Snake River Landing, the 400-plus acre master planned community in Idaho Falls, continues to change the local landscape and exceed the expectations of residents and visitors alike. Conveniently located between Interstate 15 and the Snake River near historic downtown Idaho Falls, Snake River Landing continues to grow into its identity as a mixed-use development with new restaurants, retailers and offices opening regularly.
Snake River Landing began to take shape in 2005 after local entrepreneur Allen Ball, along with his visionary CEO Cortney Liddiard, took the first steps to transform the former gravel pit site into a major part of Idaho Falls. In the effort of giving back to the local community, Ball’s vision was to transform the once-blighted riverfront property into a useable location for businesses and residents to enjoy. Today, over 35 businesses call Snake River Landing home and more are planned to open this year.
Progress in 2014 began with the opening of MacKenzie River Pizza Grill & Pub, a growing Montana-based restaurant franchise known for their fresh ingredients and unique pizzas. Also early in 2014, regional accounting firm Galusha, Higgins & Galusha moved their Idaho Falls office to their new building within the development. “Our firm was seeking a professional and convenient location for our clients and employees and Snake River Landing met those requirements,” remarks Jeff Siler, managing partner for the firm. Owners of Teton Toyota opened a second dealership, Teton Volkswagen, at the southern end of the development, near the I-15 interchange, which has proven to be a fantastic location for the Toyota dealership to serve their customers since opening in early 2009.
Residential options continue to develop in Snake River Landing with new homes being constructed in the first of several phases of planned residential options. In 2014, Thomas Development of Boise opened their senior-living community, Bandon River Apartments, which were fully occupied by the end of the summer.
One of the most substantial additions to Snake River Landing was that of Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Scientech. The Idaho Falls based company has relocated to various facilities around the Idaho Falls area several times as they have grown in operation. When the company realized a need to expand their workforce from 200 people to around 375 in the coming years, existing space in the local area was no longer suitable. The company found a solution in Snake River Landing – a location that provides convenient access for employees to get to work while offering nearby amenities, quick access to the regional airport, and the availability of the amount of land required to build their state-of-the-art 112,500 square foot facility. “The new facility will allow us to continue our growth in the local community and will provide a more streamline workplace environment for our employees, allowing us to deliver our products and services to our customers in a much more efficient manner,” says Scott Robuck, General Manager for the company.
Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Scientech wasn’t the only local company to take notice of all Snake River Landing had to offer. In December, Intel Security opened their Idaho Falls office in one of the multi-tenant office buildings within the development. Roughly 100 employees of the company are now within walking distance of restaurants, able to enjoy Snake River views and can access the many trails of Snake River Landing and the Idaho Falls Greenbelt.
While Snake River Landing enjoyed substantial growth in 2014, Chief Development Officer Eric Isom says 2015 certainly shows signs of being just as, if not more, active. “Snake River Landing is ripe for growth. Not only do we have land available for small and large businesses, we also offer a flexible range of deal types such as office space for lease, retail space for lease, land for sale, ground leases and build-to-suit options.”
Northwest Farm Credit Service opens their new location in early 2015. Kool Beanz Café, an extension of the locally owned Java Espress coffee huts, will open in the spring in an 1800 square foot location and will add beer and wine offerings to their coffee and casual dining menu.
Home2 Suites by Hilton will complete construction and be ready to serve guests beginning this summer. The 91-room hotel will feature suites designed for the business or leisure traveler as each room includes kitchen space with appliances from refrigerators, dishwashers, microwaves and more for travelers seeking a home-like experience during their stay. “Our guests will be staying several nights and are looking for an experience of a home away from home. Snake River Landing’s many walking trails, scenery and easy access to restaurants make it an ideal location for Home2 Suites. We know our guests will love it,” says hotel owner Rusty Townsend.
The City of Idaho Falls Park and Recreation Department is formulating plans in 2015 for the much-anticipated Heritage Park, a collaborative effort by the City, developers, the Rotary Club of Idaho Falls and the local Stafford and Woody Smith families who donated the land for public use. Located near the south end of Snake River Landing, the 11-acre Heritage Park will connect more Greenbelt Trail users to the banks of the scenic Snake River.
Not only are new companies enjoying all Snake River Landing has to offer, but companies who have called Snake River Landing home for are continuing to thrive. Snake River Landing has proven to be a successful location for local and national companies Bill’s Bike & Run, Love at First Bite, Stockman’s Restaurant and Buffalo Wild Wings, Stevens-Henegar College, Edward Jones, Liberty Mutual, just to name a few.
So what’s next? Idaho Falls residents are eagerly anticipating the planned Idaho Falls Event Center to break ground. Additional residential opportunities, such as two- and three-bedroom apartments, are planned in the next phase. “We are currently speaking to several companies about locations in Snake River Landing. It’s an exciting time for growth in Idaho Falls,” remarks Isom. “We look forward to continuing to transform this wonderful part of our city.”