Idaho Business Review, Boise articles from February 2004

Idaho Business Review, Boise archives from February 2004

State Farm plans to shrink claims offices, move hub to BRC.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Lora Volkert State Farm Insurance plans to trim employment at claims offices around Idaho, and to move its Boise claims service center from Cole Road near Emerald Street to Boise Research Center. The reorganization and...

Printers diversify, upgrade to take on competitive market.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Steve Martin Boise-area printers say adapting to new technology and diversifying their services are key to survival in a crowded market. With more than 60 Treasure Valley printers offering commercial printing and copying, print...

Fruitland tweaks its Plan toward commercial growth.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson Fruitland has updated its Comprehensive Plan and Future Land Use Map, envisioning commercial development where agricultural land now predominates - along U.S. 95 between downtown and Interstate 84. Some Payette...

Boise to auction off 18-acre parcel.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson An 18-acre parcel that the City of Boise plans to auction Feb. 25 "has potential for development into a prime entry-level subdivision," according to a statement from the Boise City Parks & Recreation Department. ...

Internet-based bidding grows for state contracts.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Lora Volkert The state of Idaho is considering changes in the way it takes bids from vendors. Online bidding for government contracts, also known as e-procurement, has been a growing trend in state purchasing. Frank Pierce, a...

Adkins raps 'wrong direction' mulled for Idaho tech education.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson State policy will have a significant impact on the quality of future job opportunities in Idaho, two corporate chief executives told Idaho legislators and local commerce leaders last week Mike Adkins, CEO of MPC...

Meridian-based Classic Kitchen Doors aims to expand.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson Classic Kitchen Doors, Meridian, is "looking for a particular type of customer" as it seeks to expand, says spokesman Brandon Harvey. The cabinet-door maker, which employs 30, has a strong regional following...

BOMA symposium Feb. 10 to include sector overviews.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson The seventh annual Boise Commercial Real Estate Symposium is slated from 7:30 to 10 a.m. Feb. 10 at Boise Centre on the Grove. The Building Owners & Managers Association of Boise Inc. will host the event, which...

Sale of 104 lots brings in $46 million, Tamarack Resorts say.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Ken Miller Short on cash since their project's inception, developers of the proposed Tamarack Resort near Cascade banked $46 million last week after closing the deal on the first 104 lots at what could be the nation's first ski...

Garden shop planned at 5th & Main in Boise.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Steve Martin A longtime Boise-area landscape designer and installer plans to open a home and garden retail store in March near Fifth and Main streets in downtown Boise. The store, to be called Epitome, will be the first retail...

Vulnerability of corporate board members to be aired at Feb. 11 seminar.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson While a corporation's bylaws may provide officers and directors with some protection against lawsuits, it may not be enough, according to organizers of an upcoming seminar. The issue is important because of new...

Dawson Taylor Coffee Roasters expands on 8th.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Steve Martin Dawson Taylor Coffee Roasters plans to expand its downtown Boise coffee shop, on Eighth Street near Bannock Street, by early February. Owner Dave Ledgard said last week that he has leased an additional 450 square...

Plexus reports stronger first quarter.
February 2, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson Plexus Corp., a contract manufacturer that employs more than 300 in Nampa, has reported that fiscal first-quarter revenue increased 16 percent to $238.5 million on higher demand, compared to $205.4 million a year...

Boise's largest microbreweries doing well, even expanding.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Steven Anderson Craft brewing, specialty beers and microbrews continue to draw imbibers and diners, if comments from Boise's microbreweries are an indication, and the largest of them is in the midst of an expansion. TableRock...

'Options' for new convention center eyed by backers.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Steven Anderson Backers of a proposed $25 million convention center in downtown Boise said they would continue to pursue the project even though it failed to gain the necessary two-thirds majority of votes in a bond election last...

'Gradual' keyword for '04, stock expert says about economic recovery.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson When Charles Hill talks about stock markets, people listen. Hill, research director for Thomson First Call, visited Boise last week to address the Idaho Chapter of Investment Analysts. First Call, a unit of...

