Historic Downtown Twin Falls

Newsletter - August 2009

BID board is seeking volunteers for a landscaping subcommittee

What do you as a business or property owner want the Historic Downtown Business Improvement District to look like?

Do you want whiskey barrels filled with flowers, or not? Maybe hanging baskets during the warm months, or maybe not? Daily sidewalk and gutter sweeping and cleaning? Sidewalk restoration? Older trees gone? New trees in? Maybe no trees?

Some things are the responsibility of the property or business owner, such as sidewalk repair or renovation, sweeping and cleaning. Some things are clearly the BID's, such as keeping community sprinklers in good repair. Some things involve some grey area, such as who plans and maintains summer plantings. By joining the BID landscaping subcommittee, you will help decide which of these subjects need attention and change.

Admittedly, there have been times when the BID simply hasn't functioned well, and so some members have grown disillusioned, says BID board member and landscaping subcommittee chairman Dan Brizee. But he contends that over the past two years things have gotten better

"It really has improved with the city becoming involved in the upkeep of downtown," he said.

As a member of the BID landscaping subcommittee, you will have the privilege of helping to set landscaping policy. You will establish process for making sure policy is carried out. You will also be involved in long-term planning and implementation.

The landscaping committee already had its first meeting on Nov. 6, and is set to meet every first Friday of the month in the conference room at the Twin Falls Parks and Recreation office (Map: 136 Maxwell Ave) at 9 a.m. But Brizee envisions many more people joining the committee. To learn more, call Dan at 733-2624 or e-mail Dan@brizee.com.

Plans for upgrades in Old Town move forward

A major renovation that includes landscaping as well as parking, street and water line upgrades is about to begin in Old Town. The "Crum Electric block," which is a moniker for the block where the building that previously housed Crum Electric business is located, is about to get a major overhaul.

Ideally, the almost half-million dollar public project will be covered with an Idaho Community Development Block Grant.

"We won't know that for sure until 2010," said Urban Renewal Agency director and BID administrator Melinda Anderson.

The Twin Falls City Council has given its blessing to apply for the grant, and officials will learn in early winter if the grant application has survived the first round of a two-step approval process at the state level. Sometime in May, applications for 2010 community block grants that have been deemed by the Idaho Department of Commerce as most deserving will be announced by Gov. C.L "Butch" Otter.

Because the renovation involves significant upgrades in an area where some 110 health-care workers will soon be employed, the grant writers believe this application stands a good chance of being approved. But even if it doesn't trump other applications, the Twin Falls Urban Renewal Agency has agreed as a backup plan to cover some costs, such as parking.

The landscaping involves planting trees, shrubs and hedges. The landscaping plan was created about a year ago by The Land Group, Inc. That plan was paid for with BID funds, amounting to $8,500.

"This landscaping will create a bridge between Old Town and Main Street," said BID board member Dan Brizee.

You can also expect to see new street lights and sidewalks installed, water lines replaced, and parking and street repaving.

"We want St. Luke's employees to have a safe and pleasant environment," Anderson said. "We want everyone to enjoy being in that part of town."

Downtown Upgrade

The Dekstop by Design building before exterior renovations The Dekstop by Design building after exterior renovations
Left: The Desktop by Design building before renovations.
Above: The same building after the metal siding was removed.

Just this past weekend the old Roxy Theater, now the Desktop by Design building, "lost face," with a little help from some friends who believe in historic restoration. The work to return the building to its original charm has just begun, but getting some yellow metal siding off that was so popular during the mid-20th century is an improvement. At least that's the belief of the city's Historic Preservation Commission, the members of which approached the owner Shannon Gnesa about participating in a "building doctor" program. The program was easy to implement because the original façade had not been destroyed but was merely covered. Gnesa and her family performed the actual removal.

Ideas to make this an especially memorable shopping season

The Festival Of Lights, scheduled for Dec. 4, is one of the BID's most popular special events. For sure, it's a grand-slam way to start off the Christmas shopping season, but according to expert event planner Marilyn Buck of Liberty, Missouri, there is so much more downtown retailers can do to capture the holiday atmosphere that malls cannot match.

Be sure to get television and newspaper coverage for some of the following ideas:

  • Stay open seven days a week during December;
  • Stay open on Friday evenings;
  • Establish special nights for women and special nights for husbands;
  • Have Saturday activities for the children, such as a candy cane workshop in one of the empty storefronts, or ask scouts to set up craft projects for the children;
  • Stay open on Sundays;
  • Invite strolling carolers, and sell roasted nuts, hot cider and donuts on the sidewalks (another excellent scout project);
  • Have Santa or St Nick roaming the area on evening hours and Saturdays;
  • Offer horse-drawn carriage rides in the evenings -- most small communities have a local person that does this;

It's important to have enough retail available to encourage customers. Buck says four or five retail shops are not enough to draw crowds into downtown. Shoppers want a reason to come downtown, and that usually means variety. To compensate if there are only a limited number of retailers willing to participate, those who are pro-active can utilize an empty building to sponsor a craft show or chili supper to interest shoppers

Be sure to tell your customers that during the Christmas season parking meters will be covered on Saturdays as well as the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Personalities, Businesses and more ...

Toyota dealer looks toward expansion in downtown location

As BID Board Member Greg Wills sees it, right now he's in the right place at the right time.

But actually, he's always been in the right place. That place would be in the Historic Downtown Business Improvement District.

Greg Wills, BID Board member and dealer-principal of Wills Toyota, with his classic Rambler Toyota dealer Greg Wills recently acquired a classic Rambler, which was part of the Nash brand with which Wills's grand-dad, dad and uncle began the Wills dealership some 63 years ago.

"Back in the early 80s, we made a conscious decision to stay downtown," said Wills, who is the dealer-principal of the 63-year-old family-owned Wills Toyota along with his cousin Chris Wills who is a partner and the general manager.

"We had already been here for so long, and we liked it," Wills said.

Other car dealerships headed to Blue Lakes Boulevard, but these days the Wills family agrees that early-80s decision is paying off, even during the current tough economy.

"A lot of people just don't want to deal with the congestion on Blue Lakes," Wills said. "So now we're a destination store, and of course, having the Toyota product has made that possible."

Wills calls his business one of the anchors of downtown. Sales are picking up after a less-than-stellar 2008, making it easier for the Wills to go forward with some major construction and remodeling at the Shoshone Street location in a year or two. He looks forward to the remodeling project.

"Our show room will have a large portal on the outside when it's finished. It will look really nice," he said.

But also, Wills looks at the remodeling and expansion as part of being a good neighbor. He wants everyone in the Historic Downtown Business Improvement District to succeed.

"At our location we're not a direct beneficiary of the BID, but having a viable downtown does affect us indirectly," he said. "What's good for us is good for everyone, and vice versa."

Wills is looking forward to a fourth generation joining the business at some point. But as for Greg, well, "I'm going to be selling Toyotas for a long, long time."

Review of city staff services to the BID

If you need information or help with parking, administrative, or landscaping services, you should contact the following:

Contact your BID board members