NAMPA―Nampa’s urban renewal agency has acquired nearly 2 acres in the heart of downtown through a land swap with the city, clearing the way for it to seek a developer to remake the block with housing, shops, offices and public gathering space.
The Nampa City Council on Oct. 19 approved a property exchange agreement that transfers about 1.895 acres in the downtown core to the Nampa Development Corp. In return, the city receives about 1.448 acres at First Street South and Seventh Avenue South, near other city-owned property and the Hugh Nichols Public Safety Building, according to a news release from the agency.
The exchange allows the agency to launch a competitive process to select a developer, who will present concepts for redeveloping the downtown site, known as Block 2. The block sits between 13th and 14th avenues South and Front and First streets South…