Caldwell Hotel Bid: Board selects developer for downtown project

The Caldwell Urban Renewal Agency Board voted to designate deChase Miksis as the preferred developer for a new boutique hotel in the city's downtown. The project is slated for a site west of the intersection of Main Street and S. 6th Avenue. City council member and board member Chuck Stadick cast the sole vote against accepting the proposal.

The selected proposal envisions two buildings with a combined area of 73,295 square feet. The design includes 88 guest rooms, a 4,300-square-foot restaurant and bar, and a nearly 3,500-square-foot fitness and wellness area. An outdoor courtyard will also be part of the development. Parking arrangements will consist of 37 on-site spaces, 17 on-street spaces, and additional spaces secured through agreements with nearby properties.

Dean Pape, principal of deChase Miksis, presented the proposal to the board on October 26. He noted that the company initially considered a larger 112-room option before settling on the 88-room configuration. The proposal specifies 83 guest rooms, including 14 suite-style units and 69 standard rooms, with flexibility to adjust the count during the design phase.

The board evaluated deChase Miksis against a competing proposal from Borum LLC. Borum suggested a mixed-use building that would start with equal parts multi-family housing and hotel rooms. Their plan included a mechanism to convert units from one use to another based on market conditions.

Ofelia Morales, Caldwell's Assistant Economic Development Director, stated that the city has considered a boutique hotel for the downtown area for at least five years. She argued that overnight guests would increase spending at local businesses. Morales described the boutique model as a way to reflect Caldwell's agricultural heritage, historic sites, and regional food and wine culture.

The selection of deChase Miksis is not the final step in the approval process. The agency must now negotiate a disposition and development agreement with the developer. The company estimates that finalizing this agreement will take three months. Following the agreement, the company anticipates a 12-month period for design and permitting.

Construction is projected to begin in June 2028, with completion expected in the summer of 2029. Morales reminded the board that the project remains subject to standard city review processes, including planning, zoning, site development, and engineering checks. The hotel site is also identified in Envision Caldwell 2050, a development plan adopted by the city council in August 2026.

Funding remains the primary challenge for the project. Pape stated that the company will likely need to finance public infrastructure improvements alongside the hotel construction. He pointed to the Tilian apartments project as a precedent, where the developer received urban renewal and city funding for frontages and utilities. The proposal estimates the total investment at $24.6 million for the 88-room version and $30 million for the larger 112-room option.

Caldwell City Attorney Mark Hilty noted that the developer will likely seek a commitment to public funding within the agreement. He suggested that local improvement district bonds may be necessary, as the city's finance director projects that urban renewal funds will not cover the millions required. Hilty stated that the board cannot commit city funding and that a path to financing must be established before the agreement is finalized.

deChase Miksis has developed several projects in the Treasure Valley, including the 21st Avenue Hotel near the Caldwell county fairgrounds. The company also renovated the Averyl Tiner building in downtown Boise into the Avery Hotel and developed the Thomas Logan and The Lucy properties in Boise's downtown.