Linen event center open in Boise
Hale wraps up the first phase of the project west of Downtown.

 
By Joe Estrella - jestrella@idahostatesman.com
Edition Date: 09/25/07

Hale Development has completed the first phase of its Linen District project.

The redevelopment company has opened the new Linen Building Event Center at 1402 West Grove St., the site of the old American Linen Building. The center has begun booking weddings, luncheons and parties, developer Dave Hale said Monday.

The grand opening will also signal the end of the first phase of Hale's Linen District project, which is intended to transform a decaying area west of the Downtown core into Boise's answer to Greenwich Village in New York or the Pearl District in his native Portland.

Hale wouldn't say how much the center cost — only that it was "exorbitant."

"I would have been better off tearing the building down and putting up a new one," he said. "But you can't reproduce history. Getting to this point was no easy task. Old historic buildings require more effort and expense to bring up to modern standards and codes."

He said he chose the Linen District name because of the American Linen Building, home to a linen-supply company originally built as a school in the early 1900s.

The new Linen Building Event Center will house two businesses. The second floor is being taken over by Hale's offices for Boise City Building Co., his development company that builds single-family infill attached and detached homes. The second floor will also house his Linen District operations.

The first floor will be devoted to hosting small gatherings.

Hale said the next phase of the Linen District will involve planning for what he hopes will be 20 to 30 residential condominiums above existing businesses in the area.

Once, completed, the Linen District redevelopment project will run from 13th Street west to 16th Street, and from Main Street south to Front Street.

Hale plans a grand opening from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Oct.5.

Joe Estrella: 377-6465