SOUTHEAST BOISE, Idaho — Engineered Structures, Inc. (ESI) has submitted a proposal to the City of Boise requesting permission to demolish the Boise Factory Outlet Malls to make way for a new Kenworth truck dealership.
According to documents submitted to the Planning and Development Services department, ESI would level 5 of the 6 buildings located at 6850 S Eisenman Rd in Southeast Boise. The addresses listed on the proposal indicate that the lone building to be excluded from demolition would be the Idaho Ice World building, which features two NHL-regulation-size ice rinks on the southeast side of the Outlet Malls lot.
Southeast Boise neighbor Dot Rericha said she's been coming to the outlet for 30 years and wishes they were more successful.
"It would be nice if there would be an outlet here, you'd think with the growth in the Treasure Valley, we would be able to support one," Rericha said.
WATCH: What could be next for the Boise Factory Outlets lot
Very few private businesses remain, and nearly every single storefront sits vacant. The only store still welcoming customers is Eddie Bauer, with plans to permanently close at the end of the month.
"It's a ghost town," Rericha added.
Many of the Boise Outlets buildings are in severe disrepair, with some featuring gaping holes in their roofing.
A description of the project calls for the "complete demolition and removal of all existing buildings, concrete, asphalt, & landscaping at the Boise Outlets site in accordance with local jurisdictional requirements, and applicable safety and environmental regulations."
Boise Fire is currently planning to use the buildings pegged for demolition in its Acquired Structure Program this month. That program allows firefighters to utilize donated and often dilapidated buildings to train personnel for real-life scenarios such as forcible entry, cutting ventilation holes, and searching for victims.
In order to proceed with the demolition, which has yet to be approved, the City of Boise would require Kenworth Sales Company and applicant Russell Davis to pay a $1,136,023 bond.
We will continue to follow this story as the City of Boise reviews the proposal.
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