With zoning code-fueled growth in mind, Boise police plan new State Street station
The city of Boise plans to buy a former business on State Street to operate a new police station in an area that is expected to see a lot of growth.
The Boise City Council on Tuesday authorized the purchase of a building at 3159 W. State St. that was previously a Money Tree, a consumer short-term loan company. It will cost $1.8 million to buy the property and make improvements.
“This facility would allow for the restoration of services to the area of the city that used to be served by a lease property on Willow Lane,” said Eric Bilimoria, Boise budget manager, during the council meeting Tuesday.
The Willow substation just off State Street has not been used by Boise police for “some time,” said Maria Weeg, spokesperson for the city, in an email.
The $1.8 million for the purchase will come out of the city’s facilities fund, which would leave it with a balance of approximately $5 million, according to Bilimoria.
The Boise Police Department plans to operate its bike unit from the new station, offer behavioral health resources and house neighborhood resource officers, according to the city.
Police also would use the State Street facility as “an additional drop-in location for officers to do report writing and take care of other office needs,” Hayley Williams, Boise Police Department spokesperson, told the Idaho Statesman in an email.
The department’s behavioral health response team travels across the city to respond to calls for service and do follow-ups. The bicycle unit, which has been deploying from downtown, patrols along the Boise River Greenbelt and in the city’s many parks, Williams said.
“BPD is working on a long-term strategic facilities plan to help inform decisions about where BPD needs to locate resources for now and into the future,” Williams said. “As that plan develops, we will assess how this location fits into our future needs, and at this time it is a good investment and location for the city.”
Williams said the new station would prepare the department for growth that is expected along the already busy State Street corridor, which is expected with the city’s new zoning code. The code aims to increase housing density and add a variety of housing options along busy transit corridors, the Statesman has reported.
The purchase is in its 30-day due diligence period, during which either the buyer or seller could opt out of the agreement, Weeg said.
