning
• We will provide breakfast and plenty of snacks

When: March 9, 2013 | 8:30 am to 1pm

Where: Whittier Elementary School, 301 N. 29th (At Je erson)

Who: You and representatives from Boise School District, Ada County Highway District, Whittier Elementary School, Veterans Park Neighborhood Association & City of Boise

If you can join us, please RSVP to Elizabeth Rodgers by March 1st by emailing her at emailerodg@gmail.com. We’ll send an agenda in late February to those who respond to this invitation.

Thank you for your involvement in the cultural life of Boise!

30th Street Extension | Project Update from ACHD

Posted on February 4, 2013 by admin

Construction to begin in Early February

Recently, the Ada County Highway District (ACHD) Commission awarded the 30^th Street Extension construction contract to Alta Construction of Boise. Construction will begin February 1st, 2013 and is anticipated to take nine months to complete.

While originally referred to as the 30^th Street Extension, in October 2011, the City of Boise approved the new roadway name, Whitewater Park Boulevard. You may hear the project referred to by both names.

During construction, Whitewater Park Boulevard between Main Street and Fairview Avenue will be closed to through pedestrian and vehicle traffic but will remain open for local traffic. In addition, Whitewater Park Boulevard (including the existing 31^st Street between Pleasanton Avenue and Stewart Avenue) will be closed from just north of the Reflections Apartments entrance to the west end of Rose Street. Pedestrian access will be maintained near the entrance to Reflections Apartments to connect to Whittier Elementary School and will also remain available at Pleasanton Avenue to connect to the Greenbelt. Vehicle access will be maintained at Pleasanton Avenue for access to Idaho River Sports, Quinn’s Pond and the Boise River Recreation Park. This section of the future roadway is not a through roadway today. Keeping it closed to through traffic will allow the construction to move more quickly and safely. Please see the corresponding map which illustrates these anticipated roadway access impacts.

The project will:

Construct a four-lane roadway from State Street to Fairview Avenue – to include medians and turn lanes
Construct a two-lane roundabout at Whitewater Park Boulevard & Stewart Avenue, the future Esther Simplot Park entrance
Construct curb, gutter, sidewalk and bike lanes throughout the project area
Add pedestrian crossing signals at the following locations:
- Entrance to Reflections Apartments to connect to Whittier Elementary School
- Whitewater Park Boulevard & Pleasanton Avenue
- Whitewater Park Boulevard & Jordan Street
Replace the City of Boise sewer main between Fairview Ave and 32^nd Street – this work will also include removing and reconnecting sewer services
Add landscaping in select areas throughout the project (by the City of Boise)
Re-stripe 27th Street to include two travel lanes, a turn lane and bike lanes, eliminating one existing travel lane in each direction (this will be done under a separate project once the Extension is constructed)

How can you stay informed during construction?

Construction updates will be posted to the project page and will be e-mailed to project subscribers. To sign up to receive construction updates to your e-mail account, please visit the project web page and enter your information under the “Subscribe” section.

Regular on-site construction coordination meetings, led by the contractor, will be held during the project and will be open to the public to attend. Dates and location will be determined closer to the start of construction and will be posted to the project web page, http://www.achdidaho.org/Projects/PublicProject.aspx?ProjectID=87

Please feel free to share the enclosed information with your neighbors or those interested in this project.

If you have questions about this project, please e-mail projects@achdidaho.org or call 387-6100.

Thank you for your continued interest in the 30^th Street Extension project.

30th Street Area Hearing 8/14 6pm

Posted on August 8, 2012 by admin

The Boise City Council will conduct a hearing on the July 2012, 30th Street Area Master Plan, on August 14, 2012, at 6:00 PM in the State Capitol Building, 8th Street Entrance, 700 W Jefferson Street.

The complete document is available at: http://www.cityofboise.org/Departments/PDS/Transportation/30thStreet/page14010.aspx

30th St Master Plan Hearing

Posted on November 2, 2011 by admin

The 30th Street Area Master Plan is scheduled for hearing by the City Council on November 15, 2011.

Council hearings begin at 6:00 PM.

Following this link to the plan

First Interpretive Trail Meeting June 9th

Posted on May 21, 2011 by admin

In case you missed it, VPNA won a Boise City neighborhood reinvestment grant for almost $16,000 to construct an interpretive walking trail through the 30^th Street neighborhoods. The trail will lead from the new greenbelt bridge and future whitewater park, past points various points of interest to Fairview Park. For more information about the trail click here. The first organization meeting is coming up soon. All are encouraged to attend.

Date: Thursday June 9, 2011
Location: 2400 W Bannock St (kitty corner across the street from the tennis courts)
Pre-Meeting Potluck starts at 6pm (bring something to share and a lawn chair if possible)
Interpretive Trail Meeting starts at 7:30pm

The committee that comes out of this meeting will organize community workshops, conduct oral history interviews, collect photos, pick the trail’s name, the trail’s final route and the information on interpretive signs.

Anyone interested in working together, building community and learning more about the neighborhood is welcome to join the committee. If you are interested but can’t make this meeting or want more information please contact Jeff Anderson at vpnatrail@gmail.com or at 608-2385.

“30th Street Area” or “West End” or “something else”?

Posted on May 18, 2011 by admin

Check out historian Tully Gerlach’s blog titled “The West End: The Name and the Place” on Preservation Idaho’s website. Tully draws attention to the interpretive trail that VPNA is planning in the 30th Street area (more on that from us later this week). His article also offers some interesting history of why Veterans Park Neighborhood Association stretches from Thrift Way Lumber all to way to 19th Street. Perhaps most discussion worthy is Tully’s argument for using the name “West End” for the neighborhoods in the “30th Street area”.

Tell us what you think…

VPNA’s is interested to know your thoughts related to the the moniker “West End”. As residents how do you refer to the neighborhoods between State St and Main St and between 19th St and the river? Do you like West End or prefer something else? Please email us at vpnaboise@gmail.com and we’ll pass along your thoughts to Stephanie Inman whose working on the 30th Street Area “branding” plan (see previous post for background on that project).

30th St Branding Project

Posted on May 12, 2011 by admin

The City of Boise has hired Stephanie Inman to help develop a “neighborhood branding” plan for the 30th Street Extension. It’s an exciting way to use public art to highlight the best things in the area. It’s also first time someone has been hired by the City for this purpose.

To share your feedback Stephanie came up with the following questionaire. Please answer the following questions and email them to sinman@stephanieinman.com by May 31, 2011.

What is your interest in this area? Do you live or work nearby
What do you feel is unique about the area surrounding the present 30th Street?
What do you like and dislike about the area? What are you most proud of?
How is this neighborhood different from the North or East Ends?
After the park and parkway are finished, how would you like people to describe this neighborhood? Please use descriptive adjectives.
Any other relevant information you’d like to share?

Thank you for your interest in Boise’s 30th Street Extension Area branding project.

30th Street Project in the News

Posted on April 1, 2011 by admin

This week the Statesman reported a slow down to the 30th Street plan as the City and ACHD disagree over how to handle traffic along a portion of the new road. Read the full article here.

VPNA obtained a copy of the alternative that ACHD is proposing, to see that click here

In other news…

Willow Lane Athletic Complex is holding COED softball league sign-ups April 4-8. More info here

Also, congrats to Susan Williamson, the Principal at Taft Elementary, who won a national award. More info here.