The College of Western Idaho has proposed constructing a three-building campus in Boise that would offer business and technology classes and other courses students would need to transfer to a four-year institution such as Boise State University.
The Idaho Statesman reports that college leaders hope to complete construction of the first building, a 150,000-square-foot structure by 2020. Last year, the college acquired a 10-acre tract that formerly held an auto dealership and plans to build the facilities there.
School trustees are still working on plans for financing the campus construction. The buildings would enable the college to move its Boise programs out of rented space and provide a permanent facility.
The main campus is in Nampa, about 20 miles west of Boise. The college believes a permanent campus is needed in Boise because more than 50 percent of its student population lives in Ada County, where Boise is situated. More than 7,000 students attend classes and programs in leased facilities in Boise.
College President Bert Glandon says that, combined with a proposed expansion of the Canyon County campus in Nampa, the total cost of the school facility improvements would be $180 million.