In McCall, turning snow into cash Volunteer-powered Winter Carnival keeps tills filled.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Ken Miller Thirty-nine years ago, the idea of residents in what was a sleepy logging town: When life deals you lemons, make lemonade. When it deals you 14 feet of snow every winter, dig out and party. McCall's Winter Carnival,...

Jack in the Box plans 're-imaging' of its eateries in Boise area.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Steve Martin Jack in the Box plans to revamp most of its Boise-area fast-food eateries as part of a "re-imaging project." According to plans filed with the City of Boise, the San Diego-based burger chain plans to modify the...

Mexican eatery slated for ex-Bolo's space near Boise Tower.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Steve Martin A Mexican restaurant, Poblanos, is scheduled to open this month in the Boise City National Bank building, adjacent to the stalled Boise Tower site at Eighth and Idaho streets in downtown Boise. The...

FirstBank, growing in Boise, boosts earnings after merger.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson The parent company of Washington-based First Bank Northwest, which operates a downtown Boise office that it plans to expand, reported gains in net income and total assets for the quarter ended Dec. 31. FirstBank...

Boise-based Farmers & Merchants State Bank's loan volume, assets grow.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson Farmers & Merchants State Bank increased it total assets by $71 million in 2003, to $377 million, a 23 percent gain. Boise-based F&M increased its total loans by $45.7 million, and increased its deposits and...

Ada apartment vacancies stay high.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson Apartment vacancy remains very high in Ada County, as job growth lags behind the addition of new units to the supply and as renters continue to move into home ownership facilitated by low mortgage rates. A...

Janitorial supplier Waxie opens in Boise.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson A San Diego-based distributor of sanitary supplies and building maintenance products has opened a Boise outlet. Waxie Sanitary Supply Inc. occupied 12,000 square feet of space on South Cole Road, across from Costco...

Pizzalchik to offer pizza, roast chicken, opening in April.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Lora Volkert Pizzalchik, a quick-service restaurant slated for an April opening in northwest Boise, should cater "to Joe Lunchbox and to the more sophisticated palate," owner and chef Brad Breakell says. The eatery will offer...

Small office building planned at Overland and Maple Grove Roads in west Boise.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson A single-story, 8,400-square-foot office building is planned this year on Overland Road near Maple Grove Road in west Boise. Shannon Robnett, owner of Robnett Construction, Eagle, said construction of the $1...

Spec' warehouse building planned in west Boise.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson A spec' warehouse and office building is planned this year on East Bethel Court, north of Franklin Road in west Boise. According to plans filed with the City of Boise, applicant Edgar Thrift Jr. of San Jose,...

Commentary: Amazon.com scores again with searchable book texts.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Rick Edvalson To keep the record straight, I love bookstores. My wife and I have gone on dates just to browse among the shelves. And if I have time to kill, there is no place I would rather be than in a good bookstore. ...

After restructuring, Boise-based Extended Systems Inc. sets goals for internal growth.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson Boise software firm Extended Systems Inc., which has undergone restructuring and financial ups and downs in the past two years, is turning its attention to internal growth. "Our goal is to be profitable as a...

Idacorp Inc. earns 10cents a share in fourth quarter.
February 9, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson Idacorp Inc. reversed a year-earlier loss by reporting fourth-quarter earnings of $3.8 million, or 10 cents per share, on revenues of $171.6 million, but logged a 25 percent decrease in full-year net income. ...

Krispy Kreme's opening in Meridian leads to higher donut demand for small competitors.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Lora Volkert When a highly hyped national chain enters a new market, small local competitors sometimes fear commercial doom. But owners of donut shops in the Valley have a happier tale to tell. Krispy Kreme's opening in...

Washington Trust Bank to build branch in Meridian.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson Washington Trust Bank, which gained in assets in the Boise area last year, plans to "continue to fill out our branch network," said Dave Terrell, senior vice president of the bank's southern Idaho region. A...

