The Nampa City Council voted 5-1 Tuesday to approve a comprehensive downtown revitalization plan that commits $8 million in public investment over three years to streetscape improvements, building facade grants, parking infrastructure, and a new public plaza designed to transform downtown Nampa from a pass-through corridor into a destination that attracts residents, businesses, and visitors to the heart of Canyon County’s largest city. The plan was developed over 18 months with input from downtown property owners, business leaders, and community members.
Downtown Nampa has experienced a gradual revival over the past decade, with new restaurants, breweries, and creative businesses filling previously vacant storefronts along 1st Street South and 12th Avenue. However, the area still faces challenges including aging infrastructure, limited parking, inconsistent streetscaping, and building conditions that deter some potential tenants and investors. The revitalization plan addresses these barriers systematically rather than piecemeal.
What the Revitalization Plan Includes
The $8 million public investment is divided into four components. Streetscape improvements ($3.5 million) will rebuild sidewalks, install decorative lighting, plant street trees, add benches and planters, and create designated outdoor dining zones along 1st Street and 12th Avenue — the two primary commercial corridors. A building facade improvement grant program ($1.5 million) will provide matching grants of up to $50,000 per building for property owners who upgrade exterior facades, signage, and storefronts to meet the plan’s design standards.
A new 200-space public parking structure ($2 million) will address the parking shortage that downtown business owners consistently identify as their top operational challenge. The structure will be located on the city-owned lot behind the Nampa Public Library, within walking distance of the core commercial district. The remaining $1 million funds the creation of Lloyd Square, a new public plaza at the corner of 1st Street and 11th Avenue that will host the Nampa Farmers Market, community events, concerts, and seasonal activities.
Mayor Debbie Kling called the plan “the most significant investment in downtown Nampa in a generation.” Kling said the public spending is designed to leverage private investment at a ratio of at least 3-to-1. “Every public dollar we invest downtown should generate three or more dollars in private investment — new businesses, building renovations, residential conversions,” she said. “That’s how you build a downtown that sustains itself.”
Funding Sources
The $8 million is funded through the Nampa Urban Renewal District’s tax increment financing revenue ($5 million), a federal Community Development Block Grant ($1.8 million), and the city’s capital improvement fund ($1.2 million). No general fund property tax revenue is used, and no new tax levy is required.
Opposition and Concerns
Council member Randy Haney cast the lone dissenting vote, arguing that the $8 million would be better spent on citywide infrastructure needs including road maintenance and parks. “Downtown is important, but it serves a fraction of Nampa’s residents,” Haney said. “I’d rather see this money distributed more broadly across the city.” Supporters countered that a vibrant downtown benefits the entire city by attracting employers, increasing property values, and creating a sense of community identity that suburbs alone cannot provide.
What Comes Next
Streetscape construction begins in October 2026, timed to avoid conflict with the summer farmers market and outdoor dining season. Building facade grant applications open July 1 at cityofnampa.us/downtown. Downtown business owners and property owners interested in the revitalization plan can attend the Nampa Downtown Association’s monthly meetings, held the first Thursday of each month at the Nampa Civic Center.