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Local entrepreneur plans to build shipping container business park for startups

While the Treasure Valley continues to grow, so does the need for places to do business. A local businesswoman has a unique idea to help small startups get their foot in the door without a hefty price tag.

BOISE - It's no surprise that as the Valley's population grows so does the need for places to do business, and it's only getting harder to find affordable office and retail space in hot spots like downtown Boise and The Village in Meridian.

"The margin is very thin in downtown Boise for really any type of space they're looking for," Patrick Shalz said.

The vacancy rate in the Boise area is at about 7 percent, which Shalz says is the lowest in history.

"Four years ago it was roughly in the $18.50 to $19.50 range, now we're at $22 to $24 a foot," said Shalz.

This dilemma has left small business owners like Hilary Lee, owner of Gluten Free Galaxy food truck, wondering how they can keep up.

"If there had been somewhere we could've paid 500 bucks a month in rent and just moved all of our equipment in we would've been up and running in a week," said Lee. "But the reality is that there aren't spaces like that."

So she came up with a concept to help other small businesses get their foot in the door. It's a business park on the central Bench made of around 44 20-foot shipping containers.

"People are craving it," Lee said. "They want some sort of culture to call their own on the Bench and I think it's a really neat concept for Boise."

"This is where you come get your footing get started, outgrow us," said Lee. "It's just like us with our bakery. We're outgrowing our truck but that's every entrepreneur's dream right?"

On the first level you'll have your coffee shops, bars, restaurants, and retail spaces. On the second level will be offices.

As far as rent goes there's a base price. For the standard 20-foot container Lee is thinking around $500-$600 for rent per month. A 40-foot container would be double that.

"For you to have your own space there's no way you're getting it for under $1,000 typically," Lee said.

She's trying to give new businesses the support of the homes around it and other business owners in the same boat.

"We want to drive traffic to the stores and to the restaurants and things like that so it will be more of a community than just another strip mall," said Lee.

Lee's project is still very much in the planning phase. She says she still has to go through a lengthy process which includes neighborhood meetings and Planning and Zoning. Head over to her Facebook page to keep up to date with events.

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