Caldwell Housing Prospects Heating Up

Caldwell housing prospects heating up By Vickie D. Ashwill Idaho Statesman, March 5, 2007 Caldwell could be the next hot spot for the Treasure Valley housing market, local officials and business people say — a declaration that may surprise many Valley residents. As of early this year, Caldwell had new subdivisions in various stages of approval that could bring nearly 8,000 additional homes to the community when fully built out. Real estate agents and Caldwell officials foresee more options for middle-income and affluent home-seekers, in addition to the entry-level homes that have been a staple of Caldwell growth in past years. Many of the planned new subdivisions will have homes starting in the $200,000 and $300,000 range. Homes in a gated community near downtown Caldwell will start above $400,000. Stephanie Rohrdanz of Silverhawk Realty said people are beginning to recognize the quality of life Caldwell has to offer. Plus, she said, "Our dirt to build on doesn't cost as much." The city has been working to reinvent its downtown by uncovering Indian Creek, which flows beneath city streets. Mayor Garret Nancolas and others hope the project will draw mixed-use residential and commercial development to the city's core. Construction has begun on improvements to Caldwell's Franklin interchange on Interstate 84 and U.S. 20-26. That project will provide better access to the city's airport, the adjacent Sky Ranch Industrial Park, a proposed St. Luke's hospital and residential development to the northwest. Nampa's new Karcher interchange on Interstate 84 is the driving force behind growth on the south side of Caldwell, a short trek down Karcher Road to the Edwards movie complex, Target, Costco and other commercial development clustered around the interchange. Several thousand residential lots are in various stages of development on former farmland in south Caldwell, which also boasts proximity to Lake Lowell. Such amenities help keep Caldwell residents such as Ben Weymouth happy. "I don't need to drive to Boise anymore," said Weymouth, an engineer. "I have a quality professional job in Caldwell. It takes five minutes on my bike to get to work. And with Karcher Marketplace, literally the only thing we go to Boise for is entertainment." Complete build-out on the 8,000 planned lots is expected to take seven to 15 years, depending on the economy. But the city continues to get subdivision applications. Caldwell records show 1,476 lots in approved final plats in 2006, not quite double the 870 that COMPASS reported in 2005. Caldwell's population is now estimated to be around 40,000. Access and Amenities The growth pattern is following the Boise to Caldwell loop that has historically been part of the urbanization of the Treasure Valley. In 1907, an Interurban streetcar line from Boise connected Idahoans to a "taste of country life" in Caldwell, with homes on 5- and 10-acre lots and access to the urban amenities of Boise, according to research by historian Madeline Buckendorf of Caldwell. An Interurban ride from Caldwell to Boise took an hour and 20 minutes. Today, fewer homes are being built on acreages, but Caldwell is still promoting itself as a small town with access to the Boise airport and to jobs and amenities throughout the Valley. Except during rush hour, it takes about a half hour on I-84 to get to Caldwell from Downtown Boise. Idaho 44 and U.S. 20-26 and Ustick Road offer 20- to 40-minute commutes to parts of Meridian and Eagle. Steven Fultz, executive director of the Caldwell/Canyon County Economic Development Council, said the city is attracting a blend of new jobs, from medical professions to trades. Toothman-Orton Engineering Co., where Weymouth works, opened a Caldwell office two years ago with three employees. It now has 18 professionals, said corporate Treasurer Bill Russell, and expects to add another five to seven jobs this year. Rapid growth began later in Caldwell than in towns closer to Boise, but Caldwell's distance from the Treasure Valley's population center has given it a little more time to see the trends, officials said. Nancolas envisions pathways and bikeways that connect subdivisions and amenities. A revised city comprehensive plan is due out in June. For the mayor, it's about managing growth and open space. "I don't believe we have the right to tell people that they can't develop," Nancolas said, but "we want to make sure it's beautiful, walkable and with good roads." Challenges of growth The bulk of Caldwell's new subdivisions are in the Vallivue School District, which includes portions of Caldwell and Nampa. Vallivue is building about one new school a year to keep up with rapid residential growth, which means continued bond elections. Vallivue Superintendent George Grant said the district's biggest challenge is "the unpredictability of growth." "Last year, we projected 9.5 percent growth and we got 12," rant said. Not everyone is happy about more homes, especially homeowners who are seeing subdivisions spring up on agricultural land that used to be part of their view. Cheryl Scott, who lives on 1.3 acres on Marble Front Road, is unhappy that 36 homes will be built on 9.5 acres that wrap around her early 20th century home and barn. She was expecting new homes — just fewer of them, she said. Increased traffic on rural roads is another issue, said Curt Teske. Developers widen roads only in front of their property, he said. Teske and his neighbors had protested the nearly 700 smaller lots recently approved on 200 acres at Ustick and Farmway roads. Not everyone is unhappy about the growth trends. Former Los Angeles County resident Luwana Couch said moving to Caldwell is "like going back in time 20 years." "There's always good and bad things about growth, but (what is happening here) doesn't bother me," she said. .

Load more