Ignite Cda seeking building proposals for midtown neighborhood

Wanted: A developer willing to invest in Coeur d’Alene’s midtown neighborhood.

Ignite Cda, Coeur d’Alene’s urban renewal agency, is accepting proposals for a 1/2-acre vacant lot on North Fourth Street, with the intent of speeding up the neighborhood’s revitalization.

Agency officials would like to see a project with retail or another public presence on the street level, but they’re open to office space or housing on the upper floors. Per city regulations, the height limit is 45 feet.

Otherwise, “it’s zoned for just about anything,” said Tony Berns, Ignite Cda’s executive director.

Midtown flourished as Coeur d’Alene’s commercial district in the 1950s and 1960s, before malls and big box retailers altered the shopping landscape. After decades of decline, rising rents downtown helped drive business activity back to midtown.

The area, which stretches from downtown Coeur d’Alene to Interstate 90, is an eclectic mix of restaurants and bars, thrift and antique stores, and longtime local businesses. Both the city and Ignite Cda have spent millions of dollars on midtown’s infrastructure in recent years, improving streets and sidewalks.

Ignite Cda acquired the 1/2-acre lot in the 800 block about 10 years ago, tearing down two blighted buildings on the property.

Earlier efforts to redevelop the site stalled. The Modern Theater, formerly known as Lake City Playhouse, proposed a $12 million, 300-seat venue for the property last year. That proposal “fell apart,” Berns said.

Earlier, Ignite Cda worked with the nonprofit Housing Company of Boise on a proposed multi-use building on the site with retail space and affordable housing units. That plan was dropped after neighbors objected, saying the project wasn’t the right fit for midtown.

Berns said Ignite Cda’s board is trying again, with the hope of getting a building constructed within the next few years. Proposals are due in early January.

Berns said a number of people have approached him with ideas for the property. But infill development has challenges. It’s typically more costly than building in an undeveloped area, he said.

Ignite Cda can offer developers incentives, such as a discount from the property’s market price, Berns said. The urban renewal agency also could help pay for public improvements on the property, such as sidewalks or site remediation work.