Boise-based Rocky Mountain Management and Development plans office bldg. on riverfront.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson The riverfront site of the former Black Angus restaurant, vacant for more than six years on the west side of downtown Boise, is slated for an office building. Rocky Mountain Management and Development, Boise, plans...

Study planned to determine demand for housing in downtown Boise.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Steven Anderson A two-part study, to cost $41,450, is planned this spring to determine the level of demand for 'urban' housing in downtown Boise. The Capital City Development Corp. board, on a split 4-3 vote last week, funded...

Commercial development proposed at Ustick, Ten Mile roads in Meridian.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson A 34-acre site at the northwest quadrant of Ustick and Ten Mile roads in Meridian is targeted for commercial development. Plans filed with city officials call for development of 16 commercial lots and five common...

New downtown Boise parking garage rates OK'd.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Steven Anderson Parking in Boise's seven downtown garages will be free starting next month. For an hour. But after the first free hour, rates will rise from the current $1 per hour to $1.50, with a maximum of $12 per day,...

Speakers express optimism about market demand at Boise Commercial Real Estate Symposium.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson An improving economy will boost demand for commercial real estate this year, but whether that means a better market overall remains to be seen, speakers at the seventh annual Boise Commercial Real Estate Symposium said...

Nampa Golden Corral construction slated soon.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Lora Volkert After about two years of delays, construction could start next month on a Golden Corral buffet planned for Cassia Street off Karcher Road in Nampa. "We're hoping to have shovels in the dirt in March," Brian...

Interchange plans pose potential for development in west-Valley.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson Are there more large, freeway-adjacent commercial developments under way or proposed in Canyon County and western Ada County than demand warrants? * Nampa recently announced that a retail center anchored by Costco...

Downtown Boise gets another chocolate shop.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Lora Volkert A chocolate shop has opened in downtown Boise a block away from an upscale Belgian chocolates store that debuted last fall. The Chocolat bar, in an 800-square-foot space on Ninth Street between Bannock and Idaho,...

KeyBank plans El Dorado branch in Meridian.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson KeyBank plans to build its 15th branch office in the Treasure Valley this year, in the El Dorado Business Campus in Meridian. A construction start hasn't been set, but Key plans to open the new bank by early fall,...

More commercial development considered for Garrity Boulevard interchange in Boise.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson Construction of commercial buildings of various types could occur this year on 72 acres next to the Idaho Center Auto Mall, northeast of the Garrity Boulevard interchange with Interstate 84. The Opp Family Trust,...

Small office building in west Boise nears completion.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson A 6,800-square-foot building is nearing completion on the south side of Fairview Avenue, between Five Mile and Cloverdale roads in west Boise. Owner-builder Lone Star Development LLC expects retail businesses on...

Retail leads Nampa's commercial construction market.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Ken Levy Nampa's commercial construction market gained about 15 percent in 2003, with retail leading the way. "There is a particularly hot retail market of late," said Todd Bunderson, director of Finance and Economic...

Boise construction firm plans renovation of Koppel's Browzeville building.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Steve Martin The former Koppel's Browzeville building near downtown Boise is to be converted this summer into a multi-tenant office and warehouse building by its new owners. The 11,600-square-foot building at 30th Street and...

Engineering firms reach beyond Idaho for clients.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Ken Miller Idaho engineers say they're holding their own, thanks in part to federal and municipal work that's making up for the persistent lull in big-dollar private construction. "We've just been in a cyclical lull, as opposed...

Idaho Assn. of Building Officials offers course to update construction industry on code changes.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Steve Martin More than 200 building officials, code enforcers, architects and engineers are expected to attend an annual training course Feb. 24 to 27 in Boise, designed to update construction industry experts on Idaho building...

Boise permit values drop 22 percent.
February 16, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson The total value of construction projects in Boise fell by 22 percent in the first four months of the city's fiscal year from year-earlier levels to $113.2 million, the city has reported. The Boise January...

