CITYDESK/NEWS BOISE SMOKE SHOPS FIRED UP
NEWS
Two well-known projects—Eighth and Main and JUMP (Jack’s Urban Meeting Place, named for the late J.R. Simplot)— have grand designs to change the face of downtown Boise. But a lesser-known initiative is concurrently seeking to better define the heart, and perhaps soul, of the city. “The signs around here say we’re in Boise’s Cultural District,” said Paul Kaine, Paul Kaine, executive director of Ballet Idaho, wants to see executive director of Ballet Idaho, referring Boise better develop and market its cultural district. to signs that the city has installed outside of his Eighth Street office. “But what makes “I invited all the arts organizations, the groups as we possibly can.” this a cultural district? Minimally, it could city’s Arts and History Department, the From his Ballet Idaho office window, be kept much the way it is now, but there’s CCDC and the Downtown Boise AssociaKaine has a bird’s-eye view of where JUMP really nothing defined or strategic. By the is expected to spring up: between Front and tion. The response was very good. I was time JUMP gets built, we could have somepretty surprised. In other communities, I Myrtle and Ninth and 11th streets. thing more formal in place.” Kaine said that shortly after he took over don’t think the response would have been Compared to this time last year, there so good.” as Ballet Idaho’s executive director in Januis good reason to assume that JUMP will Kaine said his previous arts leadership ary, he met with representatives from the indeed be built sooner than later. In Octopositions in other cities, particularly Austin, JUMP project. ber 2010, the project was threatened by a Texas, and Seattle, confirmed that Boise is “When I left that meeting, I had a lot nasty tangle with the city’s Design Review poised to better define its cultural district. of things going on in my head, because it’s Committee. But on Oct. 3, Boise’s Plan“Take Seattle, for example,” he said. pretty extraordinary. As time went on, I ning and Zoning Commission quickly and “That city’s cultural district was built in an became more aware of all the things going unanimously approved phase one—plans undeveloped area. Ever since, it has had a on, including the city’s cultural district.” for underground parking—of JUMP and significant impact on the city. Seattle has An April 2005 City of Boise resolution is expected to green-light phase two—an defined the city’s cultural district as “gener- become one of the premiere cities outside eight-story building and six-acre park—beof New York for art and culture. It’s a great ally along and between Capitol Boulevard fore the end of the year. example of how meaningful an arts foot“I think the process smoothed out as city and 15th Street and the Boise River.” In 2007, the Capital City Development Corpo- print can be to a city.” officials and JUMP team members became Kaine said the new dialogue among ration defined what it called more proficient in commuBoise’s arts organizations has been energizthe “Eighth Street Cultural nicating with each other,” District” as an L-shaped area ing, and the timing couldn’t be better. said JUMP spokesman David “You can just sense it. The economy with Main Street (The EgypCuoio. “A project of this Construction on JUMP’s underground garage is is turning; it’s going to happen. But we as tian Theatre) to the north, scope has a lot of nuances, expected to begin in spring, an arts community need to be ready,” he the Boise River (The Cabin) and we just needed time to with above-ground building said. “If we simply wait around to create an to the south and Julia Davis sort it all out.” to follow. JUMP officials are appropriate place for the arts, it will Park (Boise Art Museum) to The Simplot Family Founhopeful for a spring 2014 completion. get paved over when new development the east. dation’s grand plan for the sweeps through.” “But to me, it is not very $70 million JUMP includes Kaine told BW that the consensus of the well-defined or marketed,” ample space to play host to group was to move forward, tentatively said Kaine. “There’s a sign the arts, with as many as five scheduling another session for Thursday, or two. But there really might be some opseparate dedicated spaces for performing Nov. 3, with the same attendees and some portunity to create not only synergy but an arts and/or nonprofit organizations. new guests: representatives from Boise’s energy to truly identify the city’s cultural “At any one time, we could have as downtown business community. district. Not just JUMP. Not just the Esther many as five groups at JUMP,” said Cuoio. “I’ve had a number of conversations Simplot Academy. Not just BODO. But a “At any one time” is a key phrase bewith businesses who are interested in being fully developed district.” cause initial plans are to regularly circulate more involved,” said Kaine. “If we have Kaine said he began having informal organizations through select JUMP spaces. more activity in a cultural district, it will conversations with other arts organizations “No one will be setting up permanent be to everybody’s benefit. This could be an about the district, and eventually decided shop there,” said Cuoio. “There will be a extraordinary statement of the importance to make those conversations more encomcontinual in-and-out flow. We’ll involve of culture to our community.” passing. as many of the local nonprofits and arts
8 | OCTOBER 12–18, 2011 | BOISEweekly
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Where there’s smoke, there’s some fiery opposition to Boise’s proposed ordinances to restrict smoking in public places. At an Oct. 5 information meeting at City Hall, one question raised an issue that had yet to be publicly addressed: What happens to businesses that deal exclusively with indoor smoking? Hannifin’s Cigar Shop has been in business at the corner of 11th and Main streets since 1905. Owner Stan Minder told Citydesk he is frustrated, saying he can’t understand why the city would impose a smoking ban when motorcyclists don’t have to wear helmets. “It pisses me off because they’re taking more and more rights away,” said Minder, a non-smoker. “I’m not saying it’s a great habit. I don’t approve of a parent smoking with a car full of kids. But people smoke here. That’s why it’s a smoke shop.” Ryan Sturman of Sturman’s Smoke Shop attended the Oct. 5 meeting and voiced a similar complaint. Citydesk stopped into Sturman’s store at 218 N. 10th St., where he and his father personally sample the cigars they sell. “Just our one shop alone pays the State of Idaho $100,000 in tobacco tax,” Sturman said. “With cigars, there’s no additives, no chemicals. It’s just a rolled-up leaf, inside of a tube.” Sturman said the city’s goal of creating a smoke-free workplace shouldn’t apply to his store. He said he wouldn’t hire someone who couldn’t smoke, just as a mechanic shop wouldn’t hire somebody who didn’t know about cars. He said that in order for him to make recommendations to customers, he has to be able to smoke in his shop, not down the street. The International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association agreed, issuing a press release calling the proposed ordinance a “tyranny of the majority,” and sought to debunk scientific findings that link secondhand smoke with health. Murtadha “Ali” Alsudani owns and operates the Ali Baba Hookah Bar at 2174 Broadway Ave. Alsudani worried that if the ordinance passes as written, he’ll be forced to close down his business. “The hookah bars will close down,” said Alsudani, of which Boise has three. “When the hookah bars close down, the employees lose their jobs. It’ll just make the economy worse.” As BW went to press, the City Council was expected to take up the issue of a tobacconist exception in its Oct. 11 work session. The discussion was expected to “consider whether to add an exception for tobacconist establishments that sell only tobacco and tobacco-related products.” Visit Citydesk at boiseweekly.com for an update. The City Council will host an official public hearing during its regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 18, at 6 p.m. at City Hall. —Andrew Crisp
THE NEW CULTURE CLUB Boise’s arts community wants to better define its cultural district GEORGE PRENTICE