TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Twin Falls is looking to build on years of downtown revitalization by expanding development efforts beyond Main Avenue to Hansen Street South.
The Urban Renewal Agency has opened two requests for proposals, inviting developers from across the state to pitch ideas for two underused parking lots the agency currently owns along Hansen Street.
"We really made a focus on Main Avenue," URA Executive Director Shawn Barigar said.
WATCH: Downtown Twin Falls looks to develop Hansen Street
Barigar has spent years working to attract investment to downtown Twin Falls. He said the goal now is to push that momentum in a new direction.
"So Hansen Street really becomes sort of that corridor that runs from City Park to Rock Creek Canyon, and how do we look at ways to get that same kind of private investment happening there," Barigar said.
Two years ago, the city adopted a Downtown Master Plan aimed at increasing residential, retail and entertainment options in the downtown area.
The URA's incentivized financial mechanisms are one tool the city is using to achieve those goals. A similar process previously resulted in the Main Avenue Lofts, which brought 44 housing units and 3 retail shops to the area.
One parcel, just over an acre at Hansen and 2nd South, sits adjacent to the Main Street Lofts, which opened in 2023. It is best suited for mixed-use housing and retail development, to bring daily activity to the city core.
A second parcel of 2.36 acres near 3rd and Hansen has been identified as a strong location for lodging, entertainment, and hospitality.
"Growth doesn't have to be a bad thing: if you're not growing — there's no such thing as standstill — you start declining," Barigar said.
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Local residents like Monique Ruiz, who visits Old Town Twin Falls regularly, said she hopes future development brings more options for families.
"Probably more family-friendly things for kids to do, more just fun things for kids," Ruiz said.
The request for proposals is open until Aug. 28. The Urban Renewal Agency will evaluate submissions this fall.
"We are open to anything," Barigar said. "We are casting a little bit of a wide net here but super excited to see what's out there."
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