Huge mixed 'community' planned N. of Eagle.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson A mixed-use development is planned in the foothills north of Eagle, encompassing 31,000 acres and about 10 public entities, but the developer has a few hurdles to clear. Officials of Eagle-based SunCor Idaho LLC...

Valentine's Day boosts jewelry sales in the Treasure Valley.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Lora Volkert Valentine's Day gave a boost to jewelry stores in the Treasure Valley, but jewelers are divided about whether higher sales mean consumer confidence is driving the economy again. Some jewelers say shoppers consulted...

Idaho ski resorts get more new snow which draws more Boise skiers.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Ken Miller Idaho's major ski hills say business has been brisk and they're still hoping to set new records for skier days this winter - despite temperatures well above freezing in some areas last week. "In terms of skier days,...

BoDo Partners' downtown Boise project still on track; construction pushed to March.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Steve Martin Construction of three new retail and commercial buildings in the $62.5 million expansion of 8th Street Marketplace in downtown Boise probably will begin in March, its developer says. Mark Rivers, principal in...

Idaho ski shops hoping to recover from last year's bad snow season.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Lora Volkert Recent snowfalls delighted ski shop owners, but most say it'll take another year for them to recover from last year's tepid season. "It takes about a whole year for people to forget about a bad snow year," said...

More than 200 Idaho designers, builders, and architects expected at Boise industry trade show.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Steve Martin More than 200 Idaho designers, builders and architects are expected to attend a Boise trade show Feb. 26, exploring trends in the interior design industry. The free event, called "Innovation for the Trade 2004,"...

2 more office buildings slated for Eagle River.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson Two more "Riverside" office buildings are slated soon for the growing Eagle River Development, south of Idaho 44 and east of Eagle Road. Plans filed with Eagle city planners call for construction of two-story...

Meridian and southwest Boise lead in home resale statistics for 2003.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson Meridian and southwest Boise led in regional home resale statistics in 2003, followed by south Nampa, according to a Re/Max International study of regional Multiple Listing Service data by ZIP Code. Re/Max, which...

2-for-1 reverse split of Zilog stock slated.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson Zilog Inc. last week announced a 2-for-1 reverse split of its common stock, one of the four reverse stock split ratios that stockholders approved at a meeting Feb. 12. The board set Feb. 18 as the record date for...

Need to know what's on PCs? - Here's how.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Rick Edvalson It is remarkably easy to spy on people using their computers. While there are certainly unethical reasons to do so, there can also be legitimate reasons to monitor computer activity by employees and possibly even...

Meridian-based Jacksons to rebrand 65 Treasure Valley Texaco convenience stores to Shell.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson Converting 65 Texaco convenience stores in the Treasure Valley to Shell will give Jacksons Food Stores "a very strong, powerful brand" in the market and some new products, CEO John Jackson said last week. The...

Idaho Housing & Finance posts mixed 2003 results.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson A sluggish economy led the Idaho Housing and Finance Association to post mixed results in 2003, IHFA reported last week. The nonprofit organization, which provides home loans, rental assistance and other programs,...

Boise-based satellite TV truck provider NetWest builds new headquarters on Victory Rd.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Lora Volkert NetWest, a Boise-based company that provides mobile satellite television equipment to TV networks, plans to move in April to a new headquarters under construction off Victory Road. The company, founded in 1998,...

Women to discuss business issues faced by immigrants.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson A discussion series launched recently aims to address issues that people new to the U.S. face as entrepreneurs or employees. MicroEnterprise Training & Assistance, a non-profit agency, plans to host the next...

SunCor Idaho LLC names development team for mixed-use community in north Eagle.
February 23, 2004... Byline: Brad Carlson Here is the team that SunCor Idaho LLC has assembled to develop a multiple-phase, mixed-use community of up to 31,000 acres on the Spring Valley Ranch property in the foothills north of Eagle: Boise attorneys Al...