The trees are gone, and Boise’s Grove Plaza renovation has begun

The central space of The Grove Plaza will be fenced off during a renovation project that could last until next summer, according to Capital City Development Corp., Boise’s urban renewal agency.

Renovation officially started Friday. Pedestrians may have already noticed the fences that went up and the trees that came down. (Don’t worry, more trees will be planted by next summer.)

All businesses in the plaza between West Main and West Grove streets will remain open and accessible.

But Alive After Five had to relocate for the summer to the Basque Block. It will return to The Grove summer 2017 when all construction is expected to be complete. The central plaza will reopen by November for The Grove’s tree lighting ceremony, according to the press release.

The finished renovation will have an interactive fountain, new bricks paving the walkway, free Wi-Fi, new tables, new umbrellas, new high-efficiency lighting and trees. The work coincides with construction of City Center Plaza, a two-building multiuse development on The Grove Plaza’s northeast side that will include retail, office, meeting and ballroom space.

This story was originally published May 24, 2016 at 12:35 PM with the headline "The trees are gone, and Boise’s Grove Plaza renovation has begun."