BoDo Most Visionary Developer

Most visionary person:BoDo developer Mark Rivers

The Idaho Statesman. Edition 12/26/06

Mark Rivers has been accurately dubbed the "Rock ‘n' Roll" developer.

He's full of dreams, self-confidence and energy.

He's a workaholic — there's a notepad next to his bed for late-night brainstorms — but no three-piece suit guy. Blue jeans are just fine in any meeting for the 41-year-old who transformed Downtown Boise in 2006.

Rivers created BoDo, a household name now and a destination of big-name retailers and Boise shoppers.

His vision for the Treasure Valley started with BoDo, and with its completion this year his vision goes far beyond. But for 2006, his Downtown creation has earned him our selection as the most visionary person of the year.

"Like others we have seen across the country, BoDo is another cool, exciting neighborhood that is in touch with the pulse of today," said Melissa Ladines, company spokeswoman for Levi Strauss, one of eight national retailers with their first and only Idaho stores located at BoDo.

The $60 million BoDo project kicked off in October 2005 with the grand opening of P.F. Chang's. In just over a year, BoDo is at 95 percent occupancy and includes major retailers such as Ann Taylor Loft, Jos A Bank, Urban Outfitters and White House-Black Market.

BoDo has an Office Depot that abandoned its typical big-box model to fit an urban prototype. There's also a cinema, an unmet demand in many downtown communities across the country.

"I thought the project had potential from Day One but it has exceeded my expectations,'' Rivers said.

The legend that Rivers purchased 8th Street Marketplace sight unseen is true.

Rivers was living in Washington, D.C., in 2000 and had spent the previous 10 years working with publicly traded real estate companies. He was a regular on Wall Street and comfortable in the suit-and-tie environment.

He dreamed to go out on his own and Boise became his first project.

He made the offer after only reading about Boise. When he visited the first time, he said, he was "blown away.''

"There are worlds of potential here,'' Rivers said.

His vision wasn't immediately endorsed by those with money. Development in the 8th Street Marketplace had failed before and Rivers was told by one banker: "Nice try, kid. We think you have great vision and a lot of energy, but we don't think anyone will cross Front Street.''

He had the audacity to develop it despite early opposition and now it's a vibrant, bustling center with more than 40 tenants, including Rivers' BoDo office.

"Boise is a one-of-a-kind community; a very special place, like no other I've been in and I've been to 40 states,'' Rivers said.

Rivers is an unlikely Idahoan but has turned into a typical North Ender.

He grew up in upstate New York, the son of a high school principal and stay-at-home mom. He's a huge sports fan and his heart will always belong to the Yankees.

But now he has added Western loves. He carries a backpack at airports, bike rides on Hill Road, loves to ski at Bogus Basin and play basketball at the Downtown YMCA. He's a new but "huge'' Boise State football fan.

He loves live concerts at the Big Easy and business meetings at Tully's Coffee, both BoDo residents.

So how will Rivers top a home run? "With a two-run homer,'' he said.

Coincidentally, his current development project is in Glendale, Ariz., home of the Fiesta Bowl. His project is 100 yards from the stadium and he has a formal agreement with the Fiesta Bowl for a Boise State tailgate party on his dirt. He'll be right in the middle of the fun on New Year's Day.

He continues to dream big here, too.

He has proposed a $130 million Library Blocks project, a redevelopment plan for a six-block area in lower Downtown that would feature a new $30 million library. The Library Blocks would be twice as large as BoDo. Rivers' dream is to build America's "greenest'' library — environmentally friendly materials and operations.

"I want to be the Clydesdale that makes this happen,'' said Rivers, who is currently reading "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman.

So far, Rivers' dreams are having a huge impact on Boise.

"I want to go shoot for the moon,'' he said.